The ‘Dubya Dubya Dubya’

The What, Who and Why at Wangat every Season!

“Simply, how life should be”

It’s been too long - my apologies. But, welcome to my newsletter! Summer has flowed and is beginning to ebb (maybe?!) and let’s be honest has been quite schitzophrenic! Unpredictable. A full day in the river on Xmas eve, and in the woolies on Xmas day! I ponder how the plants and animals respond to these eractic days.

Pinching myself is what I continually do, living here, bearing witness to the countless species (of which I still weekly meet new ones - the latest, a spotted-tailed quoll in the Lodge kitchen) in this 50acre forest. And joyously greet you as you arrive on your planned annual (or more) retreat…as Wangat is too good to keep to oneself, and the greatest meaning of all is sharing it with you all!

I hope you enjoy this edition of the “Dubya, Dubya, Dubya”, and I get to see you soon, to share the abundant stories I have collected in my daily meanderings here, and hear stories of futuristic places where they froth milk!

In a snap shot - each of the Dubya’s:

WHAT(‘s on!) - all the things you can book or stay with Wangat for:

Including Lodge Weekend Vacancies in 2026, Bird Language Retreat, the return of our Trail Running Coaching Retret, Teen camps, Family Camps, AND MORE!

WHO(‘s been here!)

A fun look at a few of the 8 million possible species that we have shared Wangat with!

WHY (is Wangat so good for you and your loved ones)

The WHAT

Trail Running Coaching Camp!

Back for the second year - April 24-27 2026. Limited Tickets.

With trail running super star, Emily Brunt (winner UTA 100km) and 11-time ironman finisher Sean Brunt as your coaches. Guided runs, for all levels, coaching tips and discussions, delicious catering, and a fun atmosphere with other runners - this is for you!

For info and to book go HERE

Camps for Teens “Currawong Camp”

Our Currawong Camps for Teens are changing lives. 

Next (AUTUMN) camp is fully sold out.

Book Now for Spring 2026!

Our Camps are for ANY high school-aged student - created because young people asked for a place in nature where they could just be themselves with like-minded peers - so we created it! Mentoring and rites-of-passage practices are core. Twice a year - during every Autumn and Spring school holiday.

Lodge Vacancies (dates below!)

Perfect for any group! Friends, reunions, work teams, special interests (bushwalking, crafts, etc), events, retreats.

Check it out HERE!

Only 10 weekends available for 2026.

March 13-15, May 1-3, May 8-10, May 22-24, May 29-31, July 3-5 (first weekend of school holidays), Aug 14-16, Aug 21-23, Dec 4-6, Dec 11-13, Dec 18-29.

PLUS a few gaps during Autumn, Winter and Spring School Holidays!

Get in quick for your group stay! CONTACT US

Midweek? We can offer special rates for a midweek lodge stay. Reach out to see if there is a time that suits….

3 Cottages available too!

Authentic Eco Accommodation for singles, couples, and your family! ALL recently renovated. Melia , Clancy , and Gumnut Cottages on 50 acres of pristine forest and river with deep swimming holes, and many walking trails - disconnect to connect! 

Book in advance to secure your preferred dates - CONTACT US NOW

DON’T MISS..Other Events, Camps and Retreats! Opportunities for FAMILIES, TEENS and ADULTS

BIRD LANGUAGE 2026

• 7th Workshop Reatreat at Wangat Lodge (50% already sold!). October 15-18 2026. BOOK HERE

• ZOOM 6-week online course. BETTER THAN YOU COULD IMAGINE! Starts March 19 or July 23 BOOK HERE

Choir and Yoga Retreats 2026

Our wonderful friend of Wangat Jacki Stuart runs two incredible weekends every year. Info and bookings HERE

Back to Nature YOGA and HIKING RETREATS with Fran 2026

Another long time friend of Wangat, and reknown Newcastle Yoga teacher and avid bushwalker and her team brings this fun, down-to-earth, experience for one of the best weekends of the year at Wangat! Info and Bookings HERE

Dungog SHAKESPEARIENCE 2026 Back for the 5th year! SAVE THE DATES! October 29, 30, 31. The whisper in the wings is Twelfth Night!

The WHO!

Whilst not exactly a species, an entity that has become a big part of my life at Wangat, is Radio Dungog - our local community radio station, aka 2DCR 107.9FM.

I joined the committee some time in late 2024, and I am so inspired by the species - the other committee members - who volunteer there. It is the most effective, knowledgeable and interesting committee I have ever been on! In that short space of time, they were able to get a grant, design and build a new state-of-the-art double studio which is now broadcasting 24/7, and we have a bunch of initiatives that will create an incredible and enduring media asset and outlet for years to come. Including the plan to collaborate with Dungog High to deliver a radio-media course for Dungog High students which will be concurrent with their syllabus!

