A French couple is enjoying helping adults and kids alike do something they’ve always dreamed of.
Established five years ago, Tree Top Adventure Parks let adventurers test both their skills and limits on a range of tree top rope courses across its three parks in NSW, with plans to open seven more.
“I think we’re tapping into something that really resonates with people, it’s really something that people can appreciate, and once they do the activities they’re sometimes really surprised that they managed to do it,” says Sandrine Gaymard, co-founder of Tree Top Adventure Parks.
Gaymard and Frederic Galimard first had the idea for the parks in 1998, but it took years of planning to gain approval from the government and open the first park.
“To convince the government was quite long and painful, but eventually we found some people who really believed in the product and after we started the first one, it was all very much easier because people could see what we were talking about,” says Gaymard.
“It’s difficult, even when you see images on the website, to comprehend exactly what it is until you’ve been on the course.”
All of the company’s new hires, including office staff, trial the courses in order to get a proper sense of the parks, which Gaymard believes comes through when talking to visitors.
The company is dedicated to sustainability, and has been awarded Ecotourism certification from Ecotourism Australia.
“The tree is the real star in our business, and we need to make sure we protect the tree and the environment around it,” says Gaymard.
“We wanted to protect the environment and make sure we could always improve to make sure we have a minimal impact.”
The quest to run a green business has seen Gaymard and Galimard develop their own products and equipment, using eco-friendly construction methods best suited to Australian trees.
For Gaymard, the most exhilarating part of the job is seeing the reactions of people of all ages after coming out of their comfort zones on a course.
“Seeing that, for our team, is just extraordinary. When when you see people pushing their limits, that’s rewarding in itself.”
