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Team

Meet the school camp team that makes your school camp experience easy and enjoyable. Our camp concierge Shannon works with teachers well in advance of a school camp to design just the right itinerary. Once you arrive, the full team gets to work making sure you school camp runs smoothly. Whether it’s just the right food prepared by our chef, or fun, safe and creative activities facilitated by our Activities team, we all pull together to ensure teachers and students feel welcome and fully enjoy the school camp experience.

Riki Karaka - Manager at the Coffs Coast Adventure Centre

Riki Karaka

General Manager

Joined Adventure Centre in 2014

My role varies from day to day, however, my main objective is to ensure that the Coffs Coast Adventure Centre meets its objectives and one of our major objectives is being profitable so we can help the orphaned and underprivileged in Bali Indonesia. Therefore if keeping things running smoothly means I have to facilitate an activity, wash dishes or clean a toilet……then that’s what I’ll be doing.

I have achieved my “Guide” qualification with the Professional Association of Climbing Instructors (PACI) and this qualification gives me a more professional approach to Outdoor Recreation and the management of all levels of clients, including school students. Along with my PACI qualification my ongoing professional development gives me an edge over other “Instructors” and Managers in terms of safety standards, group behaviour management and overall client experience.

Shannon Kent - Bookings Manager at the Coffs Coast Adventure Centre

Shannon Kent

Administration Manager

Joined Adventure Centre in 2017

Shannon started with us in 2017 as an Activity Facilitator mastering all general activities, high ropes activities and rescue techniques. She then moved to a Camp Concierge / Bookings role which she championed and it is our belief that Shannon is one of the reasons the business has done so well in recent years.

Shannon has recently been promoted to the role of Administration Manager as she has many years of experience in this business as well as international businesses of the same type. She has an unwavering commitment to seeing this business do well and she has a wealth of knowledge of the intricacies of the business.

Paul Chambers

Operations Manager

Joined Adventure Centre in 2025
I have been involved in sport and physical activities in some capacity all my life. Either as a player, coach, administrator, manager or leader and I have gained invaluable experiences that have shaped my visions, values and beliefs in work and life.
My aim as Operations Manager at the Coffs Coast Adventure Centre is to use my knowledge and experience to work alongside the staff here to provide the best possible environment through which all of our visitors to the Centre can have a great stay and leave us more empowered than when they arrived.

Tim Karrasch

Head Chef / Catering Manager

Joined Adventure Centre in 2015

Meet Tim our Chef. Tim is a highly experienced Chef, with over 30 years in the catering industry. “I completed my cooking apprenticeship in Brisbane in 1987, before moving to country NSW.

After spending 1992 in Europe, where I worked as a chef at the Bibury Court Hotel in Glostershire UK, I moved to Coffs Harbour where I worked as a chef at Pelican Beach Resort & the Bonville International Golf Resort. In 2015 I came to work here at the Coffs Coast Adventure Centre, starting as a casual chef and also working as an Activities Facilitator. I’m here to meet all your catering needs & I am always up for a chat. I believe in the 3 F’s, Family, Food & Football. Family come first, cooking is my passion & I’m a mad St George Dragons fan. Go the Dragons !!”

Paul Smith

Activity Facilitator / Trainer

Joined Adventure Centre in 2021

My passion is to encourage and lead young people in challenging themselves to achieve outcomes that create growth from within through leading activities that are physical and exciting to be a part of.

As an ex-serviceman, I believe growing the next generation to be self-confident and have the drive to overcome adverse situations with critical thinking through teamwork are all important things to learn in childhood.

Theo Broekman

Catering & Maintenance

Joined Adventure Centre in 2024

My beautiful bride Linda and I love Jesus and have 9 amazing and sensational kids.

Catering and doing Maintenance for the Coffs Coast Adventure Centre is an enjoyable change from my previous work roles. From a Corporate Finance and Administration background, and more recently, Pastoring churches and being a stay-at-home dad, I’m loving cooking for our clients, interacting with them in the dining room and working with our tremendous team. I look forward to meeting you and I will endeavour to make your stay with us a pleasant one.

Matt Ollington

Activities Facilitator

Joined Adventure Centre in 2025

I commenced work with Coffs Coast Adventure Centre as a casual Activities Facilitator in June 2025. I enjoy being part of a professional team that provides students with opportunities to develop confidence, teamwork and resilience through outdoor education.

I previously served 11 years in the Australian Army, where I gained extensive experience in leadership, discipline and working in team environments. These skills have been valuable in my role supporting students as they take on new challenges during their time at the centre.

In my spare time I enjoy watching all sports, outdoor activities and spending time with my beautiful little family. I am proud to be part of the team and enjoy helping make each camp a positive experience for all participants. 

John Everett

Maintenance

Joined Adventure Centre in 2026

Kathryn Brown

Bookings Coordinator

Joined Adventure Centre in 2025
“Hi, I’m Kathryn. I’ve spent over 40 years in the ski and snowboard world, starting out in the NSW fields and travelling through Canada, France, and Austria, working in hospitality, running ski chalets and as a ski instructor.
Along the way, I built a photography business in Wanaka, New Zealand, where I had the chance to shoot some of the best skiers and snowboarders in the world — from documenting first descents in Alaska’s big mountains to creating and managing a successful extreme ski and snowboard event in Wanaka that ran for six years.
These days, I’m based in Coffs Harbour with my family where I love the beach lifestyle, surfing and diving.  I enjoy being part a great team that helps students build resilience and grow through outdoor experiences. I hold a business degree and bring strong planning and event management skills to my work. I also value being part of initiatives that make a positive impact, including supporting underprivileged children in Bali through the Membantu Project.”

Will Snape

Activities Facilitator

Joined Adventure Centre in 2023
“I joined the Coffs Coast Adventure Centre in 2023 as a casual Activity Facilitator before moving into a full-time role. I enjoy being outdoors and working in an environment where every day brings something different.
I believe the experiences we provide can have a lasting impact. I have seen firsthand how moments like those experienced on our camps can shape confidence and perspective, and I take pride in being a part of creating those experiences for others. With the experiences I have had in my younger years which pushed me out of my comfort zone, such as flying high in Cessnas and Gliders, to being deep underground in caves you can barely fit in, and having the influence from those leaders at the time, I know how important this impact is.
I focus on encouraging resilience, confidence and leadership in everyone I have the privilege of running activities with, while making sure each activity is safe, enjoyable and something people will remember long after they leave.
I also value being a part of something bigger, knowing that the work done at the Centre contributes to supporting children overseas through our Membantu Project.
I am excited to meet you at our awesome camp, and I am thrilled to give you a glimpse into what an amazing adventure our lives can be.”

Call our Camp Conccierge 02 6653 5311

Shannon Kent - Bookings Manager at the Coffs Coast Adventure Centre

Let Shannon help you with booking and planning your camp.

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