Meet The Women Of Wilderness Within
Laura Jayne
Founder/Owner
Lead guide on Canoe Journeys
and Forest Immersions
Facilitator of Medicine Drum Making Workshops
Laura Jayne created Wilderness Within as a space to share her unique vision and passions with the world and is now proud to be working with a small team of women with shared values, vision and passions.
Laura is a medicine woman, nature guide, protector of the women's mysteries and songstress. She is a warm, kind hearted and grass roots woman of the Earth.
Laura worked in outdoor education for 10 years, providing her with the skills and knowledge to deliver many nature based programs. She has also worked in many remote Indigenous communities around Australia, spending time on country and learning from first nations people and is very passionate about bringing greater respect of traditional ways into her life and all offerings with Wilderness Within.
Laura discovered women's circles in her early 20s, a feeling of remembering was sparked and a passion to learn more which has led her on an extensive journey of reclaiming her rites of passage, connecting with her body, her cycle and studying with the School of Shamanic Womancraft for 2.5 years. During her studies with the school she birthed her first medicine drum which awakened deep magick within her being and led her to complete an apprenticeship in Drum Making with her teacher Sarah Bird Miller, which is now a gift she loves to share.
Laura lives in a small bush home on 6 acres outside of Castlemaine in Central Victoria with her beloved husband where she enjoys spending time tending the land she lives, bush walking, reading and cooking nourishing meals for her loved ones. Laura also offers monthly women's circles in her community and is a part of her local Rites of Passage group offering yearly nature based rites of passage programs for young women and their mothers.
You can here a bit more about Laura's journey on the Womancraft podcast:
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Annie Hughes
Guide on Bocara/Glenelg
River Canoe Journeys
Annie Hughes volunteered on a canoe journey after reaching out to Laura at the end of 2022. From their very first conversation Laura felt deep resonance with Annie and on the journey that Annie volunteered it became very clear that Annie would make an amazing guide on future journeys with her passion for journeying gently through nature, her knowledge of the outdoors and her desire for supporting women to feel safe in nature and in community. Annie has studied outdoor leadership and worked within outdoor education for the past few years. She has also been a part of women's circles and conscious communities for a number of years and has a yearning to continue deepening into these spaces. Annie has a love of exploring, enjoys rock climbing and she is often found up high climbing trees. Annie is a strong woman with a soft energy, she makes those around her feel safe and at ease.
Beck Woodward
Guide on Takayna/Tarkine
Forest Immersions
Beck Woodward first connected with Laura at the beginning of 2022 when they were both living in Corinna Wilderness Village on the west cost of Lutruwita/Tasmania (the base for our Forest Immersions). They hit it off straight away and quickly became friends and enjoyed time kayaking on the Piemen river together, dancing in the forest and holding space for heartfelt sharing while they both lived and worked in the forest. When the idea came through to offer Forest Immersions for women in the Tarkine, Beck was the perfect fit for a guide having spent time deeply immersed in this forest herself and knows its magick intimately. Beck is a passionate outdoor wanderer, bodyworker, movement and embodiment guide. She enjoys hiking, surfing, attending festivals and having a good boogie on the dance floor. Becks presence is sincere and authentic, she is a great listener and makes those around her feel safe to express themselves authentically. Beck offers daily movement and embodiment practice's on our forest Immersions.
Volunteer Positions
If you have an interest in nature connection, adventure, women's circles and ceremony and would like to join us on a canoe journey or nature immersion you are welcome to send us an email and apply for a volunteer position. Tell us a bit about yourself and why you would like to come on a journey..
In exchange for your sponsored place in one of our offerings you can help out cooking meals, lighting campfires, helping others set up their tents
and whatever else needs to be done in our village camp.
Experience camping and adventuring in the outdoors would be helpful. Volunteer positions limited to 1 per journey/immersion.