The not-for-profit organisation behind one of the Blackall Range’s longest-running outdoor education centres has expanded its footprint across southeast Queensland, acquiring the well-known Cobb & Co Nine Mile Camping Grounds near Gympie.
Queensland Conference and Camping Centres (QCCC), which operates the well-known QCCC Mapleton facility in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, has purchased the 50-acre family campground at Tandur plus an adjoining 50-acre undeveloped block in a deal that consolidates the not-for-profit’s position as a major provider of affordable outdoor experiences in the region.
The campground takes its name from the historic Cobb & Co stagecoach route that once passed through the Gympie region, a reminder of the horse-drawn coach services that carried passengers, mail and gold across Queensland from 1866 until 1924.
The acquisition, announced on 19 January 2026, follows a 12-month partnership during which QCCC successfully delivered its Survival School Camp programmes at the Gympie site, building confidence between both organisations before formalising the arrangement.
Cobb & Co will initially operate as a satellite site of QCCC Mapleton, under Mapleton’s leadership, with staff working between both locations, creating a direct operational link between the two facilities.
Stewardship model provides stability in uncertain times
For Blackall Range residents familiar with QCCC Mapleton’s 42-year presence in the community, the expansion signals financial stability and long-term stewardship capability from an organisation that has quietly served more than 35,000 campers annually across its network of three sites.
At a time when many tourism and camping businesses across Queensland struggle with rising operational costs, QCCC’s move represents a counter-trend, a well-resourced not-for-profit deploying its 200-strong team and established infrastructure to support a beloved family campground that might otherwise face uncertainty.
QCCC Director Andrew Grant said the relationship-first approach to the acquisition was deliberate, allowing both parties to test alignment in values and operations before committing to the sale.
“Sean and Katherine (O’Hanlon, the founders) haven’t just built a campground, they’ve built something people genuinely care about,” Andrew said. “Over the past year, they’ve been able to see how QCCC operates in practice, not just on paper.”
For Sean and Katherine O’Hanlon, who built Cobb & Co over 15 years, the decision to sell stemmed from confidence that QCCC would preserve their legacy. “QCCC stood out immediately, values-driven, family-focused and experienced in outdoor education,” they said. “Seeing us in action on-site for the last year gave them confidence we will honour what Cobb & Co means to its community and guests.”
Now embracing retirement, the couple said they feel “rightfully proud” of what they built and ready to hand over knowing the campground’s future is secure.
The deal positions QCCC as a regional anchor in the Sunshine Coast-to-Gympie corridor, with Cobb & Co Nine Mile located just minutes off the Bruce Highway, approximately 100 kilometres south of Mapleton.
Operational synergies and strategic repositioning
The purchase creates efficiencies across QCCC’s portfolio, with direct benefits for the Mapleton site. Staff will work between both locations, and Cobb & Co’s satellite relationship means the Blackall Range facility will provide leadership and operational support.
The Survival & Bush Camp programmes, which had previously been delivered at various locations, have now found a permanent home at Cobb & Co, allowing QCCC Mapleton to focus more intensively on its Hinterland Great Walk expeditions that leverage the Blackall Range’s direct access to national parks and rainforest trails.
This strategic repositioning reflects QCCC’s approach to matching programmes with geography. “Having both rainforest and bushland settings expands our ability to deliver diverse, sequential programmes,” Andrew said. “Cobb & Co’s landscape unlocks immersive survival and leadership experiences we simply can’t replicate elsewhere.”
For schools and community groups already familiar with QCCC Mapleton’s offerings, including its abseiling tower, high and low ropes courses, flying foxes and indoor climbing wall, the addition of Cobb & Co provides an alternative venue with a different character, focused on unpowered camping, glamping tents and creek-based activities.
Preservation over commercialisation
The deal aligns with QCCC’s longstanding ethos as a not-for-profit provider rather than a commercial tourism operator. Unlike corporate caravan park chains, QCCC operates on a stewardship model focused on long-term community benefit rather than short-term returns.
