Meeting the truth through the heart...
Calling in the women yearning to deepen connection with country and custodians in the desert, the heart of this country. You are invited to join me in this 21 day pilgrimage from the Kimberley in Western Australia to Alice Springs.
You’ll be traversing thousands of kilometres, sitting with custodians, hearing stories, sitting in circle, hiking into gorges, swimming in water holes and spending a lot of time in quiet contemplation with country.
Here’s what it looks like…
Fly in or drive to Kununurra WA
Be welcomed in to Mirrawoong country with a sunset dinner. Here we will be camping in swags and bell tents for 8 days on the Ord river. Fully catered with healthy food we can really settle in to connection with our body, the women and the country. It’s a time to cleanse, rest, reset and be nourished and nurtured.
We will be weaving, yarning with the aunties, learning the skin system and listening in to the truth of the impacts of colonisation on the people and how culture and lore can restore.
On day 10, we depart for the desert! A 1700 kilometre journey in convoy across the country. Each night we camp and each day we find water to refresh. After 4 days of travel we will arrive on the red earth and take some down time out at a camp by invitation of an elder on Arrernte country.
On day 13 we begin the desert pilgrimage, with a welcome to country and learning some bush skills from the locals. We’ll be visiting places of meaning and significance way off the tourist track.
On day 14 we travel into community and gather bush tucker with Kaytej Aunties and camp the next two nights together.
On day 16 we traverse back to Alice springs and set up camp in a safe and cosy place in the west MacDonnell Ranges (Tjoritja) on western Arrernte country. This is place to rest deeply and process the days. We'll be here for 3 nights connecting with sacred places that have been significantly impacted by modern day ways. Each site you will learn the sacred significance and the physical impacts. We’ll also be holding a dawn circle of commemoration and mourning.
On day 19 we return to Yambah, the place we began. Here we will be connecting with place through plant knowledge, wild crafting, traditional foods and some good yarns round the fire with custodians.
This pilgrimage ends on the 29th September at 10am. You are welcome to stay out bush with me for a few days. Some of you might want to continue on to Uluru to complete your journey. I have chosen not to make this part of the pilgrimage as it is an extremely sacred place and heavily touristed.
21 days is the time it takes for the body to fully renew and for new patterns to form and old patterns to unravel. You'll need to give yourself time to integrate this journey, it's highly recommended you spend a few days with country before you depart. There will be a follow up zoom one week after to support your integration back home.
Finer details:
The Kimberley Connection Gathering and the Desert Pilgrimage are two seperate journeys. You can choose to do only one, or the full 21 days. Here’s the break down:
Kimberley Connection Gathering
Kununurra, WA
9th August - 16th August 2025
Earlybird – $2220 (ends 1st May)
Full exchange – $2450
Cost covers accomodation, food, airport transport, tent, swag and ALL activities (does not include flights)
More info: www.gatheraustralia.org/kimberleyconnection
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/events/1452720212276982
Application: www.gatheraustralia.org/applications
Desert Pilgrimgage
21st-29th August, 2025
Alice Springs, NT
Earlybird - $1700 (ends 1st May)
Full exchange - $1900
Cost covers food, activities, accomodation, airport transport
Does not include flights, fuel for travel or camping gear. This trip requires you to be self-sufficient with your gear, cooking items are provided and meals are taken care of though.
All the info: www.gatheraustralia.org/deseretpilgrimage
There is a process of application for those doing the desert pilgrimage as it requires a lot more willingness from you. We move in convoy across the country and require everyone contribute to the setting up of camp and the preparation of food.
Application: www.gatheraustralia.org/applications
For those doing the 21 day pilgrimage there is no charge for the travel between the Kimberley and the desert pilgrimage and the early bird discount will apply to you to make it as accessible as possible. Fuel costs once we depart Kununurra will be divided evenly amongst each car.
Please read all the information carefully before applying. I’ll organise a phone chat with you after your application to answer any questions and meet you a little more.
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