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
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.
Jared Fairall
Assistant Manager
Joined Adventure Centre in 2014
As Assistant Manager I have a very “hands on” roll when it comes to all the different facets of the business with my time divided between the bookings, catering , housekeeping and activities departments.
I also facilitate a number of different activities at the Adventure Centre including archery, canoeing, zorb ball, commando course and all the high rope activities. I try to create an atmosphere of fun for all our clients every day!
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.”
Shannon Kent
Camp Concierge
Joined Adventure Centre in 2017
My primary role is to coordinate bookings for clients and to ensure all their needs are met prior to, and during, their camp.
Even though I don’t spend a lot of my time on activities anymore my role as an Activity Facilitator is to facilitate fun, safe and creative activities for our campers while trying to achieve specific outcomes outlined by their schools and teachers. I have 11 years of American Summer Camp experience which has given me a wealth of knowledge to share and incorporate into my role at the Adventure Centre.
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.”
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 !!”
Nicki Learoyd
Activity Facilitator
Joined Adventure Centre in 2021
Paul Smith
Activity Facilitator
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.
Claude Besse
Maintenance
Joined Adventure Centre in 2022
I have a trade background as a wall and floor tiler which I learned in Switzerland where I was born. My main role here is to maintain the Adventure Centre and ensure that everything works the way it should. Maintenance sometimes requires me to build things, modify things, clean, garden and so on. Tasks change every day depending on what’s required so my job is never boring.
Sometimes you will even see me helping on activities or in the kitchen but my main role is to keep everything “humming” along!
