vic & nsw roadtrip information
TRANSCRIPT
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CERES Global
Vic & NSW Roadtrip
Information We’re heading off on a road trip adventure, connecting to indigenous, sustainable, and
alternative communities, to land, and our incredible environment.
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The information in this booklet is aimed to prepare you as much as possible for the trip. Please read it carefully.
However, please try to nurture a sense of openness and flexibility as plans can change at the last minute and life
on the road very much flows on from moment to moment.
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WHO YOU WILL BE TRAVELLING WITH CERES
CERES Community Environment Park is located on 4.5 hectares of land on the banks of the Merri Creek in
Brunswick East, Melbourne and is a place where people come together to share ideas about living well together,
and directly participate in meeting their social and material needs in a sustainable way. Since CERES was
established in 1982, the efforts of our community have transformed the site. Once an old dump and desolate
wasteland, today CERES is a place of nature and beauty, inhabited by a vibrant and diverse community. We
attract around 400,000 visits each year through our on-site education and training programs, our retail plant
Nursery, the Organic Market & Grocery and our cafe. We also partner with a wide variety of organisations to
bring about mutually beneficial outcomes, and reaches across the planet with CERES Global.
CERES Global
CERES Global is a project within CERES aiming to engage with the issue of global inequities and the well‐being of
all people on the planet and the environments in which they live. It has a special focus on working with
communities to find solutions to environmental and climate change challenges. It also works to improve
economic and social sustainability within these communities.
As part of this, we invite you to join us on cross-cultural, socio-environmental exchanges. These are unique
participatory educational and skill sharing travel programs.
Experiencing other cultures and communities, witnessing the world in new ways, meeting people gentle and
humble and with generosity so big that it moves and stirs us – it challenges and changes us. This is what makes
our trips so powerful. Sophie Edwards (CERES Global Coordinator).
For more information visit www.ceres.org.au/global
HOW THIS TRIP CAME ABOUT CERES Global has for over 10 years been building important relationships with communities globally. As we
continue to foster those relationships and understand how best we can work alongside communities to tackle
environmental and social challenges, we’re realising how important it is to engage our local sustainable
communities back home.
In April we’re heading off on our first sustainability road trip, visiting communities, people, places, and sharing
discussion on approaches to sustainability, living in community, indigenous traditions, and anything else we can
think of. We’ll get our hands (a bit) dirty but really we’re looking for some interested and enthusiastic people to
join us on the journey, have a few laughs, some great chats, and learn from people who are living in a sustainable
way.
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FACILITATORS
Ben Walta - CERES Global Area manager and coordinator: Ben has facilitated over
40 trips internationally and at home in Australia and brings with him a gentle
and contagious warmth and laid back nature. As well as being a 5 star facilitator
Ben is also an incredible networker and manages to pull connections and great
conversations together wherever he goes. He is passionate about experiencing
and being with the world in new ways, getting our wings out, gaining global
perspectives on sustainability and the environment, sharing journeys and
connecting with our own human stories.
Don Butcher & Biodiversity: We’ll be joined by Don Butcher who is a living legend,
having worked in sustainability and conservation for many years - Don’s knowledge
and experience on the trip will be gold, he’s mad about the Great Forest National
Park, the Coorong, watersheds, leadbeater’s possums, … you name it!
Here are a few words from Don:
I am passionate about connecting people to the natural world facilitating
its observation and the use of storytelling. Australian landscapes are well
endowed with stories, along with my own observation I use stories from
numerous sources, at times firmly grounded in academic research while many flow from the cultural
landscapes of indigenous and settler Australia.
Our landscapes have uniqueness and amazing biodiversity. What is biodiversity? I believe a unique
tapestry of place – the web of plants, animals and fungi, survivors of a journey through deep time (firmly
Gondwanan for Victoria’s Wet Forest), I argue biodiversity is the natural world’s ability to deal with
stresses like drought, flood, wildfire, insect plagues, storms, etc. We need to connect to and understand
these landscapes! We need advocates that can educate an increasingly disconnected society with the
ecosystem services these landscapes nourish us with. I acknowledge the elders past and present for the
lands upon which I educate.
A NOTE BEFORE TRAVELLING WITH CERES GLOBAL Remember, this is not a tour and our facilitators from CERES are not tour guides, but facilitators or enablers –
working alongside you to achieve insight and understanding of the communities we visit, and to engage
discussion within the group and with community members on social and environmental issues. It is expected that
you will show some initiative and make a contribution to the journey, through sharing of your own knowledge
and experience, and working within the group to ensure a cohesive and insightful experience is shared by all. But
most of all, enjoy this trip and embrace it.
