The third field trip of the summer series, Moss and Mountain is an invitation to leave indoor spaces behind and wander into the company of mosses, lichens and fungi.

We begin with an online reading group on Wednesday evening, March 12th, open and free to all. No prior preparation is needed—this is a slow reading space, where we'll share texts aloud and gently explore themes together.

On Saturday, March 22nd, we'll gather in person to spend our day with the ecologies of Corhanwarrabul (Mount Dandenong). We explore what it feels like when places, plants, waterways or stones says ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to being visited, recorded or gathered, and how we cultivate these attentions and sensitivities in ourselves.

We will practice deep listening, and sounding if it is appropriate to, as ways of giving to this place through careful attention.

We will then walk together through the deep green and learn a little about local flora, endemic and invasive, plant-human relationships, and folk medicine practices.

As part of the ticket cost everyone will receive a hand lens for looking very closely at the mosses, lichens, fungus and ferns.

At the end of the walk (approx. 40 minutes) we will gather again to do some writing/drawing with an option to share what we have heard and sensed.Bring weather appropriate gear, water, a journal and pen/pencil, and walking shoes.

The track is mostly flat gravel and is wheelchair accessible, and we will be taking breaks to look closely at things regularly.

If you need to carpool there let us know! We’ll send an update closer to the day with any further details.

Our facilitator for this session is artist Justine Walsh:

Justine was born on Whadjuk Noongar boodja just east of Boorloo / Perth, Western Australia, and is now based in Kulin Nations, near Narrm / Melbourne, Victoria. They are of settler-coloniser descent, mostly European as far as they can find—Irish, English, Jewish (Poland), Anglo-Burmese. They are grateful for their life and to call this place their home, and offer their heartfelt thanks and respect to First Nations Bunurong and Wurundjeri people here along with all their Ancestors and kin.

They are a non-binary artist, performer, musician, poet, herbalist, and ritualist, among plenty of other named and unnamed things.

With materials including stone, eggshells, plants, voice, sound, film, and performance, they create gestures of intimacy, subtly posing questions of being and emptiness through iterative and process-based making. They carve, collect, listen, and produce sound works, arranging these elements together as remnants and offerings.

Grounded in a deep-rooted vocal and sound practice, inspired by experimental archaeology and folk healing, they excavate and research, sensing affinities in their own experiences and customs of ritual, grieving, transformation, and renewal.

Their practice includes producing and nurturing artists, arts festivals, and events, as well as curation and workshop facilitation.