Founded in 2022 by siblings Rachel and Michael Thompson, Escape Down Under was born from a shared passion for storytelling, technology, and Australia's rich cultural heritage. Having traveled extensively and experienced escape rooms worldwide, the Thompson duo returned to their hometown of Adelaide with a vision: to create immersive puzzle experiences that showcase uniquely Australian stories.
Our journey began in a small warehouse in Adelaide's western suburbs, where we designed our first room, "Outback Odyssey," with borrowed equipment and boundless enthusiasm. Despite limited resources, the room quickly gained popularity for its authentic Australian storytelling and innovative puzzle design. Word spread quickly, and within six months, we had welcomed over 2,000 players.
In 2023, we moved to our current location on King William Street in the heart of Adelaide's CBD. The expanded space allowed us to build three additional themed rooms and establish a dedicated research and development lab where our designers continually innovate with new technology and puzzle concepts.
The following year marked a significant milestone when we partnered with Indigenous consultants to create "Dreamtime Mysteries," a respectful exploration of Aboriginal culture through interactive puzzles. This room won critical acclaim and established Escape Down Under as pioneers in cultural storytelling through escape games.
By 2025, we had added virtual reality elements to enhance our physical escape rooms and launched our corporate team-building program, which now serves over 100 businesses annually. Today, Escape Down Under stands as Adelaide's highest-rated escape room experience, having welcomed over 25,000 players through our doors.
