Ten Years of Progress: Celebrating a Decade of Training, Transformation and Industry Impact
Over the past decade, the Australian Cleaning & Restoration Academy (ACRA) has grown from a small specialist training provider into one of the most respected education and consultancy organisations in the restoration industry. Since launching in 2015, ACRA’s mission has remained clear: to lift professional standards, bridge the gap between theory and real-world application, and equip restorers with the skills and knowledge to become true industry experts.
The Spark That Started It
ACRA was founded in 2015 in response to a growing need for structured, practical, and locally relevant restoration education in Australia. At the time, most available training was fragmented or imported from overseas, often failing to reflect Australian conditions, materials, and standards.
ACRA sought to change that — delivering training built for local environments, materials, and compliance requirements. What began with a handful of private courses quickly grew into a comprehensive offering, helping numerous businesses strengthen their technical expertise and improve job outcomes.
From Private Training to Global Reach
In its early years, ACRA operated largely through private business consultancy and in-house programs. The focus was on improving restoration fundamentals and helping business owners apply the science of restoration, thereby gaining a better understanding of how their equipment functions.
As the academy evolved, this private approach expanded into public courses and national workshops. The launch of Flood House training became a defining feature, giving restorers the opportunity to experience controlled flood simulations and learn the science of drying firsthand.
Today, ACRA delivers a balance of private and public training, offering both in-person and online education across Australia, New Zealand and internationally. The academy’s competency-based handbook and online learning assessments have enabled technicians worldwide to access comprehensive, practical, and measurable training. Over the past decade, we have had the pleasure of hosting amazing industry leaders from around the world at our training events, where they have shared their knowledge and expertise.
Training That Solves Real Problems
ACRA’s approach has always been solution focused. Rather than teaching students to pass a test, the academy teaches restorers how to think critically, understanding not just what to do, but why.
Each course is designed to address recurring challenges faced by technicians in the field, including moisture detection, reporting, and the proper use of equipment. Practical demonstrations, real-time testing, and scenario-based discussions ensure participants gain confidence in both decision-making and technical application.
ACRA has trained all our staff. Garry will FaceTime them on complex jobs to talk them through what to do. He always makes himself available. All our boys know to call Garry if they get really stuck and cannot reach us. – Ally, QLD Flood Fire & Mould
The past decade has brought significant changes to the restoration industry, and ACRA has responded accordingly. The rise of new technologies, updated standards, and the rapid shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic all tested the industry’s ability to adapt.
As the COVID-19 pandemic significantly shifted and impacted engagement in many areas of life, particularly the workforce, this drove ACRA to create a competency-based learning course that ensured students not only completed online modules but also developed a measurable understanding. By requiring 100% comprehension, the academy maintained the integrity of its training, even in a digital environment.
A Decade of Industry Contribution
Ten years on, ACRA has trained and supported many restoration professionals across Australia and beyond. Its education programs have helped drive higher standards and better reporting practices, resulting in real-life business growth for many customers around Australia.
In the early days, ACRA’s training rooms were filled mostly with carpet cleaners and restorers eager to improve their technical knowledge. Ten years on, the audience looks very different. The academy now trains builders, insurance assessors, facility managers, and general cleaners — professionals from every corner of the property and construction sector who recognise the importance of understanding water damage and structural drying. What began as industry-specific education has grown into a multi-disciplinary platform that connects everyone involved in restoration, cleaning, and building maintenance.
Through practical training, online resources, and ongoing consultation, ACRA continues to champion high-level skills and knowledge that enable the development of qualified restoration experts. Over the last decade, its work has not only improved individual technicians' skills but also helped elevate the entire restoration sector in Australia. Our team has seen a growth of passionate and like-minded people who bring their own wealth of knowledge to help drive ACRA forward, leaving the industry better than when we found it.
This year also marks ten years for our sister company, Restore Solutions, which has evolved in tandem with ACRA to provide restorers with the tools, technology, and support they need to succeed. While ACRA delivers the education, Restore Solutions provides the equipment that brings that learning to life.
Featured Interview: Reflecting on Ten Years of ACRA with Garry Carroll & Lorelle McCulloch
To celebrate ten years of the Australian Cleaning & Restoration Academy, founder Garry Carroll and Lorelle McCulloch sat down to reflect on the journey — from its beginnings to its role in shaping the future of restoration training.
Q. What came first, the chicken or the egg? (ACRA or Restore)
Garry: They really grew together, but I began teaching before I ever sold equipment. I was delivering training long before ACRA officially existed, teaching for organisations like IICRC and ProChem, as well as within my own restoration business and for other companies in the industry.
Q. What inspired you to make the move from running your own restoration business to starting 2 new businesses?
Garry: There were two big turning points. The first was when we brought Drymatic to Australia. We started training people on how to use the heat drying equipment & doing so realised I loved the teaching side of the industry more than just running jobs. We continued to sell equipment, teach for other companies, and run our restoration business while also teaching in the industry.
Then in 2015, I met a business consultant who really challenged me. I’d turned 40, and when she asked what I enjoyed after 20 years in restoration, I realised it was teaching, problem-solving and helping other businesses grow, not running my own restoration jobs anymore. So, we made the call, sold the restoration business, and that’s when ACRA and Drymatic Heat Drying Australia officially began.
Q. What did the business look like in the early days VS now?
Garry: When we first started ACRA, we focused on business consultancy, helping other companies grow and improve their systems. From there, we moved to mostly private training courses. Back then, about 85% of our training was private. These days it’s more balanced, around 50/50 between private and public training. Over time, we shifted from primarily consulting to more practical, hands-on training, such as the flood house courses.
