More than 600 Australian children have had their holiday programs cancelled with a tourist operator's collapse, including some in Canberra.
Liquidators confirmed several hundred Australian families had lost money in the liquidation of Actura Australia, as well as about 300 children in New Zealand and small groups in Singapore and Taiwan.
Felicity Harris' daughter Esmee was supposed to go to NASA in Houston in 2025.
The 13 year old had set up a stall at the front of their house selling lemons and eggs to help fund her trip.
Ms Harris said they're outraged and devastated by the tourist operator's liquidation.
"It's disillusioning, and it's just very upsetting and a pretty harsh lesson for a 13 year old to learn," she said.
"How to you explain that some faceless executive managing a company badly fooled us and took the money?"
Ms Harris said they paid $9025 upfront to secure a 10 per cent discount for her daughter's trip.
The program was "presented personally" by the school principal as a great opportunity, Ms Harris said.
Actura Australia had run successful trips in the past, with users on Google thanking the operator in May 2024 for an "amazing trip" that inspired their daughter to "consider a career in aeronautical engineering".
"I felt comfortable with Actura and would highly recommend them," one user said.
Actura Australia's liquidator Shumit Banjeree said they have secured client records and were trying to recover the company's books and records to start their investigations.
He said the director had told him the company was expecting a large investment that fell through in the days leading up to the liquidation.
"I've seen cited documentation of the expected investment, and because this payment was not received, the director has advised the company could not fund the cost of the upcoming expeditions," he said.
Concerns have also been raised about the holding company Actura International, which is based in the Seychelles. The company is the majority shareholder of Actura Australia.
Mr Banjeree said it's too early in the investigations to say anything.
"We will conduct a full analysis of movements of funds with the company's books and records," he said.
Several parents who have lost money in the company's liquidation have expressed concerns about insolvent trading.
Mr Banjeree said they would be looking into the issue.
"Investigations into trading while insolvent is a statutory requirement of our process, and we will be investigating why they were conducting business up until the day before I was appointed liquidator," he said.
He asked parents to be patient while investigations are conducted.
"I appreciate the sensitivity of this matter, and I have sympathy for the kids.
