Hello Dear Friends,

We are delighted to be gathering for the Tasmanian Baha'i Summer School early in the new year from Thursday 27th to Sunday 30th January 2022. This is an exciting and momentous occasion as it will be the first Summer School in Tasmania in over a decade.

Join us for 4 days and 3 nights as we gather to enjoy each others company, deepen on the writings and history of the Baha'i Faith, connect to nature and make memories as a community.

There will be talks, workshops, story-telling and activities for the whole community, as well as some sessions specifically tailored for youth and children. This event is open for anybody and everybody to attend, and we encourage you all to extend the invitation to your wider communities and circle of friends.

Summer School will be held at the incredible Tarraleah Estate, which has a function centre, a town hall and individual dwellings for each family, all surrounded by 1000s of acres of nature in a decommissioned hydro-town.

The approximate driving times from various locations in Tasmania are as follows:

Devonport - 2.5 hours
Burnie - 3 hours
Launceston - 2.5 hours
Hobart - 2 hours

Click the image below to view a video that shows the beautiful venue spaces we will be using:

About Tarraleah
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Tarraleah is a beautiful historic estate in the heart of Tasmania’s Central Highlands. With a stunning wilderness backdrop and wide range of quality accommodation options, Tarraleah provides a perfect spot for a holiday, romantic getaway, group get together or corporate retreat.

A perfect stop on your western wilds journey

Located on the Lyell Highway two hours’ drive northwest of Hobart, Tarraleah is an an ideal place to stay on your journey along the west coast to Lake St Clair, Strahan, and Cradle Mountain.

Intriguing and unique history

Tarraleah was home to the workers (and their families) responsible for developing Tasmania’s pioneering Hydroelectric scheme. During your stay, you will discover its unexpected stories and beautiful architecture.

Immerse yourself in the Tasmanian Highlands

Visit our beautiful Scottish Highland Cows, walk our wilderness trails, take a kayaking, mountain bike, or fly-fishing tour.

Booking Fees

Please note that this Humanitix Ticketing platform is a not-for-profit organisation that, unlike most ticketing platforms, does not take booking fees for their own profit. Instead, 100% of the booking fees are donated towards children's charities. Booking fees are 2% on top of the ticket price.

Click the image below to watch a video about life at Tarraleah:

Find out more at www.tarraleah.com

Programme Content
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'The example of 'Abdu'l-Baha, the oneness of humanity, and the unifying power of the Covenant'

Following the guidance of the National Spiritual Assembly, and based on the 25 November 2020 message from the Universal House of Justice, the Tasmanian Baha'i Summer School 2022 programme will specifically focus on the themes of:
• The Example of 'Abdu'l-Baha as a life of generous service
• The Oneness of Humanity
• The Unifying Power of the Covenant

The programme will include a variety of talks, lectures and workshops that deepen understanding and invite reflection on the history and the teachings of the Baha'i Faith, as well as creative group activities, musical and arts performances, and outdoor activities to bring the community together and deepen our connection to the Faith, our environment and each other.

The Tasmanian Baha'i Summer School is open to Baha'is and Friends of the Faith, including those in Tasmania and the wider Australian community. It is a family friendly event that caters for all ages and includes a designated children's and junior youth programme.

To help the Summer School Task Force budget and pay for expenses in a timely manner, and to confirm the required room numbers with the accommodation venue, please book your tickets as soon as possible.

More Information
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Covid-19 Regulations
We understand that the situation related to Covid-19 can change at any moment. In the case of a lockdown in Tasmania just prior to the event, tickets will be refunded and the event will be postponed to a later date.

With vaccination rates increasing steadily in Tasmania and other states, we are confident that Summer School will be able to go ahead as planned, however we will endeavour to keep you updated should the situation change.

We encourage all friends to follow the guidance provided in the letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Australia dated 24 September 2021 (18 'Izzat 178 B.E.)

Registration
Registrations for Summer School are guaranteed for the next four weeks, after which registration will be subject to availability at the venue. For this reason, we strongly recommend booking within this timeframe to avoid disappointment.

Families
Summer School is a family friendly event with all infants, children and youth welcome to attend. As a community we will ensure that we have adequate support for parents with children and infants.

Children's Classes
There will be a dedicated children's programme for certain parts of the day, providing activities and full supervision during those times.

Junior Youth Programme
There will be sessions specifically designed for youth under 15 offered throughout the programme, and many talks that will be suited for both youth and adult participants.

As the Tarraleah Estate property has cattle in accessible fenced paddocks, we advise that children be closely monitored when playing outside.

Accommodation
The accommodation will be in spacious, fully-equipped 3-bedroom art-deco cottages that can sleep up to 6 people. If your family is of 5 people or less, you will likely have to share with a house with other friends.

At the time of booking, you will have the opportunity to signify other family members or friends who are not included in your booking, and who you would like to be accommodated with.

Each home has three private bedrooms and each bedroom accommodates 2 people. Unlike other summer schools, the cottages have their own bathrooms and kitchens which provides some degree of comfort and privacy.

Please note that accommodation will be thoughtfully allocated by the Tasmanian Baha'i Summer School Task Force.

Caravans
Powered caravan sites are also available and are cheaper to book than standard tickets. Both adults and children staying in a caravan/motorhome should each register a caravan ticket. The exception is children under 3, who should be registered under the Infant Registration option.

Diet/Catering
Private catering will be provided throughout the summer school and will include breakfast, lunch and dinner served in a communal dining hall.

In order to reduce the carbon footprint and environmental impact of our gathering, meals provided will be vegetarian and prepared by well-regarded chef Arianne Schreiber and her team.

The diet will not be fully vegan, as we will be providing, milk, butter, yoghurt etc, and all dietary requirements will be met as mentioned in the registration form.

If anyone specifically requires meat as part of their diet during the event, please also let us know.

Transport and Getting to Tarraleah Estate
Tarraleah Estate is located in the Tasmanian Central Highlands, northwest of Hobart and southwest of Launceston.
The approximate driving times from various locations are as follows:
• Devonport - 2.5 hours
• Burnie - 3 hours
• Launceston - 2.5 hours
• Hobart - 2 hours

If you would like to travel with others to summer school, please signify this in your registration form - you will have the option to ask to carpool with other community members or offer a seat in your vehicle.

The Summer School Task Force will then attempt to pair up community members and cars as required.

Cost
We had to balance the availability of a venue, comfort and minimisation of cost. The cost works out to be $100 per day per adult, including meals, for three and a half days. However, we realise that this may still be more than some friends can manage, so we have reduced the registration fee and asked that those who can to pay the full amount.

When selecting tickets on the registration page there is also an option to contribute more than this if you wish, to help offset the cost for others. We also ask you to approach your Local Spiritual Assemblies (or the Regional Baha'i Council in areas with no Assembly) if assistance is required with paying the reduced cost of registration.

Refunds
To enable the task force to plan and budget effectively for this event, refunds will not be provided except for extenuating circumstances reviewed on a case by case situation.

In the case of a Covid-19 lockdown, the event will be postponed and refunds provided to all participants, where required.

✨ We look forward to seeing you there