Bushwalking with her Grandfather sparked Nikki’s interest in nature. Later, after scouting and mountaineering, Nikki discovered bush survival skills. She has since studied with many wilderness educators including Jon Young, Nature Philosophy Australia, Wilderness Awareness School and Deep Ecology with Joanna Macey. Nikki spent 2010 living in the bush, employing all of her bush survival skills.
Passionate about living simply, Sam has learnt and researched bush skills since he was a lad. A perfectionist and a bush scientist, Sam researches, tests and experiments to find the best ways of doing things. Sam’s knowledge is deep and combined with his humor and fantastic storytelling ability, there’s never a dull moment.
“Thank you for a wonderful day of learning and fun. The day after their adventure in the forest Belle and Matilda helped Poppy Laurence build a tree house in a silky oak, 2.25 metres off the ground! Matilda wanted to make a leaf mattress and sleep up there! You certainly inspired them.”
The team at Wildcraft Australia have been facilitating wilderness education, nature-based experiences and activities, and immersion in the Australian bush since 2014.
Your guides enjoy sharing their skills with children and adults of all ages, and at one of our Wildcraft courses you might learn practical as well as internal bush skills. On a practical level, participants might learn (among many other possible bush skills) to build a shelter from all natural materials, to make a fire by friction, to taste bush food, to process plants to make string, to make a knife or a longbow, to collect and prepare fibre for weaving, and to find and use natural dyes (many of these skills leaned form their Yolngu teachers whom they visit each year in East Arnhem Land).
Your guides live in the bush and are regularly nourished by quiet time in nature, and it is a fundamental part of the process of Wildcraft to share techniques and provide time and space for participants to slow down, to engage the senses into the landscape, to consider, interpret, as well as be confident in, and inspired by, the natural world around us all, no matter where we are.
Click the “Your guides” link to meet the team
With a background in design, art and architecture and an enduring passion in all things natural and sustainable, Jo has focused on learning the ancient skills of foraging, preparation, dying, weaving and cord making, as shared by the Yolngu women visited every year in Arnhem Land by Jo, Sam and their 2 children.
A qualified school teacher – with additional training in nature immersive education – who finds wild nature to be the best ‘classroom’ to work in. Mahli is determined to co-create ‘wild village’ experiences, and through imaginative storytelling, encouraging curiosity, and nature play, Mahli is in his element guiding the young and young at heart.
Nature is your greatest teacher. When you are with nature (sometimes it comes inside too), spend some time observing and learning from the masters.
If you are looking for nature connection, do a regular sit spot (sitting still in nature and observing) and share your experience with someone or a journal.