Local firm’s passion for adventure recognised

TRAILBLAZING outdoor adventure provider Geelong Adventure Specialists (GAS) first launched onto the scene more than 10 years ago after co-owners Jeremy and Shelley Wright noticed a gap in the tailored experience space in Geelong.

The business has since forged a reputation as a leader in its industry and has been named a finalist in the 2024 Geelong Business Excellence Awards (GBEA), sponsored by LBW Business + Wealth Advisors.

Ms Wright said it was an honour to be a finalist and for the team to be recognised for its hard work over the past decade.

“[We’re] happy to be in pretty incredible company,” she said.

With the aim of creating opportunities for everyone to get out into nature and fostering an environment of discovery for its clients, Ms Wright said GAS approaches its outdoor adventure offering through four broad lenses.

The first is its adventure tourism offering for families and visiting tourists, with activities ranging from rock climbing and mountain biking to Great Ocean Road tours.

Drawing on the Wright’s previous experience as outdoor education teachers, GAS also works with schools and community groups to provide education experiences across the You Yangs, Brisbane Ranges, Otways and Grampians, as well as the Bellarine and Surf Coast.

“Part of it is also hoping that we instil a bit of environmental stewardship, a bit of appreciation for the natural world,” Ms Wright said.

GAS has also been a registered NDIS service provider since 2017 and supports people living with disability to “pursue their outdoor adventure goals and pursuits”.

“We’re just helping to create community for people who also enjoy being in the outdoors and who might otherwise be quite isolated,” Ms Wright said.

Finally, the most recent addition to the business’s offering is an adventure therapy program delivered, with the support of its team of mental health social workers and counsellors, to those facing a variety of challenges, including depression, school refusal and life transitions.

Ms Wright said the team works hard to meet the needs of the clients they support and provide a safe experience that people may not be able to achieve themselves, attributes which have garnered GAS consistently high customer satisfaction ratings and an induction into the Tripadvisor Hall of Fame.

“I think it’s just really listening to what people actually want and making a lot of effort to get feedback and just keep evolving,” she said.

This year’s GBEA category winners will be announced at a presentation event at The Pier Geelong on October 17.

For more information, or to secure your tickets, head to gbea.com.au