Career
He trained with the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in North Sydney, Australia, before travelling to England to appear on stage. Coburn is best known for his long-running role as original character Donald Fisher in the Australian soap opera Home and Away, from the series inception as fictional headmaster of Summer Bay High School and states that he portrayed the character straight and as a complete opposite to himself. a role which he portrayed regularly from the start of the show in 1988 until 2003. He was featured in the Guinness World Records as the longest serving actor in an Australian serial, along with co-stars Ray Meagher and Kate Ritchie.
Since his departure from Home and Away, he has returned in consecutive guest appearances, the last being in 2007.
Other roles
Coburn has also had guest appearances in The Young Doctors, Special Squad and A Country Practice.