Welcome to wollangarra
where down-to-earth adventure meets real world education for young people.
Simple & Purposeful
Wollangarra’s programs offer young people a chance to slow down and immerse themselves in activities they can grow from.
Connection by Engagement
Meaningful connections are achieved via a shared sense of achievement and purpose.
Education by Nature
We let nature do the talking and aim to inspire an awe and respect of our natural environment by walking in the amazing country that is Wollangarra’s backyard!
Friendships for Life
Shared experiences, teamwork, and the fostering of community spirt forge friendships which last a lifetime.
“As a boy at Woll I was too busy having fun at the time to realise the place would change my life. It’s taken me three decades to realise just how formative the experiences were.
This place is all about the fundamentals of goodness; good food, good air, and good people experiencing good places. I realised for the first time in my life- as a teenager, that there was more to life than me, which strangely enough, made me more confident, more deliberate and more sympathetic to lives that were different to my own. And the bush, and non-human life, somewhere along the way moved in from being some kind of background to being front of mind.
Without wanting to overstate it- although thats what it is, Wollangarra shaped my worldview.”
beau miles
YouTuber, educator, author and outdoorsman
Our programs
Wollangarra offers a range of programs for school groups and the general public during both school terms and school holidays, as well as a range of community events throughout the year, which keep young people connected.
Open Programs
5-10 day Open Programs
Wollangarra’s renowned introductory program ‘Meeting the Mountains’, offers young people from 14-17 years the chance to discover the joy of hiking and the benefits of purposeful work.
Ongoing programs build on young people’s sense of community and achievement.
School Programs
5 day courses for school groups
Schools from all over Victoria, both public and private, come to Wollangarra. We run our renowned 5 day introductory program ‘Meeting the Mountains’ for school groups.
Many young people who have attended these programs return on our Open Programs.
Adopting the Mountains
Ongoing courses and community
Wollangarra’s community of young people remain engaged into early adulthood via regular community events, and the opportunity to be a part of our ‘Adopting the Mountains’ program. Young people aged between 18 and 25 years undertake their own fundraising, hiking trips, and conservation projects.
Wollangarra was such an amazing adventure! I laughed more than ever, picked up some cool skills I never imagined I would, and made friends I'll keep forever. By getting back to the basics, I found connections and experiences that truly changed my life. It’s just incredible!
Jamie - 16
Community Events
Wollangarra exists because of our wonderful extended community. It stretches all over Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, and even internationally. Throughout the year, Wollangarra runs a number of work parties and events where young people, locals, ex-staff, and all our community members are invited to camp out under the stars, feel fulfilled after a hard days work, eat yummy food, sing plenty of songs, swim in the river, deepen our connection to place, and get to know each other better.
Volunteer
Wollangarra is built on, and sustained by, a community of passionate volunteers.
The Wollangarra team is made up of volunteers who have committed a full year of their time to living and working at Wollangarra. In addition, we take one-off or occasional volunteers on most of our programs, and rely on occasional volunteers for community and fundraising events throughout the year.
Whether you are looking to gain or build on existing Outdoor Education experience by taking young people hiking into the mountains OR whether you want to learn a bit about off-grid homesteading – occasional or one-off volunteering is a wonderful way to get a taste behind the scenes of Wollangarra and become a member of this vibrant community!
Donate
Wollangarra is a non-profit organisation.
Donations enable us to offer sponsored places to young people needing financial assistance, and support our day-to-day operations.
Wollangarra is a registered charity with Deductible Gift Recipient status, and all monetary donations are tax deductible.
Wollangarra also gratefully accepts donations of practical items, and we keep an up to date Wishlist for those who would like to donate this way.
Keep Up To Date
There's always plenty going on at Wollangarra and in our wider community.
Subscribe to the Wollangarra Newsletter, have a gander at our Blog, and follow us on socials to keep up to day with our programs, community events, fundraising activities, staff and volunteers, and all sorts of other good Woll stuff!
