01/04/2025
Wild Hearts finished up term 1 with an epic adventure and, for those who could stay, a camp out! It was a truly beautiful day, evening and night.
Some Wild Hearts chose to take the land route from picnic area to camping ground, while most opted to tackle the rocky, windy, tangly creek. On this adventure, we came up against some very real obstacles and obstructions and found moments of great resilience and capacity all the while building trust and deep connection with ourselves, our fellow wild hearts and the beautiful natural world around us. Sure-footed step by slip-and-splash step we felt our way along the muddy, stony creek bed.
The way we cared for and tended to each other was magical to be part of, it was clear within each and every small group traversing the creek, from speediest to slowest. The youngest member of our group, alongside a few mentors, was sung into camp by the rest of the group, and his efforts were celebrated by all!
Later in the day, we worked together to prepare for the night ahead – making fire, preparing food for our shared feast and helping each other set up tents. And after dinner, a night wander led by special guest, local ecologist Bert, who helped us to spot three greater gliders! This is a special and threatened species in the Strathbogie Ranges, as the destruction of many big trees has meant their hollow homes have been disappearing.
This final adventure for the term and the shared camp out felt like nature-based community in action. We were able to deepen into each other’s company and really feel how we’ve been building connection over time – with each other, with bush we meet upon and within ourselves as we navigate the terrain of wild nature and wild humans.
We all agreed that the next camp out might need to be 2 or even 3 nights! In the meantime, we're looking forward to heading back to Mt Wombat for our term 2 adventures!