Q. How did the role of science-based restoration change from the traditional carpet cleaning model of restoration?
Garry: A lot of training in the industry focuses on just passing an exam or meeting a standard. We take a different approach. Leveraging the latest techniques and teaching businesses how to adapt and evolve. The industry’s always changing, so what we teach today looks completely different to what we were even a couple of years ago
Q. Is technology the only factor in what you teach?
Garry: Innovation drives a lot of what we teach, but I’m also very practical and logical. I examine the real problems in the industry and focus on solving them. Moisture detection is a significant concern, and we realise that we need to teach it differently to everyone else. The same applies to invoicing, reporting, and, most importantly, understanding how equipment works. Many technicians are using the gear but not understanding what it’s doing.
For example, during a training session in Perth on dehumidification, we ran two contained rooms, one at 16°C and the other at 40°C. Both dehumidifiers ran for six hours in a flooded setup, with empty buckets placed beside them. Six hours later, still no water “Why is it empty? What’s happening?” Our real-world learning does challenge people's thinking. Too often, a dehumidifier is set up, the hose is directed down a drain, and the user hopes for the best without checking to see if the dehumidifier is working. This is why we focus on teaching not just what & why to use, but how to use it properly. This way, you get the most out of your equipment every time.
Q. What has been the biggest impact of COVID on the industry?
Garry: The hardest thing from COVID is getting people to show up. Businesses are struggling with people saying, “Can’t I work from home?”. Unfortunately, you can’t do a restoration job from home.
Q. Do you think that leads to a change in learning, opening more digital tools and online learning?
Garry: Since the COVID pandemic, more restoration training has become available online, but much of it remains merely tick-the-box learning. People do the theory, get the certificate and think they’re qualified, but they haven’t done any real hands-on learning.
Q. How does what ACRA teaches online differ from just tick-the-box learning you previously mentioned?
Garry: Other online training is designed to just help you pass an exam. You answer 80% correctly, get a certificate, and no one tells you what you got wrong, which means you could still be doing 20% of the job incorrectly out in the field.
Our approach is different. If you get 80%, we show you exactly what you missed and ask you to try again until you reach 100%. It’s not about ticking a box; it’s about actually understanding the right process and applying it on the job. Learning from your mistakes is an essential part of the training, not something to be skipped over.
We also support our online learning with a competency-based handbook that helps technicians use their equipment properly. Too many restorers don’t fully understand how their gear works, its strengths and limits, or how to get the most out of it. That’s what we focus on teaching.
Q. What training initiative are you most proud of?
Garry: I’d say our competency-based handbook and our water damage & flood house courses. We have refined them to create the best balance between theory and hands-on, real-world practical training.
Q. What do you think is misunderstood about the restoration industry?
Garry: There are still people just putting dehumidifiers and fans on a job without proper moisture detection or reporting. It makes the industry appear to be just about gear placement, and builders start thinking they can do it themselves, not realising there’s real science behind it.
I’ve trained building companies that only then realise the restorers they hired weren’t doing it properly. This is exactly why we’re on a mission to improve the industry through quality training.
Q. Is there one customer success story that still sticks with you?
Lorelle: That is a tough one; there are so many great customer stories. But one that sticks with me is about a small business operator who met Garry at an industry course. He booked private training for his new business and just decided to trust the education & give restoration a real go.
There wasn’t a lot of work around at the time, with few weather events and intense competition. However, when the opportunity arose, he was ready. He used what he’d learnt, backed himself, and completely transformed his business and his family’s life. Since then, doors have opened for him that he never expected.
Many people grow their businesses, but very few take it to the next level, learning from Garry, applying the lessons, teaching their team, and following through.
Q. How do you identify emerging needs in the industry before others do?
Garry: I see problems. Whether it’s talking to customers or when running training, I see problems restorers encounter, which drives me to find solutions. I often revisit the three main problems in the industry and continue to fight to address them: moisture detection, invoicing & reporting, and understanding how equipment works.
Q. What advice would you give a new restorer entering the industry?
Lorelle: Get educated. You can never have too much knowledge. Before investing time, money and effort into starting a restoration business, learn as much as you can. Complete the training, join industry associations, and gain a comprehensive understanding of how the industry operates and what it requires. Start networking; the relationships you build are just as valuable as the skills.
Too many people try to do it alone or keep everything to themselves, but that only holds you back. Collaboration and understanding the industry will take you much further. Being involved in the industry and gaining a broader understanding of the field before or while starting your business is invaluable.
Q. How will ACRA continue to lead?
Lorelle: By continually learning, getting knowledge, supporting our customers, working with our international suppliers, and travelling the globe to keep innovating.
Q. How do you want your legacy to be remembered after 10 years after?
Lorelle: I’d like our legacy to be one of genuine contribution. I hope our customers and the wider industry see that we weren’t just a business selling products — we were actively involved, supporting, sharing knowledge, and helping lift industry standards. Every member of our team has played a part in that, all driven by the same goal: to genuinely make the industry better.
Q. Any closing thoughts?
Lorelle: It is an incredibly special industry. The work completed by the cleaning & restoration industry is remarkable, and it is growing into a high-demand industry that is often misunderstood. You know, people don’t really understand what we do. But what we do is invaluable.
As we celebrate ten years of growth and innovation, ACRA remains committed to lifting industry standards through practical, high-quality training. Our in-person courses remain in high demand across Australia. We are now gearing up to launch our highly anticipated 2026 Training Calendar, with new locations, expanded programs and even more hands-on learning opportunities. The next chapter is just getting started!