Another incredible opportunity it opens to all community members is the opportunity to host your own radio show (with incredible mentoring and support from the highly skilled committee members, some of which have had long careers with the ABC, Channel 9 and other Sydney based community radio stations).

Well, I took that up, and now present my weekly show, (Wednesdays 4-5.30pm) Deep Dives with Dan. An interview show, where I platform youth voices. (Adults, young at heart, are often welcomed too!). I have coined “Youth voices, with their music choices” as the program tag line.

The outline to my show, is young guest(s)* get to choose the topic, passion, event, etc that they would like to talk about, and we do a “deep dive” exploring why it is important to them and how it shapes their lives. They then choose the music and introduce each track and why it is meaningful to them. And of course, every guest gets to answer the show’s regular curly questions -

1. “If you borrowed my time machine, to where and to whence would you go?”

2. “If you ruled the World, what one rule/executive order would you implement straight away?”

*If you know any young person (aged 12-30) who would like to come on the show, please get in touch. We can do it live or pre-record and it is fun, and friendly - no stress!

Tune in (radiodungog.org) for all the fun, and to hear what young people really think! (N.B. I am away till early March so my next show will be Wednesday 4th of March. See you there :)

In fact, ALWAYS tune into Radio Dungog as it is a fantastic station with constant great music! You can stream it HERE.

Who will be the next WHO?!

The WHY!

Recently I read an article from The Guardian (Aus) titled, “Human connection to nature has declined 60% in 200 years, study finds”.

It’s opening paragrahs read - “People’s connection to nature has declined by more than 60% since 1800, almost exactly mirroring the disappearance of nature words such as river, moss and blossom from books, according to a study.

Computer modelling predicts that levels of nature connectedness will continue to decline unless there are far-reaching policy and societal changes – with introducing children to nature at a young age and radically greening urban environments the most effective interventions.”

MMM, mine has increased over my life time. I grew up in the city of Sydney, and did have an outdoor-suburban childhood. I feel very lucky! But since finishing uni, I have forever sought to live more amongst the trees. For me it was far beyond a beautiful outlook. Beyond admiring a view through double glazing. It was about hearing animals on the roof at night, the bang of “black-bean” pods landing on the roof (versus the standard 50-100 metre fire protection zone chosen by individuals and insurers!) about being woken or kept up by howling dingos. About living so close that sometimes the boudries are blurred - in my 8 years at Wangat I have seen goannas, diamond pythons, smalled-eyed and Stephen’s banded snakes, antechinuses, brush turkeys, eastern yellow robins, skinks, welcome swallows, king parrots, giant emperor gum moths, a diversity of frogs, micro-bats, spiders, and other invertabrates, all inside my house. I love that the act of stepping out of my home, that I lovingly call The Hovel, is an adventure, in its true definition - “a journey with an unkown outcome”. The hundred-or-so metre journey from The Hovel to the Lodge is full of joy, as it traverses through a small patch of forest red gums. I am often “late for work” - on my way to lead a bushwalk for lodge guests - as I am surrounded by a mixed-species flock of up to 10+ species of small birds trancing up, down, and around the trees and vines. I stop, and soak it all up in thrilling wonderment.

And that is why I love sharing Wangat! It too has re-connected with nature - coming back from a degraded dairy paddock to be the fecund and diverse teenager forest it is today. Recently a Sugar glider popped from one shrub to the next, directly over my head by a foot, opening its gliding membranes just as it launched - giving me a momentary canopy. And a quoll wandered into the lodge kitchen. Allowing this forest to be itself, has seen SO MUCH WILDLIFE RETURN. Wangat is a place where we can be connected to nature 100% of the time whilst we are there! I love sharing Wangat because it is the OPPOSITE of the disconnection to nature trend. Because it calls for other trend bucking ways of being - shared resources and collectivism over our individualistic consumerism (bunk beds, communal kitchens and bathrooms, one fire pit, washing up by hand), wild and free play rather than screen time, first person story making and telling rather than 3rd person tick-tocking and comparing, and simplicity over the tyranny of choice and bureaucracy of modern life. My favourite thing in the world is seeing kids exploring the bush, red in the face, and magic in their hearts and minds. Bruises, scrapes on their knees and elbows, muddy clothes, hair wet and stuck to their foreheads with sweat. They look so much who are they are. Human BEINGS.

Wangat will always be relevant, and more so with each extra measured percentage point of disconnection to nature. But let’s not let this happen! Nature is NOT meant to be 100% comfortable. Have every meal outside, mozzies or not, rain and wind or not, as every minute of time outside is a deeper connection to nature - the same we connect with a friend or loved one - with time.

Go well! Dan

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