A huge thanks to the following people for making the 2024 forum possible
Ruth Daugalis
I have always loved the ocean (as a child begging my brothers to let me come surfing with them!), waterways, jungles and forests and the calming effect of green and blue spaces on our minds, hearts and physical bodies. I love practising yoga amongst these spaces, feeling connected to source this way, re-energising and filling my cup. Practising and organising retreats amongst the amazing landscapes and culture of Bali is an ongoing highlight for me. My tertiary studies in Recreation Planning and Management married with my background in events management and marketing has seen me work on every Forum since 2016, and I wasn’t going to miss this one!
Luke Mabb
“I believe there is an interconnection between caring for country and healing our people. My purpose is to share the knowledge that my elders shared with me through rich experiences. Being my authentic self, helping others to learn their truth, to heal their pain and help them to find their way and in so doing, create a healthy country for future generations.”
Anita Pryor
At age 8, I realised that being in nature made me feel good, and I wanted to help other people feel good too. I love tasting the wild sea – any way I can. I’ve been passionate about therapeutic bush adventures and BAT since the 1990’s because I think our community can play a role in helping to heal people and the planet.
Pauline Marsh
Georgie Carr
In the last 10 years I’ve noticed myself choosing to delve into a slower pace of being in the bush – finding stillness; cooking on the fire; singing in caves and embracing ‘being with’ nature. I continue to seek physically adventurous challenges and at the same time, unsurprisingly, feel even more balanced within myself now I have both slow and active bush time. I’m enjoying learning the multiple ways being outdoors nourishes us and how to re-introduce this to those I walk alongside.
Bronte Matthews
Moran Weisel
Clare Rafferty
Karen Breedon
In a world of busyness, technology and structure being out in nature nurtures me with its sanctuary to recharge, time to breathe and find myself again in times of challenges. Being outdoors is a part of me, growing up in the country and spending the majority of my childhood outdoors at any opportunity instilled in me an everlasting love for the outdoors. As an adult (though sometimes that is debatable!) living in the city, I still take the opportunity to get outside and have moved part of my work life outdoors of which I feel so fortunate. In my spare time I love to embark on crazy adventures, swim in the ocean, kayak on lakes and rivers or hike to a mountain summit. I think that that is nothing more uplifting and soul healing than experiencing wild and untouched wilderness for the first time in all its glory. I have enjoyed supporting the creation of this event as I believe that OHA brings together a community of likeminded people to share ideas and creates life long friendships.
Dassi Herszberg
At age 2, my mother was pushing me in the pram, she leant the pusher up against a tree. I watched snails walk past and was upset when they moved out of my view. As a kid, I was interested in the bigger parts of nature. Now in my life, I’m most interested in smaller invertebrates, like our native bees – the mini beasts – I’m in awe of them. They are the indicators of the health of our large ecosystem, our shared life on earth. I now share my awe of nature with the participants I work with. Why would I not give time, energy and heart to this event, if offered the opportunity, it’s too amazing to miss.
Julie Hughes
From a small timber cottage in the mountains of my birth place to my current home by the sea on Darkinjung Country, I have so many early nature memories, including Sunday family outings to the bush, living in a small seaside town where you only needed one pair of shoes, remote camping and hiking for weeks on end, scorching hot summer caravan trips through outback Vic/NSW, and adventurous Marine Zoology field trips with University. Either alone or with family/friends, I still love exploring, hiking, SUPing, camping, snorkelling or simply sitting in my garden. Inspired by a previous OHA Forum, and the authentic and like-minded people I met, I followed my dream and finally stepped into the nature-based therapeutic space. Helping with this year’s Forum is an expression of gratitude for this inspiring and supportive community. See you there!
Amanda Smith
I am remembering many simple beach holidays with family on Bunjalung Country (northern NSW) and my magical times snorkelling and considering this whole underworld of underwater life. The enjuring love and power of being in water and recently experiencing cenotes is what I love most. My energy towards this event is personal and political. I believe Outdoor Health for people and planet is an active response to the human inflicted suffering onto other humans and Mother Nature. I have been an active member in the community for over 15 years and am currently the Qld Rep for OHA and previous national chair of AABAT. Looking forward to seeing you at the forum.
Jess Edwards
I grew up spending a lot of time 4WDriving and camping in the Victorian High Country. I felt like it was my second home and was always so happy and relaxed. I enjoy just being in nature, whether it’s going for a hike, camping, sitting under a tree or swimming I always feel grounded, relaxed and at peace when I’m surrounded by nature.
I’m passionate about the Outdoor Health Community and wanting help to raise the profile promote the field to the wider health community. I love what this forum is about and excited to watch it come together. I’m also one of the state representative for OHA and have been a link between the forum planning team and the OHA committee.
Sarah Sackville
I grew up on a farm and without realising was always seeking out the company of the animals over humans and time in the bush as a form of connection. Growing up there I didn’t have much ocean time but as an adult I have fallen in love with the sea and all the activities that go with it. I contribute my time here because I truly believe our way forward as a healthy, happy collective is through closer connections with our natural world, to collectively heal ourselves, others, our lands and its inhabitants, all coexisting in a peaceful, cared for world. The 2024 forum is just another stepping stone for this!
Kaydy-Moana
Tēnei te mihi maioha ki te tāngata whenua o Lutruwita.
Ko Te Whakapunake o Te Matau a Maui Tikitiki a Taranga te maunga.
