A stone’s throw from Canberra, on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River and the doorstep of the mountains, Tharwa has been our home since 1978. Our property was set up with ‘make do’ facilities to house our staff, and provide a national base from which to support our expeditions.
Nearly 50 years later, we realise it is time to re-imagine our home at Tharwa, fulfilling its potential as an outdoor learning campus. The vision is to transform the site, expanding our outdoor adventure experiences with hands-on bushcraft activities and improved campsite facilities. Central to this vision is our new Communal Centre, as it will create dining and gathering facilities for 140 participants to match our cabin capacity.
“So many Outward Bound magic moments of learning, reflection and connection happen while sharing a meal. The new Communal building will provide the missing link experience to fulfil the potential of the Tharwa campus as a special place for outdoor adventure learning.” Loren Miller, Co-Chair and Executive Director
A masterplan developed in 2021 by award winning Sally Draper Architects and TCL Landscape Design provides the blueprint for the site. The Communal Centre will become the heart of the campus for Outward Bound participants, crew and the broader community. It will be a central gathering point for meals, events and end of program celebrations. The new building will replace the small, sterile dining facilities in the ‘admin block’, that began life as a mining demountable in the 1960s.
It will also host the National Centre for Outdoor Risk and Readiness (NatCORR), an Outward Bound initiative to help the outdoor sector to prepare for the impacts of climate change. The Communal Centre will serve as a catalyst for connection, dialogue and shared experience, fostering community, collaboration and engagement with the environment. Read more about the design and environmental credentials in our Outward Bound Communal Centre Case for Support – March 2025.
With $2.2m of grant funding, a $1.5m investment from Outward Bound and $250,000 already secured from generous philanthropists, we are excited to be in the final phase of our fundraising campaign
This is a golden opportunity to make an enormous impact on developing Outward Bound’s facilities to be fit for future generations. We are seeking the help and support of the generous Outward Bound community to help realise this strategic goal.
With the funding opportunity*, comes naming recognition opportunities:
- Building and dining hall naming with donations in the order of $1m
- Outdoor deck and BBQ area naming with donations in the order of $500k
- Seminar and meeting rooms for donations in the order of $250k
*Tax deductible donations are possible through the Australian Outward Bound Development Fund.
Our already significant investment of $1.5m over the last two years has included refurbishing the old farm sheds to become an inspiring learning space as bushcraft workshops. The space now also includes an indoor function centre (the Possum Shed) and a woodfire pizza-making oven. We have also created a new logistics and vehicle hub for our gear, equipment and catering, upgraded toilet and shower amenities, and renovated our program operations office.
On the 20th March 2025, we broke ground on the site of our new Communal Centre and are looking forward to our partner, Ethical Construction Projects to commence construction at the end of April 2025. It was an exciting and historic day for us and you can read more about the soil turning ceremony here.
We are so excited by the journey ahead — the transformation of our Tharwa campus into an industry leading outdoor learning campus that truly reflects the spirit of Outward Bound. The new Communal Centre is more than just a building; it’s the heart of our future, where connection, growth and community will come to life. To help us reach this potential, we need your support! Every contribution brings us one step closer to opening the doors. If you’re in a position to give, please consider making a donation today.
