Live boldly and vividly through the journey of life. Australian Expeditions will have you engaging with the natural environment in an authentic adventure.
Commencing back in 1956, Outward Bound has a proud history of providing Australian expeditions for adults. The opportunity to engage in adventure and learning is both our heritage and our future. You will be inspired by skilful people, working together in challenging and majestic environments to see limitless opportunities within yourself.
Participating in an Outward Bound Australia Adult Program will see you stretch your limits beyond what you thought possible.
Whether it be through an adventurous activity or completing team challenges with new acquaintances, our programs range from short 5-day professional learning experiences, perfect for adding unique talking points on your resume, through to one-month-long Australian expeditions focusing on leadership and personal development through some of Australia’s most captivating wilderness landscapes.
We aim for participants to discover their inherent strengths and how they interact with and are motivated by others. With a higher sense of self-direction, the adventure allows you to rediscover learning – physically, practically, and socially.
Adults are focused on achieving goals, meeting targets and getting the job done. At Outward Bound, we take this concept and each participant through a unique and challenging immersive learning experience, transferring the conclusions and outcomes into relevant concepts for real-world advantage.
These expeditions push you out of your comfort zone. Transformative learning and the progressive nature of the adventure builds throughout the program. The deliberate outdoor learning process, with reflective and evaluating activities, will transform you.
Discover your potential and relish your achievements.
Our Adult Expeditions appeal to current leaders, aspiring managers, those establishing careers, others looking for peak performance insights, as well as students and everyone in between. The experiential learning journey will expose uncertainty and risk-taking aversions, present dilemmas and allow for reassessments. As the journey unfolds, there is often an adjustment of priorities and reflection of the roads travelled and challenges conquered.
The range of activities across the adventure is customised to focus on personal development, the opportunity to share knowledge, explore new competencies and demonstrate leadership.
Outward Bound Australia run programs year-long from our national Base in Tharwa ACT.
We also operate seasonally in both Walpole WA and Grampians VIC.
Outward Bound Adult Expedition fees cover all accommodation requirements, meals, activities and specialised equipment for the duration of your adventure.
Adult programs are expedition-based journeys where you hike to a new campsite across the days and spend each night in a different location.
All national park fees, camping permits and activity fees are included in your adventure fee payment. Each location will have varying facilities. Sleep under the stars or in small, lightweight shelters.
Toilet and Shower amenities are dependent on the specific location of each camp. Review the individual camp location details for the particular amenities available at each venue.
All transport required within the program is provided by Outward Bound Australia. You are responsible for getting to and from the camp departure and collection points at the beginning and end of the camp.
Each camp facility has delicious fresh and healthy food options available for participants across the week. All food and water for each day, covering breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks (including water purification) are provided. All cooking equipment is also provided.
All camping equipment for the journey is provided and allocated at the commencement of the program. You will be issued with a backpack, sleeping mat, and camp shelter, along with any necessary safety equipment, maps and communication devices.
All activity equipment will also be provided by Outward Bound. Each program will have a unique packing list of personal items participants need to pack. Everything else – we provide!
Adult Expeditions are facilitated by Outward Bound Australia’s Professional Instructors. Our people are qualified, expert outdoor practitioners who hold qualifications in Outdoor Leadership, Wilderness First Aid, and the specific adventure activity skills utilised for each program.
We take safety seriously in our business – after all – what we do can be described as challenging, risk-taking and great fun!
Before each adventure we will run through safety procedures and make sure we are all on the look out for each other before we head outward bound.
At all times our adventures are led by qualified and trained instructors under the terms of our Safety Policy.
All necessary safety and risk assessments ensure the health and welfare of participants comes first. Our Risk Management Policy can be located here: Risk Management Policy.
We balance uncertainty, reward and responsibility as core tenets of our mission. We actively encourage and support you, so you realise how amazing you really are.
We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have over the phone (1800 267 999). Here are the answers to a few frequently asked questions.
Our programs are expedition-based. You will be hiking to a new expedition campsite every night where you will share a bivvy (A-frame tarp, with waterproof groundsheet and sleeping mat.)
We value fresh food and endeavour to organise regular food drops for you to enjoy throughout your program. Participants will learn to cook a variety of group-based meals, including pasta, rice, burritos, and perhaps even a roast dinner. We are able to cater for most dietary requirements. We will request your specific dietary needs before the program.
An Outward Bound program is your opportunity to ‘disconnect to reconnect’. We encourage adult participants to not use technology such as phones, tablets, music players, etc. during your program. If you need to bring these items, we can securely store these while you are out in the bush.
We recommend hiking boots for all our programs. If you are unable to source these, you will need to find a suitable pair of lace-up, fully enclosed footwear, that has a rigid sole and provides ankle stability.
We use the rain jacket and waterproof overpants as a heat-trapping layer in the evenings, just as much as a waterproof cover in the case of rain. For the majority of situations, we continue with our program when it is raining, and so very strongly encourage participants to provide these items.
For programs running May – September, yes you do need to bring the thermal top and bottom to program. For programs running at other times, you can choose if you want to bring these or not. Overall, we recommend bringing thermals for any time of year, as they can act as a lightweight jumper in the evenings, or as a pair of pyjamas (which are not a part of our packing list).
All Outward Bound programs include a hiking expedition and team initiatives. The program length and location may include abseiling, rock-climbing and high ropes. Programs in Western Australia and Grampians VIC usually include a water-based activity.
An Outward Bound program is an expedition in the natural environment, so you need to feel confident enough to manage walking on uneven ground for at least 6km every day of your program length, carrying a minimum of 6kg in an expedition-style backpack.
All-year-round programs operate from our national base in Tharwa, ACT. We operate seasonally from our Base in Walpole WA, and our remote set-up along the Snowy River, VIC.