Ko Te Wairoa Hopupu Honengenenge Matangi Rau te awa.
Ko Takitimu rāua ko Kurahaupo ngā waka.
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu rāua ko Rongomaiwahine ngā iwi.
Ko Te Rauhina te marae.
Ko Kaydy-Moana Jones ahau.
Grateful acknowledgements to the people of the lands of Lutruwita.
The place which was hooked by Maui is the mountain of my people.
The river of long bubbling swirling uneven waters is the river which nourishes us.
Takitimu and Kurahaupo are the canoes which we arrived to Aotearoa on.
Ngāti Kahungunu and Rongomaiwahine are the tribes I descend from.
Te Rauhina is the meeting house where we gather.I am Kaydy-Moana Jones.
I gratefully greet the people of Lutruwita and the places from whence you come.
I travel to you from Te Matau a Maui (The fishhook of Maui) on the East Coast of the North Island of Aotearoa.
I see our engagements with people as opportunities to act as kaitiaki (nurturing the divine potential within everyone).
Within my expression, kaitiakitanga is when mauri ora (ultimate vitality) is realized by nurturing the hearts and minds of others through movement, kai (food) and connection within domains of te taioa (the natural environment), allowing opportunity for an experience which activates transformation.
I look forward to coming together and learning of all your different expressions of kaitiakitanga as we share time and space on the lands of Lutruwita.
Mauri ora
Tania McClutchie
Ehara taku maunga a Hikurangi he maunga nekeneke, he maunga tū tonu — My mountain Hikurangi does not move, it remains firm and steadfast.” – Te Kani a Takirau
Growing up along the East Coast of the North Island of Aotearoa has been paradise (Te Tairawhiti). Being immersed in Te Ao Maori me ona Tikanga as well as belonging to a family who live alongside nature has been both a challenge and a blessing. Camping was never thought of as camping rather an adventure where we would apply the things we learnt such as fishing or gathering kai from the shores or rocks. These experiences were enhanced by family and would demonstrate those skills while vicariously passing them on to us so that we would be able to learn and do the same with our children.
Stephanie Wilson
I have always experienced an incredible sense of peace when being immersed in natural environments. It’s a wonderful combination of calmness and wonder, as the natural world tends to inhibit a sense of child-like curiosity in me, a quality I believe we should remember to embrace as adults.
I have always had a natural tendency to be drawn to the big blue. Swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving in oceans all over the globe are some of my fondest memories, the most significant of course being secluded beaches on our wonderful Island Lutruwita.
It is one of my greatest goals to help people achieve healthy connections to self, each other and the earth and the forum will be a significant movement in the right direction for me. I can’t wait to be surrounded by like-minded people and soak up new knowledge, challenge my thinking and continue to be utterly uplifted and inspired by the outdoor mental health space.
Melanie Merchant
I always feel strongest, most peaceful and connected when I am near the ocean. Soaking in all the elements of nature; cleansing me, restoring me, bringing me back to balance. From this place I move out into the world with grounded awareness, healthful thoughts, and intentions. I am bringing my energy to this forum as a contribution of my activism; through sharing, learning, and growing from these experiences we have the power to disrupt harmful ways of existing on earth so we may all share in strong and healthy relationships with each other and the planet.
Kate Gilson
I live in Bpangerang country, the beautiful King Valley, NE Victoria. I am at home in nature, with qualifications and professional experience in Outdoor Education and Family Therapy. My early work in this field was on expedition journeys with young people in struggle, the outdoors component then had residential, community, family and school follow-up. It was foundational. I am a mother of two; a decade of at-home-duties gifted learning, challenge and joy. Journeys with my family in bushwalking and canoeing have all been part of the adventure. I value diversity of perspective, experience and people. I currently work across three part time roles; as a Family Therapist in a small youth focused organization, a group therapist in an AOD therapeutic community and I have my own heart-business endeavor ‘Nature’s Counsel’. I have a 25 year+ love and practice of all things Therapeutic Adventure Well-being Bush Health Outdoors and am looking forward to this next stage of the journey.
Tania McClutchie
Ehara taku maunga a Hikurangi he maunga nekeneke, he maunga tū tonu — My mountain Hikurangi does not move, it remains firm and steadfast.” – Te Kani a Takirau
Growing up along the East Coast of the North Island of Aotearoa has been paradise (Te Tairawhiti). Being immersed in Te Ao Maori me ona Tikanga as well as belonging to a family who live alongside nature has been both a challenge and a blessing. Camping was never thought of as camping rather an adventure where we would apply the things we learnt such as fishing or gathering kai from the shores or rocks. These experiences were enhanced by family and would demonstrate those skills while vicariously passing them on to us so that we would be able to learn and do the same with our children.
Anna Brittle
My previous work in education has taken many twists and turns, but has largely been focused on working with people outdoors, or bringing the outdoors indoors. Over the last few months I’ve dipped my toe into the Outdoor Health space and I’m intrigued! I’m passionate about supporting people to live their best lives and feel that the outdoors brings incredible, authentic opportunities for learning, connecting and healing. As we come together at this forum from all over Australia and the world, I can’t wait to absorb new nuggets of wisdom from experienced practitioners, and to connect more deeply with my island home, lutruwita.
Daisy Grodski
Pete Rae
Jen Andrew
Kit Kline
Amy Horn
Amy Mitchell
Lauren Riddel
Ben Knowles
Anthi Emmanouil-Playne
Ben Knowles
Anthi Emmanouil-Playne