AABR FestII – Return of the Regenerators

The AABR Board, at its April meeting, made a decision to postpone AABR Fest2  till Spring.

It was with considerable discussion the decision was made. AABR’s volunteers have been working flat chat this year organising and delivering a national forum for 270 in late March, on top of this walks and talks are being organised as well as the upcoming Symposium on 10 May. With so many events the organising crew were feeling overstretched and so in order to maintain the standards and hopes for AABR Fest 2 the postponement till Oct-November was made.

PLEASE NOTE THE DATES ARE YET TO BE CONFIRMED 

TICKETS ON SALE NOW – the first 100 tickets are Early bird prices

A not-so-long time ago, on a property nestled on the mid North Coast, an event of monumental significance unfolded. Amidst the tranquil embrace of nature, the inaugural AABR Fest emerged, illuminating the horizon with its promise of unity and enlightenment. This grand assembly, heralded as a beacon of hope, brought together the forces for good – champions of bush regeneration techniques from distant corners of the land. Regenerators, drawn by the call of stewardship, traversed vast distances to converge, to share knowledge, to glean wisdom, and to harmonise in a quest for elusive lessons from the grand masters of their craft.

Now, the echoes of that historic gathering reverberate across the landscape as a new chapter unfolds. The sequel, “Return of the Regenerators,” is poised to build upon the momentum ignited by its predecessor. Gathered once more, this time at Kariong Scout Camp on the Central Coast, regenerators from all stages of experience prepare to convene in Spring. Amidst the towering trees and the whispering winds, they will unite once more in a symphony of shared purpose. The stage is set, the destiny of the wilderness awaits, and the bush holds its breath as the saga of regeneration continues.

This event is a gathering for bush regenerators and all those interested in ecological restoration to learn and connect with one another. An opportunity to connect with the wider bush regeneration community, forge new connections and rekindle old friendships. Bring your family for a rejuvenating experience at the Scout Camp Kariong

Established in 1986, AABR has played a vital role in promoting high-quality ecological restoration across Australia. AABR Fest reflects these commitments to advancing the industry by offering an exciting array of activities, engaging presentations and immersive workshops.

• Be captivated by the wisdom and knowledge of the AABR Board and members as they share their insights in presentations.
• Dive into a grass ID workshop with Harry Rose
• Experience the nightlife with a guided spotlight tour with Jayden Walsh
• Open your senses with a rainforest ID walk led by Paul Gadsby
• Sit around a campfire with the founders of AABR and engage in fascinating and inspiring conversation.
• Enjoy the various walks available on the Scout Camp property
• Share your thougths for the future of bush regen at the World Cafe Conversations
• Bring your binoculars to explore the birdlife, tall forests, gardens and rainforest surrounds for bird life, wildlife and an array of flora.
• Burst your brains with the bush regen trivia quiz
• Tune up your talent at the bush regen song comp

The program
More activities and details as they come to hand will be updated on this AABR FestII event page.

Scout Camp Activities and Equipment
Activities and equipment available around the camp include bush walks, aboriginal carvings, a compass course, a glide ride, a small obstacle course, construction poles, two small swimming water holes, a campfire circle and a bush chapel. The Glide Ride must be supervised by an adult at each end whenever in use.

Arrival
Gate times for entering the festival are as follows;
Friday noon – 7pm.
Saturday 7am – 4pm.

Please ensure that the Main Gate into the Camp is closed at all times – even if you are only dropping someone off – The Camp is not as isolated as it seems and members of the public continually take the chance to come and have a look around if the main gate is left open.

Please ensure that you park your car rear in when parking in the car park. This is to ensure that if there is a need to evacuate the Camp it is easy to do so.

Accommodation
There is limited capacity for dormitory lodgings please email whatson@aabr.org.au if a bed is required.

There will be plenty of camping options available. There is no vehicle access to the actual campsites. Please park in the car park and use the trolleys to move your personal gear to and from the sites.

Property Facilities
• The Chapman Centre buildings include 80 seat dining hall, fully equipped commercial style kitchen
• All of the water is supplied by a creek fed dam. It is filtered and sterilised and very safe to drink
• Shared the toilet and shower amenities.

The Camp Environment
Please minimise your effect. Do not damage plants, trees or any of the wildlife or to leave any rubbish around the grounds whatsoever. To protect the area, and your children, there is no vehicle access to the campsites and buildings. Vehicles must stay in the carpark. Personal gear can be walked into Camp using the trolleys provided. Only a couple of cars with the main food or activity equipment for your stay will be allowed up to the buildings. No domestic pets are allowed in the Camp.

Glass Bottles & Return and Earn
Please do not bring any glass bottles into the Camp. The glass bottles seem to end up in the campfires and they do not melt. The bottle tops end up all over the Camp. If you bring these into Camp ensure all goes in the Return and Earn bins.

Swimming
Swimming may be available in the small water holes, one next to the dam and the other ten minutes’ walk into Brisbane Waters National Park (ask for directions). Shoes should be worn whilst swimming for your own protection. If there has been no rain at the Camp for a long period of time the water holes may be stagnant so please check with the Camp Supervisor .

Getting there
The Camp is surrounded by Brisbane Waters National Park
The property is accessible via well-maintained all-weather gravel roads.
• 1 hour 30 minutes drive south of Newcastle
• 1 hour drive north of Sydney

AABRFest is a community-run event. If you would like to contribute by offering a workshop, assisting with setup or pack down, or participating in event operations, please reach out to Charlie whatson@aabr.org.au

Join the community at AABRFest to celebrate the achievements and ongoing efforts of AABR and contribute to the future.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW – the first 100 tickets are Early bird prices