Bochara/Glenelg River Canoeing Nature Journey:
Spend 6 days exploring the pristine wilderness along the Bochara river, this river is wide and slow moving with abundant wildlife.
Wake up to bird song and witness the glorious colours of a sunrise on the river.
Learn to paddle a canoe with instruction and support from our experienced guides, carrying everything we need for our journey in our canoes.
Be a part of this travelling community and village, connecting in sisterhood with the other women on the journey.
Sit in circle with other women and share in gentle practices and ceremonies to deepen our connection with Nature and with ourselves.
Be a part of this soulful adventure. Finish the journey feeling strong, alive and empowered!!!
Itinerary:
Day 1: Pick up from Melbourne Airport or Sunbury train station in bus and road trip our way to Paestens canoe hire, stopping along the way for a delicious picnic by a billabong. Pack our personal gear into our waterproof barrels. Have a nourishing meal and sit together in our first sharing circle around the campfire. Sleeping in dorm room accommodation.
Day 2: Wake up to a yummy breaky, load our gear onto the bus and make our way to the beautiful river. We will spend some time greeting the river before we jump in our canoes for a skills session learning different paddle strokes. Have lunch on the river bank then load our canoes and begin paddling down stream to our first campsite.
Day 3: With the Kookaburras as your alarm clock it is a gentle start to the day. Today we will continue our paddle downstream. Tonight we have a discussion about the cycles and seasons around the campfire, really dropping into our place within Nature.
Day 4: We are beginning to look forward to our daily morning movement practise together and greeting the morning sun. Today we paddle further down stream, Watching out for koalas and infinite bird species along the way. Tonight is our Wild Woman dance around the camp fire.
Day 5: Today we enjoy our final paddle stretch of the river, pulling the canoes out of the water where we will be greeted by the kind folk from Paestens canoe hire. We say goodbye to the river and make our way back to Paestens. Final reflection and sharing circle around the fire tonight... what will we be taking home with us? Sleeping in dorm room accommodation again tonight.
Day 6: Our final day together. We road trip back to Melbourne airport and Sunbury station, celebrating on the way home all that we have experienced in our journey together. This extra travel day is designed to offer us a gentle transition back into the world beyond the river. We hope that everyone can arrive back to their home's by dinner time.
Who can do this journey?
This journey is open to all women of all ages, over the years I have worked with women aged 13- 65 who have thoroughly enjoyed journeying in Nature.
What level of fitness do I need to do this journey?
You need a moderate level of fitness for this journey. The beauty of canoeing is it is a lot more gentle on our bodies then other outdoor activities such as hiking. We will still be using some strength to load and unload our gear from the canoes in the morning and evenings, paddle our canoes, set up tents etc.
If you have any questions about this aspect of the journey or would just like to have a chat about how we could support you please reach out and we would be so happy to chat.
Can I come on this journey if I am menstruation (have my period)?
Yes! We want to create a supportive and nourishing environment for bleeding women on our journeys. Canoeing is gentle on the body and you will be sitting down in your canoe. We can set you up with a blanket and hot water bottle in your canoe so you are comfortable. We work together as a village to support one another and if you needed support setting up your tent, bringing you a cup of tea etc, we would love to make that happen. There is space to spend time alone, go to bed early, whatever your body needs we can support you in that.
What am I Investing in this journey?
There is a lot of planning, organizing and facilitating that goes into these journeys, everything is organised for you and you can come along, relax and soak in all of the magic, knowing that all of the little details have been taken care of.
The price we ask for these journeys is:
$1555 when paid in full.
Or $555 deposit and 4x fortnightly payments of $220 ($1655)
The cost of this journey includes:
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Transport from Sunbury train station or Tullamarine Melbourne Airport in mini bus to the river and back
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Canoe, paddle, pfd and barrel hire
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Tent hire
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All campsite fees
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All park fees & licenses
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All canoe skill lessons & instructions
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6x days of support from 2 guides
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5x breakfasts
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6x lunches
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5x dinners
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Lots of delicious & nutritious morning, afternoon teas & snacks
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A selection of teas, coffee, miso & bone broth
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Firewood
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Facilitation & support in all women's circles, nature connection practices and ceremonies
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Follow up Zoom integration group call and sharing circle 2-4 weeks after our Journey together
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Access to the "Wilderness Women" Facebook group where we can connect with other women who have come on Nature Journeys
A small portion of your investment will also go towards a sponsored position that we will gift to a women who would love to join a journey but can not afford it financially due to various reasons, this is a beautiful way of supporting sisterhood.
Upcoming Dates for 2022:
December 6-11th