Australia on deep ecology

Profile: Tyson Yunkaporta

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Tyson Yunkaporta is an Aboriginal Australian scholar and member of the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland. He founded the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab at Deakin University and wrote Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World (2019), which examines how Aboriginal methods of inquiry address contemporary ecological and social challenges.

Yunkaporta’s work brings Aboriginal ways of knowing into dialogue with complexity science, examining how Indigenous thought represents systems thinking developed over tens of thousands of years. His methodology honors Aboriginal traditions of knowledge creation through “yarning” - collaborative dialogue through stories and mutual respect - and “sand talk,” the practice of drawing symbols in earth to convey complex ideas.

Profile: Val Plumwood

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Val Plumwood was an Australian ecofeminist philosopher whose rigorous critique of dualism revealed how Western philosophy’s hierarchical separation of reason from nature, mind from body, and human from animal justified both environmental destruction and social oppression. Her work demonstrated that ecological and feminist struggles share common philosophical roots.

Plumwood’s masterwork “Feminism and the Mastery of Nature” (1993) analyzed how Western thought constructs dualisms that enable domination. Pairs like reason/nature, male/female, and human/animal reinforce each other in what she called “the logic of colonization” - where the inferior (nature, women, animals) becomes resource for the superior.

Bio: Pat Fleming

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

[ Pat has been has been facilitating Deep Ecology and the Work that Reconnects workshops, and giving talks, trainings and webinars in a number of countries over some 40 years. She’s a plantswoman, musician, writer and poet, and her writing includes co-authoring ‘Thinking like A Mountain – towards a Council of All Beings’ with John Seed, Joanna Macy and Arne Naess, and contributing a chapter to the recent book ‘A Wild Love for the World – Joanna Macy and the Work of our Time’. She has been a student of zen Buddhism with Buddhist Peace Fellowship co-founder Robert Aitken Roshi.

Bio: Patrick Anderson

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Patrick Anderson is a forest activist and student of Buddhism. Since the 1980’s he has participated in and occasionally led Deep Ecology workshops and processes in Australia and Europe. Patrick is a research associate at the Australian National University, president of the Rainforest Information Centre, and chair of the High Carbon Stock Approach, a standard used to end deforestation in the wet tropics while ensuring human rights are respected.

Profile: John Seed

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

John Seed is an Australian environmental activist who co-created the Council of All Beings practice and founded the Rainforest Information Centre. His work connects direct action rainforest protection with experiential deep ecology practices.

Born in Australia, Seed became involved in rainforest protection campaigns in 1979. His participation in direct actions contributed to the protection of Australian rainforests during the 1980s. In 1984 he helped establish the US Rainforest Action Network, organizing roadshows that connected Australian forest campaigns with North American audiences. He produced the documentary “Earth First!” for Australian national television in 1987, documenting rainforest protection efforts.

Profile: Pat Fleming

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Pat Fleming is a deep ecology facilitator who co-authored Thinking Like a Mountain (1988) with John Seed, Joanna Macy, and Arne Naess. She has conducted experiential deep ecology workshops for over forty years.

Born in England to a Northern Irish family, Fleming holds British-Australian nationality and currently resides in northern Lutruwita (Tasmania). Her background includes mental health counseling, conservation botany, organic farming, and environmental education. She holds an MA in Psychology from Edinburgh University and an MSc in Botanical Conservation from Plymouth University.

Event: MenAware nature retreat with Yatra.org.au – May 31st-June 4th 2023

Fri, 05 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

MenAware

New England National Park, NSW

Wednesday 31 May – Sunday 4 June 2023

“I recall times in this life when I’ve quietly grieved an absence of deep connectedness with men. At MenAware gatherings I’ve glimpsed that a relationship of trust, emotional honesty and deep listening with men is still a possibility.” (A MenAware participant)

A MenAware Nature Retreat provides an experiential container where we explore our relationship with self, other men and nature in a safe and caring environment. During our time together we will investigate the possibility to live a fulfilled, authentic and sustainable life and how we can extend this into the relationships and the communities we live in. Our retreat program will draw upon a flexible combination of yoga, meditation, mindful walking, discussions around the campfire, shared meals and our unique, creative celebration of mankind.

Event: 21st-23rd Oct 2023- Deep Ecology Workshop – With John Seed: Nimbin

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Fri 21st Oct 2022 – Sun 23rd Oct 2022 AEDT

![/images/deepEco_John.jpg)

The Rainforest Information Centre presents an in-person, immersive DEEP ECOLOGY workshop with John Seed

Tickets are sliding scale from $150-$450 .

