OUR STAFF

At Camp Laurence we pride ourselves on our quality team of staff and instructors who ensure students and teachers have the best possible Outdoor Education experience.

We operate within the Australian Adventure Activity Standards (AAAS) ratios of participants to instructors for all of our adventure based activities which is currently 15 to 18 participants with 1 Camp Laurence Instructor and 1 Teacher from your school.

It is our aim to have the same instructor accompany the group throughout the program so that the desired outcomes can be achieved through their journey together. Our Instructors follow a ‘challenge by choice’ philosophy, whereby they will encourage participants to push their own personal boundaries, be a positive contributor to the group and walk away from camp having learnt something about themselves.

Narelle Smith, Camp Manager

As the Manager of Camp Laurence Narelle oversees the day to day running of the centre including administration, programming and staffing. With nearly 20 years experience in the Outdoor Education industry, Narelle commenced her role at Camp Laurence in 2016. 

Narelle is passionate about delivering a quality, outcome based program for all students that enter the gates of Camp Laurence. She believes in the benefits of outdoor education - giving students the opportunity to step beyond their limits, build confidence and resilience through accomplishment and develop relationships with peers and teachers. 

Jay Irwin, Program Coordinator

As a keen rock climber and abseiler in his spare time, Jay has been fortunate enough to share his passion of the outdoors with every visitor to Camp Laurence in his role as Program Coordinator. His positive approach to all aspects of this role has encouraged clients to push their personal boundaries and overcome fears of heights and the unknown. 

With over 13 years experience in outdoor education, Jay has invaluable knowledge that he continues to share with students. The ability to educate students has been an amazing journey for Jay and a great asset for Camp Laurence.

Jason Janke, Senior Grounds Keeper

As Senior Grounds Keeper, Jason manages all aspects of the grounds and maintenance including turf management, general maintenance and assisting with upgrades/refurbishments. 

A big believer in Outdoor Education, Jason supports the ethos of Camp Laurence. Jason is a qualified Scout Leader and holds a qualification in Level II Bushwalking and is currently working towards his Certificate IV in Outdoor Recreation. 

Jason is no stranger to Grounds keeping, having spent 12 years as the Head of Grounds and Maintenance in the Catholic School system, where he was responsible for the day to day maintenance and upkeep of grounds and facilities. Jason’s varied background in customer service, management and the outdoors has provided the perfect foundation for his position at Camp Laurence. 

Passionate about Camp Laurence and its possibilities, Jason provides essential services that help with the day to day running of Camp Laurence to ensure that the opportunities provided by camp can be sustained for future generations of Australians, young or young at heart.

David Buse, Outdoor Education Instructor 

David has been an outdoor instructor at various centres since completing a University course in the UK in 2011. David enjoys working with all different ages and abilities on the full range of activities.

With a particular passion for Mountain Biking, David enjoys seeing students progress from often just being able to ride a bike through to downhill riding and even small jumps and drop-offs. David has been involved in preparing our first trail centre based camp which will take students through 3 days of riding from easy trails at the start to technical downhills by the end of the camp. In his spare time, David enjoys riding trails at Nerang, Hidden Vale and in Wales.

A keen trail runner including competing in ultramarathons, trail races and mountain races around Australia and in the UK, David enjoys pushing himself physically. As well as his running fitness, some of these activities are a great test for his navigation skills, which David enjoys passing on to the students at camp.