Liz has spent her life working to protect our environment, leading, designing and delivering a wide range of community based sustainability initiatives. She endeavours to walk the talk by living lightly in her life and loves to connect people with real-life examples that generate the possibility of living in more ecologically conscious ways. She firmly believes that the first step that any of us can take to contribute to changing, healing, loving and harmonizing the planet is simply to bring ourselves into a state where we think, feel and embody the energy of the positive change, healing, love and harmony we truly wish to see in the world. She is a qualified yoga teacher and facilitates a breath- led movement practice, leading a weekly yoga class at the Waiheke Sustainability Centre.

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The types of activities we will do each day will be:

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· Morning mindful yoga

· Outdoor meditation

· Mindfulness walking

· Forest bathing

· Inquiry

· Nature immersion practices

· Water activities

· Star gazing

· Healing and integration practices

· Tree and nature whispering

· Exploring your inter-being

· Deep ecology

· Drumming, music, dancing

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Our Walk

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Day 1: Matiatia to Piritahi Marae (Blackpool) Thurs 1st April

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We will meet you at the Matiatia ferry terminal when you arrive on Waiheke, where you can off-load your luggage and meet the crew. We commence our walk from here via coast and bush to Piritahi Marae at Blackpool, spend some time getting to know one another and begin our journey re-membering that we are all indigenous to papatuanuku, mother earth. Later on we’ll pull out the mattresses and bed down marae-style.

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Day 2: Marae to Okoka Bay (or Whakanewha?) Fri 2 April

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We’ll visit a permaculture garden project in the Surfdale area and continue meandering along the fringes of Te Huruhi and Putiki Bays, ending the day at a lovely private residence above Okoka Bay. 

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Day 3: Okoka Bay (or Whakanewha?) to Awaawaroa Bay Ecovillage Sat 3 April

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Veering away from the coast, we enter the heart of the forest and deepen our inner inquiry as we spend most of this day soaking up the majesty of Tane walking through Whakanewha regional park and up to Trig Hill where there is a stunning 360 vista of the island. There is a steep descent from here down to the Awaawaroa Bay Ecovillage, where we spend the night in the rustic earth-brick community building. In the evening there will be the opportunity for a taste of 5Rhythms . This is a dynamic movement practice that ignites creativity, connection, and community.

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Day 4: Awaawaroa to Onetangi Sun 4th April

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We’ll start day four with a tour of the eco-village and then re-trace our steps back up to Trig Hill before descending to the north side of the island, down to Onetangi . This leaves us plenty of time to relax and enjoy some water activities at a secluded private bay tucked onto the western end of Onetangi Bay, which may evolve in the evening into a drumming circle under the stars. Sleep out on the beach, or we’ve saved a bed for you at the Onetangi backpackers.

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Day 5: Onetangi to Matiatia: Mon 5th April

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It’s a stunning walk back to Matiatia alternating between ridgeline sea view road sections, coastal tracks and ducking down and along Waiheke’s gorgeous north side beaches. We will stop for

afternoon tea and a tour at Nourish Gardens where you can admire the beautiful commercial flower gardens, food forest and organic vegie garden of Christy Ralphs (leave out until confirmed?). We’ll get back to Matiatia in time for you to catch the 6pm ferry back to Auckland.