25% of the proceeds will be donated to protect Ecuador’s rainforests.

Bookings:

Location

Black Sheep Farm Guesthouse, 449A Gungas Rd, Nimbin NSW 2480, Australia

Details:

Vegetarian meals will be provided, gluten-free and vegan options by request after booking.

Event: 5-9th Feb 2023: Heartwood Nature Retreat 2023 – Mount Field

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Government Huts, Mount Field National Park, Tasmania

Sunday 5 – Thursday 9 February 2023

![/images/mt-field.jpg)

_With Ronny Hickel _

On this nature retreat we will be accommodated in the historic Government Huts, situated high in the alpine regions of Mt Field National Park, one of the Tasmania’s oldest and most diverse parks. At approximately 1000m elevation, nestled among snow gums and overlooking a beautiful alpine moorland, these basic huts will provide an excellent base for our retreat.

Event: 6th-9th Oct 2022 – MenAware Nature Retreat – Lake Arragan

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

**Yuraygir National Park, Northern NSW

Thursday 6 – Sunday 9 October** 2022

![/images/Yuraygir1-1024x804.jpg)

_With Ken Golding & Brother Tenzin _(Alex Anderson)

This MenAware Nature Retreat with www.yatra.org.au will take us to a beautiful camp at the edge of Lake Arragan in the Yuraygir National Park. This coastal lagoon system surrounded by paperbarks is a wonderful renowned environment for canoeing, swimming and birdwatching.

For details and registration information visit:

A MenAware Nature Retreat provides an experiential container where our relationship with self, other men and nature can be explored in a safe and caring environment. During our time together we will investigate the possibility to live a fulfilled, authentic and sustainable life and how we can take this into the relationships and the communities we live in. Our retreat program will draw upon a flexible combination of yoga, meditation, mindful walking, discussions around the campfire, shared meals and our unique, creative celebration of mankind.

Film: On The Brink

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0000

https://youtu.be/_e_liXJf5aQ

A tale of endangered species featuring David Attenborough, David Suzuki, David Bellamy, Jack Thompson, Olivia Newton John, Koala, Owl, Quoll & Glider. For the young at heart.

This film was originally posted on the Rainforest Information Centre Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@rainforestinfo

Bio: Eshana Bragg

Sun, 22 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Eshana is a pioneer in the field of ecopsychology, and has been facilitating deep ecology workshops and the Council of All Beings since the mid-1990’s. She even wrote her PhD about it! As a director of Sustainable Futures Australia, and university lecturer in ecopsychology and action for social change, Eshana is passionate about bringing deep ecology and other ecophilosophies and practises to mainstream communities.

Event: MenAware Nature Retreat 2022

Sun, 22 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

![/images/menaware-1024x483.jpg)

**Bald Rock National Park, Northern NSW

Wednesday 11 – Sunday 15 May**

with Ken Golding & Ronny Hickel

The annual MenAware Nature Retreat will take us to the awesome boulders of Bald Rock National Park. Set in the rugged granite country north of Tenterfield, it exhibits an extraordinary display of wildflowers and birdlife.

Our apologies, but this event is BOOKED OUT

Heartwood Nature Retreat 2022 – Trephina Gorge

Sun, 22 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

![/images/trephina-732x1024.jpg)

Trephina Gorge – East MacDonnell Ranges NP, Northern Territory

Saturday 23 – Thursday 28 July

with Ronny Hickel

This nature retreat will take us to the East MacDonnell Ranges of Central Australia, where we will base ourselves in a simple bush-camp amongst the spectacular red cliffs of Trephina Gorge, with steep rocky slopes rising dramatically from the red desert, presenting a breathtaking impression of Australian wilderness.

Bio: John Seed

Sat, 21 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

John Seed is founder and director of the Rainforest Information Centre in Australia.

Since 1979 he has been involved in the direct actions which have resulted in the protection of the Australian rainforests.

In 1984 he helped initiate the US Rainforest Action Network which grew out of the first of his many US roadshows.

In 1987 he co-produced a television documentary, “EARTH FIRST!” for Australian national television about the struggle for the rainforests. This has since been shown in many countries. A front page story about John’s work in the Christian Science Monitor at this time referred to him as “the town crier for the global village”.

Video: Give Trees a Chance – The Story of Terania Creek

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

This 1980 documentary tells the story of the first eco-blockade in the world – the Terania Creek forest protest in Australia in 1979. A historic event, it brought rainforest preservation into public consciousness and led to the formation of the Nightcap National Park. Narrated by Jack Thompson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CE-LVZTuCY