Adventure Therapy itself has been around in New Zealand for many years but it was not until 1996 that the term Adventure Therapy began to be used, in particular when a group of 10 Kiwis attended the “Adventure Therapy Pre conference workshop” as part of the Australian National Outdoor Education Conference in Queensland. At this point an informal network began to be formed between professionals experimenting in this field around New Zealand.

In 1996 Waiariki Polytechnic in Rotorua set up the Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Adventure Therapy) and in 2002 this group hosted the Adventure Therapy Aotearoa Network Conference, “Weaving Paths in Adventure Therapy”. In the years that followed Kiwis attended the 1st International Adventure Therapy Conference – Perth 1997 (IATC), the 2nd International Adventure Therapy Conference (2IATC) – Germany 2000 and the 3rd International Adventure Therapy Conference – Canada 2003 (3IATC).

In 2004 Rotorua Adventure Therapy Aotearoa R.A.T.A. Inc. was set up as an incorporated society to allow R.A.T.A. to host the 4th International Adventure Therapy Conference (4IATC) – Rotorua. At 4IATC a group of around 40 kiwis decided that it was time to strengthen this network and it was decided to launch a website to create an online community of people interested in developing this work.