23 Mar Why we roll with Vertec Adventure

QCCC’s Outdoor Education programs commenced in 1994 with the employment of Neil Robinson – one of the pioneers of Outdoor Education in Queensland, and a finalist in the Queensland Outdoor Education Federation Awards last year.  Applying exacting standards to QCCC’s Outdoor Education programs, Neil has been instrumental in developing QCCC’s reputation as one of Queensland’s leading providers of innovative and best-practice programs.

Some of the things said about Neil and QCCC’s Outdoor Education programs in the QORF Awards last year include:

“Two decades after he commenced Neil trains and operates his Outdoor Education to an exacting standard, never being satisfied with anything less than industry best-practice.  Many instructors who work for him have been with the organisation for ten years or more, an extraordinary statistic in an industry with significant turnover.”

And

“Neil’s commitment to best practice is seen in his training.  QCCC staff are trained in all aspects of Outdoor Education so they can follow their group through all activities, maximising the relationship with students and providing consistency.  This is only possible if the staff are trained to exacting standards.  Staff trained by Neil Robinson are known for their excellence and attention to detail – whether this be in the QCCC workplace, or amongst staff who have been trained by Neil and gone to work in other organisations in Queensland or globally.”

When it came to the expansion of our Outdoor Education for our Gold Coast School Camp programs at QCCC Tamborine, the hardest part of the expansion was finding another organisation with the same attention to detail and high standards as that provided at Mapleton.  Several providers were tried and found wanting.  Then along came Neil’s kindred spirit, Sam Skerman and his Vertec Adventure team.

Vertec have now worked in QCCC’s Outdoor Education area for six years, starting at the same time QCCC unveiled its values-based teaching tool, the R1202 Hand.  They’ve worked alongside our staff and wholeheartedly embraced our ethos, culture and standards (in reality they had them before they started with us anyway).

QCCC allow other activity providers to use our sites as long as they can prove a commitment to safety and appropriate operations.  However, as we searched for a strategic partner for the expansion of Outdoor Education at one of Queensland’s most stunning campsites, the 50 acres we enjoy the use of at Mount Tamborine, Sam Skerman and Vertec Adventures were the obvious choice.

While Tamborine has some activities similar to Mapleton (archery, giant swing and leap of faith to name a few), a lot of emphasis was placed on installing some different options, so schools can enjoy sequential programs with QCCC with a huge choice of different activity options.

Sam has installed a Jacob’s Ladder, Survivor Challenge, GPS Challenge and big group games area at Mount Tamborine.  His portable climbing wall enjoys some of the best views in Queensland.  And where better than our Mountain Retreat Campus on Tamborine Mountain to have a carved a mountain bike skills park and MTB single track ride?  The activities at QCCC Tamborine may be different but, thanks to Vertec Adventure, the high standards and best-practice when it comes to ratios and safety remain the same.