As we reminisce on the year that was, 2023 was a remarkable time for Black Diamond Adventures, filled with memorable moments and significant achievements for both BDA staff and students on our programs. While there were a number of unforgettable moments, here are some of the highlights that made the year special for us:

2023 marked the biggest year of growth for Black Diamond Adventures, a testament to the collective efforts, hardwork and dedication of the Black Diamond team. This growth is most evident in the number of Duke of Ed Adventurous Journeys that Black Diamond has facilitated.

In 2023, BDA facilitated 37 Adventurous Journeys for 15 different schools, in comparison to the 24 journey’s for 12 schools in 2022. This is attributed to Black Diamond’s unique Duke Of Ed Pathway vision in which we work with a select number of partner schools to see their students through all levels of their award (Bronze, Silver and Gold) rather than run just one level of their journey. This allows for students to explore a range of outdoor expedition types such as hiking and canoeing in a variety of specialised locations. More importantly, however, it allows the students to establish strong connections with their BDA leaders who they see repeatedly throughout their Duke of Ed journey.

In addition, Black Diamond Adventures ran three 12-day exended immersion-style programs in the Northern Territory for our key partner schools. Further to this, we facilitated 16 school camps in 2023 compared to the 13 run in 2022. While this is not a significant increase in comparison to our Adventurous Journeys, all of the schools we worked with in 2022 returned in 2023 for us to run their yearly school camp.

These improved program numbers are a source of inspiration and motivation for us at Black Diamond Adventures and remind us of the positive impact we can have when we work together towards a common goal.

We believe this increase to be attributed to a number of factors, the most notable being the core team of outdoor educators that work at Black Diamond full-time. Founder of BDA, Rob, has always had the vision of having a small permanent core team of highly experienced outdoor educators who live and breathe Black Diamond Adventures culture. These highly skilled leaders are all committed to not only facilitating unique outdoor experiences for young people, but more importantly, showing genuine care for each individual, establishing positive relationships with students and staff on all of our programs.

We are extremely grateful to all those who have contributed to the success of our programs so far – our dedicated Black Diamond team, passionate school staff, and, most importantly, our program participants. It is through your collective efforts and unwavering commitment that we are able to achieve these remarkable milestones and make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people.

2024 is shaping up to be an even greater year with a number of new program offerings such as Gold trips to K’gari (Fraser Island), New Zealand to hike two of the Great Tracks, the introduction of a Father/Son outdoor expeditions, and an improved range of day programs!