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ITINERARY
2017 Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
April 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd
camp breakfast camp breakfast camp breakfast camp breakfast camp breakfast camp breakfast camp breakfast camp breakfast
7:30am Early depart
from Cretin
Brothers Car Park near
CERES
Morning session on
tools,
techniques, tasks, and what
we can
contribute
Pack up and head to
Castlemaine (2
hr drive)
tree
propogation,
food forest, and whole
farm design workshops
Pack up early and head to
Abundance
farm
Head off early
to
Yackandandah and TRY
community centred energy
project, all
morning drive
(4hrs)
early start and
big day drive to Bega (5 hrs)
Intro and discussion on
the Bend in
Bega
head off early to get to
Traralgon by
lunch Morning pack-
up & head to Moora Moora
(2hrs)
8:30 AM
9:00am-
12:30pm
Morning chat with residents
about living in community
3.5hr drive Drive up to
Toolangi and talk GFNP
Get our hands
dirty
Arrive mid
morning (1.5hr drive)
12:30-1:30pm Lunch in
Toolangi
Lunch at agari
farm
Lunch at
Yandoit Farm
Pumpkin pie
for lunch
Lunch at
Abundance
Lunch in
Wang
Lunch on the
road
Lunch at the
Bend
Lunch at
Wurruk'an
Lunch at
Moora Moora
1:30-5pm
Afternoon
drive to Kinglake and
Agari Farm
after lunch
feedback and
planning Afternoon lap
of Yandoit farm,
permaculture
and
community
discussions
Afternoon
biodiversity,
permaculture, hands dirty,
tree planting,
dehydrating …
2 hr drive to Boort
Afternoon visit
and chat with Matt, Ali, Lisa,
and Jack
talking energy and
sustainability
with Totally Renewable
Yackendandah
Mid arvo
aquaponics
and Tiny House
discussions
with Django,
swim at the
beach if it's
hot.
Afternoon
drive to Goongerah for
walk and talk
with Jill
Redwood
(3.5hr drive)
living in community
discussions
with Wurruk'an
residents
Liam, Sam,
Beth, and
Rachel.
Working Bee and get busy.
Early afternoon
Moora Moora
lunch, cuppa, and
reflections.
Intro to Living in Community
discussion
with founder, Peter Cock.
Big afternoon
working on Victoria's first
council permitted
earthship
mid arvo walk
with Jida, herittage, scar
trees, mounds,
waterways. Early evening
canoeing along
traditional waterways
Mid afternoon
drive back to
CERES, aiming to be
home at the
CERES/Cretin
bros carpark
by 6pm.
5-6pm set up camp Set up camp Evening pizza
cookup set up camp
Set up Yack
camp ground
set up camp @
the bend in Bega
set up and stay
at Jill's place
evening
dicussion and feedback
6-7pm Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner @ the
pub Dinner Dinner Dinner
7-night
Earthship
discussions,
community,
fire, get up to speed on the
build so far.
Night walk
Go deep
ecology and micrology
discussions
with Michael
outdoor
cinema -
sustainable living docos
Indig dance
with Jida and
Camp by the lake
evening
meeting with
Lubosh to talk tiny houses
outdoor
cinema -
sustainable living docos
old growth
night walk
reflection &
dreaming
Overnight: Kinglake Kinglake Castlemaine Castlemaine Boort Yackandandah Bega Goongerah Wurruk'an
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Community Partners Agari Farm – Kinglake: Agari Farm are building the first
council approved Earthship in Victoria, and we’re heading
out there to help out! There will have been a team
working away on it for a while so we’ll have to see where
they’re up to closer to the time, but we’re really excited to
get out there and get involved. http://agarifarm.org/
Yandoit Farm - Castlemaine: Yandoit Farm is a
beautiful 140-acre natural farm in Central Victoria focusing
on diversified small scale animal husbandry, annual and
perennial food systems and broad scale regenerative
agroforestry. Ian Lillington who is involved with the
Permaculture ‘Next Big Step’, is coordinating our
Castlemaine region engagements in an effort to introduce
a startup social enterprise of “hosting”to the permaculture
movement.
http://permaculturenews.org/2014/10/30/broadacre-
farm-design-regenerative-agriculture-work-australia/
DjarDjar Wurrung - Boort: Our CERES indigenous
educator Jida Gulpilil is very excited to show us around his
country, and share with us some very special stories of the
scar trees in the Djar Djar Warrung region of Boort. After a
recent controlled flooding of the wetlands from the
Loddon river, Jida is looking forward to having us stay by
the lake, and is especially keen to show us some
indigenous dance moves around the fire at night!
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/into-the-aboriginal-
world---victorias-secret-emerges-from-lake-and-creek-
20161229-gtjok8.html
Abundance Farm - Raglan: Is an educational
cooperative that supplies with healthy, fresh and chemical
free food grown with love by people who care. We’ll pop
in and visit Abundance for lunch and a walk to see how
things are going out there.
https://www.facebook.com/farmingforabundance/
Totally Renewable Yackandandah (TRY): A
community group bringing together people passionate
about the notion of powering their town with 100%
renewable energy, and aiming to achieve “energy
sovereignty” for Yackandandah by the year 2022 through
community owned energy that will decarbonize,
decentralize and democratize their energy supply
systems. http://totallyrenewableyack.org.au/
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The Bend – Bega: An eco-neighbourhood in a small
town on the far south coast of NSW, Australia. Bend has
been designed using permaculture principles that
values environmental sustainability, social diversity,
food production, and energy conservation. As a
community they share conservation areas and certified
organic agricultural land, as well as neighbourhood
fire-fighting, photovoltaic, and greywater recycling
systems. http://bend.org.au/
Goolengook & Jill Redwood: Goolengook forest in
the far eastern corner of Victoria was the centerpiece of
a campaign to protect all of the regions old growth in
the 1990’s to early 2000s. Jill Redwood lives in
Goolengook and for the last 30 years has lived a
completely off grid life. Living on around $80 a week,
Jill has over sixty animals and an abundant garden
right outside her doorstep. Generating all her own solar
power and collecting water from the local creek Jill
lives a totally self-sufficient life.