QCCC Mapleton has operated continuously in the Blackall Range since 1983, maintaining its community focus through multiple economic cycles and industry disruptions, measuring success in decades and generations rather than quarterly returns.
Andrew emphasised that the intent is to preserve what makes Cobb & Co distinctive while investing in its future. “That means building on what already works, family experiences, school holiday energy, creativity and imagination, not stripping it back or commercialising it,” he said.
The deal represents what might be called a “best of both worlds” scenario for the Gympie region: the relaxed, homespun character and personal touch that made Cobb & Co special, now supported by professional-scale operational support and resources built over almost a century.
All existing staff at Cobb & Co, including caretakers, will remain under QCCC employment, ensuring continuity of service. The site’s resident dog, Drover, will also continue welcoming campers. All bookings for 2025 and 2026 will be honoured, and no immediate price increases are planned following a modest CPI-related tariff adjustment made by the previous owners.
Ecotourism implications for the hinterland
The expansion reinforces the Sunshine Coast Hinterland’s growing reputation as a hub for sustainable, education-focused outdoor experiences. QCCC Mapleton has contributed significantly to local ecotourism since opening in 1983, promoting low-impact adventure-based education that highlights the Blackall Range’s biodiversity and walking networks.
The centre’s programmes draw school groups, families and community visitors who engage with the region’s natural assets, often extending their stays to explore nearby Mapleton village, national parks and the broader Blackall Range. This conservation-driven visitation model indirectly supports local businesses while fostering environmental awareness amongst young people.
Andrew emphasised the regional economic impact of outdoor education facilities. “Camps like ours are economic engines in regional towns, we hire local, draw thousands of visitors each year and generate long-term, community-focused growth through tourism, employment and business partnerships,” he said.
By applying the same not-for-profit, stewardship-focused approach at Cobb & Co, QCCC is effectively extending this ecotourism model along the Bruce Highway corridor, creating a network of accessible, affordable outdoor facilities that prioritise environmental education over commercial gain.
Meeting growing demand for transformational education
The purchase comes as demand rises for outdoor education experiences in Queensland schools. Andrew noted that post-COVID, educational priorities have shifted significantly.
“Schools are looking for more than excursions, they want transformational experiences,” he said. “Camps deliver social and emotional learning outcomes that can’t be taught in classrooms, and demand continues to rise.”
He emphasised the core educational value of outdoor programmes. “Outdoor education gets students off screens and into real relationships. It builds resilience, belonging and wellbeing, outcomes backed by research and highly valued by schools seeking to nurture the whole child.”
Over time, QCCC plans gradual improvements at Cobb & Co including more structured family activities during weekends and school holidays, increased maintenance and staffing capacity drawn from its 200-strong team, additional food service options and expanded Outdoor Education offerings for Years 4 to 12.
The recently opened themed mini-golf course at Cobb & Co will continue operating, and the site will become the long-term home for QCCC’s Survival Camp programme for schools, which has welcomed thousands of Queensland students over the past six years.
Any future development will be incremental rather than transformative, with QCCC prioritising preservation of the natural setting and relaxed, homespun feel that has made the campground popular with families.
Nearly a century of Queensland camping
QCCC brings a 99-year history to the deal, having provided outdoor education and camping experiences across Queensland since the 1920s. The organisation currently operates large-scale venues at Mapleton, Tamborine and Brookfield, serving school students, families, churches and community groups.
For Blackall Range locals, the purchase represents both continuity and evolution, the same trusted organisation that has operated QCCC Mapleton for more than four decades is now expanding its reach while maintaining the community-focused values that have defined its presence in the hinterland.
QCCC Mapleton will continue to operate as normal, with the Cobb & Co satellite site adding capacity to the network rather than changing existing programmes. Families and school groups can continue to book through the usual channels, with the addition of Cobb & Co providing an alternative venue option for those seeking a different bush camping experience.
Further details about programming and transition plans will be shared in the lead-up to the 2026 camping season.
QCCC Mapleton is located at 950 Obi Obi Road, Mapleton. For more information about QCCC’s programmes and venues, visit www.qccc.org.au
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