Welcome. We live in challenging times, at the intersection of climate crisis, social upheaval and economic uncertainty. The Gaia Forest project aims to create a refuge: Located in the cool uplands of the mid-north coast of NSW, in a region that has been home for rainforest since the age of Gondwana, Gaia Forest will focus on protecting, restoring and reconnecting remnant rainforest habitat, even as we restore and reconnect ourselves to Mother Earth. Our region is home to Antarctic Beech forest, and many unique species including the endangered Rufous Scrub Bird, Spotted Tailed Quoll, and Greater Glider, and the Vulnerable Glossy Black Cockatoo and Pouched Frog, to name a few. In this spectacular and precious landscape we also aim to create a refuge for people; a retreat space for meditation and yoga, a farm focused on regenerative agriculture, and space for deep ecology and nature reconnection.
For more information about our project, please visit the “about” page and “who are we?“. To keep up with recent developments, please visit the “news” page. We are currently raising the necessary funds to purchase land. Click here to support our project. To find out how you can become involved, please fill in a contact form. See below for a site map.
Latest posts
- MenAware Nature retreat, New England N.P. May 31st – June 4th 2023
It’s an honour to again have the opportunity to work with Ken Golding and Ronny Hickel in the MenAware nature retreat format. Ken is a grandfather of Men’s Work in Australia, and Ronny is the founder of www.yatra.org.au. This time we’ll be circling up on Thungutti Country, near the spectacular Point Lookout in New England […]
- Meditation retreat with Bhante Dhammadipa: 19-26th February 2023
We are very happy to confirm dates for our first meditation retreat with Bhante Dhammadipa (http://dhammadipa.cz) in Australia, February 19th-26th 2023, at beautiful Corindi, on the NSW Mid-North Coast. In this retreat we will take a deep dive into the Four Immeasurable Minds; Loving Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity. These practices are central to the […]
- Return to Mother India
I am feeling very fortunate to have the opportunity to return to India, assisting Bhante Dhammadipa again as he tours and teaches. We have spent a rich two weeks in Mumbai, at Somaiya Vidyavihar Institute of Dharma Studies. There Bhante taught on the Chapter 6; “Questions of Maitreya” from the Samdinirmocana sutra, and important text […]
- Paper: High conservation values of the Dorrigo Plateau
In case we needed any other reason to feel it worth protecting and rainforest habitat on the Dorrigo Plateau, my attention was recently drawn to this article: “Patterns of rain forest plant endemismin subtropical Australia relate to stable mesic refugia and species dispersal limitations” by Lui C. Weber, Jeremy VanDerWal, Susanne Schmidt,William J. F. McDonald […]
- Thich Nhat Hanh 11/10/1926 – 22/01/2022
It is with great sadness that we learned yesterday of the passing of Zen Master, poet, peace activist and gardener Thich Nhat Hanh. We also experienced a great joy in witnessing the outpouring of condolences and memories of Thay shared by so many from around the world who have been touched as we have by […]