Bocara/Glenelg River
Canoe Journeys:
This very special journey takes us exploring wild nature along the Bocara/Glenelg river of southwestern Victoria, travelling by canoe.
Wake up to the sound of bird song, witness the glorious colours of sunrises and sunsets on the river, observe diverse wildlife, eat nourishing meals that have been lovingly prepared for you and explore the beauty of nature with a small group of supportive women (maximum group size of 12).
Learn to paddle a canoe with instruction and support from our experienced guides.
Be a part of this travelling community, setting up our village camp in picturesque
campsites along the river.
Sit in circle with women around the campfire in the evenings and reflect on this special experience. Share in gentle practices to deepen our connection with nature, sisterhood and ourselves.
Everything is planned for you, you can come along, relax and be present to the journey.
Live this soulful adventure and finish the journey feeling strong, grounded, connected and empowered!
Itinerary:
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Day 1: Make our separate road trips to Paestans canoe hire where we will meet the other women on our journey and pack our personal gear into waterproof barrels. We will then be shuttled to our first campsite and spend some time greeting the beautiful Bocara river. Share in a delicious lunch prepared for you by your guides, learn how to set up our village camp, have a nourishing evening meal and sit together in our first sharing circle around the campfire.
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Day 2: Wake up to a yummy breakfast. We will spend some time teaching everyone how to paddle a canoe, then enjoy lunch on the riverbank and load our canoes to begin paddling downstream to our next campsite.
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Day 3: With the Kookaburras as your alarm clock, it is a gentle start to the day. Today we will continue our paddle downstream. We will also share in some practices to support us to feel into our place within Nature.
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Day 4: We are beginning to look forward to our daily morning movement practice together and greeting the morning sun. Today we paddle further downstream, Watching out for koalas and different bird species along the way.
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Day 5: Today we enjoy our final paddle stretch of the river, pulling our canoes out of the water where we will be greeted by the kind folk from Paestens canoe hire. We say goodbye to the river and make our way back to Paestens canoe hire where a hot shower and bunkbed awaits us.
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Day 6: We share in our closing ceremony on the land and then make our road trips home. Celebrating on the way home all that we have experienced in our journey together. This extra travel day is designed to offer us a gentle transition back into the world beyond the river. We hope that everyone can arrive back to their homes by dinner time.
What/Where is the Bocara?
Bocara is the original and indigenous name for the beautiful river we canoe and journey on. The river was renamed its more commonly recognized name "Glenelg" after colonization, it feels important to us to speak the true name of the river, the name that this land has known for tens of thousands of years. We choose to speak the name Bocara with deep respect and gratitude to the traditional owners of the country we journey on. The Bocara is located on Gunditjmara and Boandik country in far southwestern Victoria, close to the South Australian boarder, the closest town to our starting point is Dartmoor.
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Who can do this journey?
This journey is open to all women of all ages, over the years we have worked with women in their late teens through to women in their late 60s who have all thoroughly enjoyed journeying in Nature, their is so much beauty in spending time with women of all different ages and it is something we really value. Women are so welcome to book a space for their young daughters to come with them, it is actually so special to have Mothers and daughters on our journeys (we love it!). If you have any queries/concerns about your age or the age of your daughter, please reach out and we would be happy to have a chat with you. We are also open to women bringing their babies/small children, we would just need to have a conversation around this to see if and how we could best support you and your little one. We are creating a village together and please know that a great amount of support can be offered.
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What level of fitness do I need to do this journey?
You need a moderate level of fitness for this journey. The beauty of canoeing is it is a lot more gentle on our bodies then other outdoor activities such as hiking. We will still be using some strength to load and unload our gear from the canoes in the morning and evenings, paddle our canoes, set up tents etc.
If you have any questions about this aspect of the journey or would just like to have a chat about how we could support you please reach out and we would be so happy to chat.
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I really want to come on a journey but do not have my own transport to get to the starting location, how can you support me?
We really want you to join us in one of these special journeys! We are so happy to arrange a carpool option for you, just let us know when you make your booking.
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Can I come on this journey if I am menstruating (have my period)?
Yes! We want to create a supportive environment for bleeding women on our journeys. Canoeing can be gentle on the body and you will be sitting down in your canoe. We can set you up with a blanket and hot water bottle in your canoe, so you are comfortable. We work together as a village to support one another and if you needed support setting up your tent, bringing you a cup of tea etc, we would love to make that happen. There is space to spend time alone, go to bed early, whatever your body needs we can support you in that.
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What am I Investing in this journey?
There is a lot of planning, organizing and facilitating that goes into these journeys, everything is organized for you, and you can come along, relax and soak in all of the magic, knowing that all of the little details have been taken care of.
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The price we ask for these journeys is:
$1655 when paid in full.
Or payment plan: $655 deposit and 6x fortnightly payments of $183 ($1753)
The cost of this journey includes:
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Canoe, paddle, pfd and barrel hire
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Tent hire
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All campsite fees
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All park fees & licenses
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All canoe skill lessons & instructions
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6x days of support from 2 guides
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5x breakfasts
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5x lunches
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5x dinners
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Lots of delicious & nutritious morning, afternoon teas & snacks
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A selection of teas, coffee, miso & bone broth
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Firewood
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Facilitation & support in all women's circles, nature connection practices and ceremonies
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Guides trained in Wilderness First Aid who carry comprehensive first aid kit and satellite communication devices.
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Access to the "Wilderness Women" Facebook messenger group chat where we can keep in touch with the other women from our journey
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Become a part of the Wilderness Within community and the opportunity to join us for our yearly "Wilderness Women Campout" where you can connect with other women who have come on Nature Journeys/Immersions
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Upcoming Dates for 2024:
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19-24th October 2024
Book your place in this next Jouney
“This was the most incredible and transformative 5 days of my life. I highly recommend these nature journeys to every single woman! I stepped into my fear of ‘I can’t do this’ ‘I’m too old’ and conquered them all with the support of the community around me. I had no hesitation putting my full trust in Laura to guide and support me on this journey. I can’t wait to do another one.”
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“When I went on my canoe trip I didn’t know what to expect. What I wasn’t prepared for was the deep connection and truth between all of the women in the group, particularly as none of us knew each other. Yet in that 5 days we created deep connections, to each other and ourselves, we shared our truths we were able to be free in expressing ourselves in every moment of light and dark, we could easily ask for help and support (something I have never been good at) and we fully relaxed. I didn’t know that that was what I had been missing. I have never felt that deep connection before and at first it felt uncomfortable but then it easily became the best feeling ever. A feeling of freedom, truth and acceptance on a level so deep that it is hard to explain but I am grateful for. “
~ Kerri Anne
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“This was such a transformative, life affirming experience for me. I felt totally moved in spirit and in my feminine power. Never have I felt so supported and supportive in the same breath. I grew to love and trust you all. To be able to share such a profound experience with you all. Deepest gratitude to you dear Laura for this incredible vision and the magic that you bring.”
~ Rose
Witness a special moment of song on the river..