http://www.naturalhomes.org/permahome/offgrid-jill-
redwood.htm
Wurruk’an Traralgun – Gippsland: Wurruk’an is a
humble but beautiful body of land, water, and forest in
the Gunai district of Gippsland. In recent years it has
become an inclusive gathering space for
people seeking to pioneer and demonstrate a ‘simpler
way’ of living based on permaculture principles.
Although these are still early days, the emerging vision
is aglow with promise and potential. As a strategy for
social change, their small and evolving community
is trying to build a new world from within the shell of
the old. Wurruk’an signifies an act of defiant positivity.
http://www.wurrukan.org
Moora Moora - Yarra: Made up of a diverse group of
about 50 adults and 20 children the Moora Moora
community deliberately choose to live together in six
small hamlets located on a beautiful co-operatively
owned 245 hectare property situated at an altitude of
700 metres on Mt Toolebewong. We’re chatting with
Elisse and founder Peter cock on our way through over
lunch and a cuppa.
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WHAT TO BRING: Please take essentials only as we will also be carrying things like food, cooking equipment, extra water, car repair
tools etc. Soft bags are better for packing than hard bags/cases.
Essential gear includes:
Small tent with fly
Sleeping mat
Light sleeping bag or blanket
Personal cutlery, plate, bowl and mug
Long sleeved shirts (for sun protection)
Shorts and light pants
Warm tops for nights
Sandals or thongs that are easy to slip on
Basic sneakers or sturdy shoes for tramping around the bush.
Personal first aid kit (mostly to deal with insect bites, cuts, abrasions, splinters, headaches and menstrual
cramps). We will also take a first aid kit with basic bandages, bandades etc (however we cannot administer any
drugs, including even Panadol, so you will need to bring your own supply of these).
Head torch and spare batteries
Notepad and pen
Day-pack or bag
Water bottle
Broad brimmed hat
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Toiletries – small quantities and biodegradable wherever possible.
Hand sanitizer and toilet paper (if you want a private stash for your bag, if not we take plenty)
Adequate prescription medications - please advise us discretely if you have serious medical considerations, joint
problems, or are on medications etc.
Towel or sarong
Board shorts and bathers
Small and low to the ground camping chair or back rest or a small pillow could be used for comfort while sitting
down.
FOOD AND DIETARY REQUIREMENTS: Where possible we’ll organize meals with our host
communities as an income generator for them. The meals will
be made to last and nurture. We will also take lots of travel
proof fresh fruit and veggies like: spuds, pumpkins, carrots,
watermelons, oranges, apples etc and try to minimize
packaging.
When we are cooking it will be very basic vegetarian legume
based meals over an open fire or in the community camp
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facilities generally with a grain such as rice, quinoa or pasta and lots of veggies. Breakfasts and lunches are simple
e.g. fresh fruit, muesli, powdered milk, salad wraps etc. All meals are vegetarian, so please bring tinned meats if
you feel you’ need a bit extra of something.
Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements or food-related allergies. Lists of foods you can’t eat
would be very useful and we will do our best to accommodate you in our menu planning.
ACCOMMODATION: Participants will need to bring their own small tent and
sleeping gear to sleep in.
FACILITIES: We’ll make sure we have access to toilets throughout
the journey, and we will constantly be on the search for
swimming spots but we might not have a shower every
day.
Insurance
We recommend that you get travelers insurance and/or ambulance insurance. The latter will cover you in case of
an emergency evacuation.
TRAVELLING IN A GROUP We expect to have between 10 and 20 people travelling with us on this journey. Because of this it is important we
are mindful of everyone else’s needs as well as our own. This trip relies on us working together as a group. Things
run smoothly when everyone contributes and helps out. We will put together a cooking and cleaning roster.
There are recipes to follow for all the evening meals.
You will also need to be mindful of your own resilience dealing with discomfort (especially on the drive between
communities) and a lack of personal space. It is important to be aware of your own needs and develop personal
strategies in dealing with this.
MONEY Your contribution fee covers food and transport, as well as facilitation and coordination of the trip. There’ll be
one meal along the way at the pub in Yackandandah which you will need to pay for yourself. There might also be
an option to upgrade from your tent to a cabin or guesthouse as well, so you might need some extra cash for that
should you wish. We’ll likely drink a few beers or wine along the way where appropriate, and you’ll need to cover
any associated costs for alcohol.
We’re really happy to be taking this amazing journey with you. Keep in touch during your pre-departure
preparation and ask any questions as they come up.
THIS WILL BE SUCH A GREAT ADVENTURE!