Nature Connection Women's Retreat

A down-to-Earth retreat dedicated to deepening our nature connection.

Come and relax in a beautiful setting, with other forest-loving women, deepening your connection with nature and giving your nervous system what it needs.

We'll stay in self-contained cabins at a beautiful, end-of-the-road, eco-certified nature retreat. It's about an hour's drive from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

There will be a day of group activities for grounding in nature and a supported solo wandering day. There will be time to explore the many rainforest trails and waterfalls, listen to the bush, watch the campfire, share laughs and quiet moments.

This will be a nourishing, simple and sacred retreat to look forward to, enjoy and then to remember.

The big picture

I think many of us long for a deeper connection with the more-than-human world.

We want to make time to just sit and watch ants, listen to waterfalls and stroke moss. We know it's good for us in so many ways, and will help us live better with all beings. But we don't do it as often as we'd like.

So: we're booking a beautiful place, carving out a little time, inviting good people and preparing some fun, grounding, creative and inspiring activities to help us tend to our nature relationships.

Who this is for

Women who have strong or growing relationships with the nature,

• who want to spend whole days outside developing that relationship,

• with the safety and comfort of an organised group, on private land, with simple food and affordable accommodation,

• while sharing with and being influenced by other likeminded and likehearted women.

What this retreat isn't

It won't be a luxury, action-packed schedule of questionably culturally appropriated activities, run by super confident insta-styled gurus making a profit out of participants' vulnerability. (Of course, not all retreats are like that either! We just want to make it clear that we're aware of that kind of thing and also to recognise our privilege to even consider going on or designing a retreat at all).

It is also not about survival skills*, an educative course*, nor a therapy* nor solely health-focused* retreat.

*although developing your relationship with nature may lead to improved resilience, learning and personal growth and physical, mental and spiritual health. See this summary of the research into benefits of time spent with nature, for a start.

What to expect:

• Monday 2 February - Thursday 5 February (3 nights, 4 days)

• The group will be 9 - 15 women, on a private property of 400 acres

• Bellthorpe Stays is a wonderland of gorgeous rainforest, waterfalls, creeks and meadows. It is a popular location for birders and froggers because the native biodiversity is very high, and the owners continue to work on restoring the ecosystems. There are many kilometres of tracks throughout the property which bounds onto Bellthorpe National Park.

• Group activities will all be invitational (opt-in), with no pressure to tick it all off or show up if you'd rather nap in a sit spot. The draft schedule is as follows and will be shaped by the land, the weather and you:

Monday

• Arrive and settle in after lunch

• Guided forest bathing walk

• Welcome circle with Welcome to Country/Acknowledgement of country by local First Nations person

• Collective dinner

• Orientation to place by hosts and night fauna walk

Tuesday

• Forest bathing yoga flows

• Guided forest bathing walk

• Nature journaling together

• Weaving

• Forest sound bath meditation

• Collective dinner

• Moon rise silent viewing party

• Campfire with story feeding

Wednesday

• Opening circle

• Whole day solo journey or silent retreat

• Circle of return

• Collective dinner

Thursday

• Forest bathing yoga flows

• Hands in the dirt conservation project to give back to the land

• Closing circle before lunch (option to lunch here or depart)

The logistics

• We'll be across 5 fully self-contained cabins and tiny homes each with lounges, deck and beautiful views. Bathrooms are shared by 1 - 4 people, early birds may be able to secure a whole cabins for your 2 - 4 friends - get in touch to arrange. View cabins.

• You can choose to book your own private room or twin share

• Breakfasts and lunches will be self-catered (bring your own), and there will be time to prepare them in your cabins.

• Dinners will be all vegetarian and dietary requirement-friendly wherever possible, and catered for by the collective. (e.g. you'll choose whether you're bringing a soup serving 4 and snacks OR a salad and a cake - details to come)

Things to note

• A moderate fitness and mobility is required to fully participate, due to the hilly terrain and there are a few stairs into cottages. 

• Stay offline the whole time if you want to! Otherwise, there is limited phone signal, but access to phone and WiFi if required at a shared indoor space, separate from the cabins

• This is the end of summer, so there is a medium-high potential for storms, bush fires, ticks and leeches.

• The property hosts have two gorgeous cattle dogs who are very friendly

• Travelers from afar, if requested we will do what we can to coordinate carpooling if you need a lift.

Payment

• You can choose to have your own room or share. Get in touch if you want to have a whole cabin to yourself or your friends

• Register online now with $50 per person and you'll be sent an invoice for the deposit via bank transfer (this avoids the exorbitant online booking fees, but makes sure you're keen).

• Payment plans are negotiable. 

Refunds policy

• Your registration fee of $50 is not refundable

• Tickets 100% refundable for change of mind within 7 days of booking (less $50 registration fee)

• Tickets refundable, minus 50% of deposit, if cancelling before 2 December

• Tickets refundable, minus deposit, if cancelling before 2 January

• Tickets not refundable after 2 January

• If severe weather or other catastrophe cancels the event from my end, tickets will be refunded, less deposit. (ie $400).

• It is highly recommend that you get personal travel insurance e.g. Australia Post $56 + $50 excess includes cancellation due to weather, COVID etc. (read your own fine print, not an endorsement).

• Retreat requires minimum 6 participants to go ahead.

About your hosts and guides

This retreat will be organised by Jay Ridgewell and supported by Monique Ross and Sara Aiken. It is hosted at Bellthorpe Stays Nature Retreat.