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Cairns Adventure Group Acquires Raging Thunder
Cairns Adventure Group is proud to announce it has acquired Raging Thunder Adventures White Water Rafting following 12 months of negotiations.
Raging Thunder, which had been operating since 1984, was purchased by ASX listed tourism operator Experience Co in September 2016 but ceased trading in March of this year after they decided to focus on their reef and skydiving businesses.
Cairns Adventure Group Director, Roderic Rees, said his driving force in making the purchase was to cement the future of rafting in the region, help re-establish Cairns as the ‘Adventure Capital of Australia’, and ensure the legacy of a brand that was recognised globally and contributed to by so many people in our community was not wasted.
Mr Rees has a wealth of knowledge in the White Water Rafting industry having been a rafting guide himself for over a decade. Mr Rees acquired Foaming Fury and its subsidiaries in 2014, Aussie Drifterz in 2015 and founded Waterfall Wanderers in 2016; collectively known now as Cairns Adventure Group.
“I have a passion for rafting in this region and want to make it accessible to everyone. Having RT will enable us to tailor trips to specific markets, whether that be the hard-core adventurer or the gentler family market, so more people can enjoy a rafting experience at their own comfort level. Having multiple brands gives us this ability to provide a plethora of options and cement Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef as one of the top white water destinations on the planet”
Commercial white water rafting in the region has changed significantly over the years due to restrictions and complexities involved with the timings of when, and how much water can be released from the hydro-electric power stations and multiple years of unstable monsoonal patterns.
“There were certainly a few challenges to overcome but with a fair bit of patience and a willingness to work with key stakeholders we were able to ensure a positive outcome. This region has an excellent reputation for white water rafting and I’m very keen to continue to grow that”.
Some of the former Raging Thunder river guides are already working with Foaming Fury and the desire is for this to expand, “River Guiding is a very specialised skill, when Covid19 hit many of the guides had to leave the industry and the region, I’m hoping that firing RT back up will whet their appetite and bring them back to the industry”, said Mr Rees.
The easing of border restrictions has come at a welcome time for Mr Rees and indeed the wider Cairns tourism industry, “We’re hopeful of a strong December/January as our southern friends look to break the shackles of an extended lockdown. It has been an incredibly challenging year of unprecedented circumstances and I hope that a move like this can instil some confidence back into the region as the green shoots start to emerge”.
For further details please contact:
Roderic Rees, Director
0418 794 140