Practical First Aid & Safety Training Built Around Real-World Experience
Supporting Individuals, Workplaces & Communities Across the Gold Coast, South East QLD & Northern NSW
Who we are?
Coastal Training College is a trading name of Coastal Training Group Pty Ltd (ABN 67 679 330 084) — a 100% locally owned and operated Australian business. We also operate Safety Training Centre as our sister brand, with both brands delivering nationally recognised training through our Third Party Agreement with Allens Training Pty Ltd (RTO 90909).
We've been delivering First Aid, CPR, Fire, Safety, and Lifeguard and Water Safety training across South East Queensland and Northern NSW since 2016. Our blended training model combines online learning with streamlined face-to-face assessments, helping individuals and workplaces meet compliance requirements quickly without sacrificing quality.
With six public training locations across the Gold Coast and Northern NSW — and regular on-site services through Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Logan, Ipswich, Scenic Rim and the Northern Rivers — we support thousands of learners each year. Our industry-current trainers bring real-world backgrounds in lifesaving, emergency response, aquatic operations and workplace safety, and our reputation for fast, reliable service is backed by more than 700 five-star Google reviews
Meet the Team
Nick Dennis
Director
Nick is the Founder and Director of Coastal Training College and a lifelong Gold Coast local with over 15 years’ frontline experience as a professional beach lifeguard for the City of Gold Coast. Drawing on real-world emergency response expertise, he has spent more than a decade delivering CPR, First Aid, Advanced Resuscitation, and Lifeguard & Ocean Safety training, building Coastal Training College into a trusted provider known for practical, efficient courses that meet the evolving safety and compliance needs of workplaces and individuals across South East Queensland.
Dakota Luke
Administration Coordinator
Dakota is the friendly first point of contact for our students and workplace clients, handling bookings, enquiries and general support with a calm, approachable style. Her background in surf lifesaving and as a current Ironwoman athlete gives her a strong connection to community and safety, which carries through in the way she helps people navigate their training experience.
Lachlan MacKintosh
First Aid, CPR and Water Safety trainer
Lachlan brings genuine frontline responder experience to Coastal Training College. He served in the Australian Army and has since worked across both pool and ocean environments as a lifeguard and safety responder, giving him real-world exposure to emergencies, rescues and risk management.
His training style is steady, practical and grounded in what matters when time is critical. Lachlan is also completing a Diploma of Emergency Health Care, expanding the medical knowledge that supports his hands-on skills.
His mix of military service, aquatic operations and emergency response makes him a highly capable trainer for First Aid, CPR and Water Safety.
Samuel Burns
First Aid, CPR and Water Safety trainer
Sam is a Southern Gold Coast local with extensive experience in aquatic safety and emergency response. He spent over 10 years working with the Australian Lifeguard Service on the Tweed Coast, patrolling beaches and providing frontline care. His career has also included over four years as a professional diver and snorkel guide on the Great Barrier Reef, where he ensured guest safety and responded to first aid incidents in remote marine settings.
Sam also spent eight years aboard luxury super yachts around the world, serving as Chief Officer and onboard Medical Officer. He was responsible for crew safety training and emergency medical care, completing advanced courses such as the Shipmasters Medical Course. With real-world experience across beaches, reefs, and vessels, Sam brings practical knowledge, calm leadership, and a hands-on approach to every training session.
Jake Morris
First Aid, CPR and Water Safety trainer
Jake brings that rare mix of real-world emergency experience and elite athletic focus. He works as a professional Beach Lifeguard with the City of Gold Coast, spending his days responding to incidents on some of the busiest beaches in Australia. Away from patrol, he’s a member of the Australian Kayak Team, competing at the highest level of the sport and training with the discipline you’d expect from a national athlete.
Jake delivers First Aid, CPR and Water Safety training with the calm, capable presence of someone who genuinely lives this work. His frontline experience and high-performance background make him a steady, trusted instructor for every group he teaches.