Stefan BRADLEY
SOMETIMES you need to just switch off your phone and connect with a group of likeminded people by taking part in swimming, workshops, competitive challenges, a charity auction, camping and taking in the musical entertainment and delicious food.
This was the packaged deal when Glenmaggie-based not-for-profit outdoor education centre Wollangarra brought back its annual open day on Saturday, October 4. The sold-out ticketed event saw more than 400 people come through the gate on a day with beautiful sunny weather.
The Wollangarra Outdoor Education Centre can be found on a remote river flat at Macalister River Gorge, and offers youth an opportunity for hands-on learning, community and adventuring with others.
One of the directors, Anthony “Smitho” Smith, who lives at the property, said Wollangarra was built by volunteers and young people 37 years ago and runs programs for school children and “kids from all over the place”.
“They come out here and get involved in and help out with the off-grid lifestyle and operations of the property. And then we go on adventures in the High Country in the mountains,” Smitho said.
“If the kids enjoy it and get something out of it, they come back again and again.”
The kids who return can take part in conservation projects and can also work with Parks Victoria and on the Wollangarra site itself.
“So the place is built on that community and then there’s our volunteers and staff,” Smitho said.
“And that’s what the open day is, too. That’s a whole bunch of contributions and all these people that are exhibiting are all being involved with Wollangarra in some way or another. It’s the local community and beyond that too, the open day sold tickets to people from Melbourne and interstate.”
The open day was open to the public and a great way to get word out about Wollangarra’s other activities.
Guests made their way to the site on Saturday morning by walking through the river or riding across the flying fox. The day included demonstrations, workshops, music and bush poetry. There was bar service – cash only of course.
The famous Wollangarra auction was a big fundraiser which raised about $10,000 for the centre, which will allow it to continue helping kids connect with the outdoors. Auction items were handmade wooden crafts, artworks, restored axes, holiday houses, weaving and other hand made crafts.
Crowds became huge and competition got fierce with a cross cut saw challenge and the ‘Woll Relay’. And even fiercer during the porridge eating contest which escalated to a full-on (but fun) food fight.
Some of the notable speakers/presentations were ranger Wayne McCallum (talking High Country stories), sustainable agriculture panel (Q&A session with local dairy farmers Kate Miriams and Peter Neeves, Market Garden, Josh Tucker and biodynamic farmer Simon McLachlan), adventure therapy with Dough Moczynski, Foundation House with Ashley Wallace and adventure life with Jen Willis.
Workshops throughout the day included fruit bottling, wood working (with Brian Beasley), bush carpentry (Jimmy James), seed saving and fruit tree grafting (with Neil Barraclough), bath bomb making (with Christine O’Sullivan), sourdough bread making (with Lou Ritchie), glass cutting with Ralph Barraclough, basket weaving, zine art, outdoor educational games, blacksmithing in the forge and soil building/composting.
There was also a story-telling circle happening with different people sharing interesting career path stories.
Kids could play soccer together with their new friends, and others could take a break by swimming in the river.
For entertainment, afternoon music to kick back and relax to was provided by Carl and Ange, followed by evening music with the band Holy Moses Heartache – who had the crowd jumping around for a good couple of hours.
Lunch and dinner was provided by Lazizz Lebanese Bakery, from Traralgon.
Those who camped overnight enjoyed a Sunday morning cooked breakfast with light acoustic entertainment, and the flying fox was pushed to its limit with everyone leaving along with the band’s stage gear.
