Outdoor Health Forum 2025: Nature Connection and Mental Wellbeing
Oct 18, 2025
Reflecting on participating in the Outdoor Health Forum - nature-based approaches to mental and …
Perhaps the single most important thing that we can do to undo the harm we have done is to fix firmly in our minds the thought: the earth is alive. – James Lovelock
Home
Welcome Home. In a time of intersecting poly-crises: climate change, social upheaval and economic uncertainty, Gaia Forest is about the creation of 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, our project is focussed on protecting, restoring and reconnecting remnant rainforest habitat, even as we restore and reconnect ourselves to our own true nature, and to Mother Earth herself.
Our region is a refuge for 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 are also creating a refuge for people; a retreat space for mindfulness, meditation and yoga, a farm focused on regenerative agriculture, and space for deep ecology and nature reconnection.
After ten years of dreaming and four years of searching, we recently took a major step towards realising this dream, with the purchase of a beautiful organic farm not far from Dorrigo. Our new home includes a beautiful permaculture garden and a substantial remnant of stunning old-growth rainforest. We are now embarking on the journey of creating here a place of reflection, retreat, and healing.
This will require substantial additional investment, and a labour of love. If the above sounds aligned with your values, please consider supporting our project to help us create this refuge. To ask a question or find out how you can become involved, please contact us. On this site you can also find more information About our project, and learn who we are. To keep up with recent developments, please visit our News page and upcoming Events.
