Firekeepers

Urban Nature Connection & Wild Living. Providing opportunities for people to connect to themselves, the natural world and build community.

As fire keepers, we want to feed connection, to each other, the earth and to generations past and future. To keep burning the fires of traditional skills of earth connection and wild living. We help people connect to the natural environment around them; to forage, grow and cook nourishing, real food and to live simpler, more satisfying lives. Through our nature clubs workshops and family camps, we

provide opportunities for people to connect with each other, the natural world and a like-minded community. Children are nurtured to develop their enquiring minds and deepen their wonder and respect for the natural world. Practical skills based workshops help people build their resilience and regain control of their food, health and well being. We pay respect to all of our ancestors who have kept these skills alive and on whose shoulders we stand. We express gratitude for teachers who have passed these skills on to us, and respect their teachings. Mel grew up on the land of the Boon Wurrung and Wurrundjeri people of the Kulin nation, in a place otherwise known as Melbourne. We pay our respect to elders past, present and future and acknowledge the wisdom and rich traditions of the custodians of this land. We grieve the disrespect, disconnection and damage that has occurred in this country, and our collective loss as a result. Mel has been mentoring people in nature connection since working at Wollangarra Outdoor Education Centre in 2010. After building her skills and community in New Zealand, she returned to Australia and rediscovered tribe with Bluegum Bushcraft in NSW. Now living in suburban Melbourne she is excited to be sharing these skills and creating opportunities for connection here. Mel is a former nurse who now prefers to heal via connection and community, she's an ardent food grower, happy forager, soulful singer, bubbly fermenter, nutrient dense food aficionado and circus kid.

25/04/2026

Explore fungi in Cranbourne!

Join Tom May (pictured), Principal Research Scientist with the RBGV and internationally renowned mycologist, for a workshop on Fungi at RBGV Cranbourne on Sunday 24th May at 11am.

Tom has a strong interest in citizen science, including through his long involvement with Fungimap. Tom has co-authored a number of books including Wild Mushrooming and Planet Fungi, the latter launched in October 2025, which will be available on the day at a discount.

The workshop will focus on recording and identifying fungi using iNartualist, with a fungi walk afterwards.

Numbers are limited, so make sure you book via the link to ensure you don't miss out!
https://cranbournefriends.tidyhq.com/public/schedule/events/81955-fungi-workshop-with-tom-may

08/02/2026

It’s been too long, wild friends!

We hope a little of nature’s wonders have been finding their way into your hearts as we all navigate our way into the new year.

Some of you may have read the recent newsletter, some may have heard on the vine and others may still be wondering what is happening with Spring Camp?!

It’s with all care and a tender nod to the world around us and our dear people that we announce there’ll be no Autumn Village Camp this year due to timing and Nest numbers.

We are now turning our attention toward Spring Camp - do you feel a tug in your gut to step in and blow on the embers?!

For Spring Camp to happen, a Nest of six or more people will need to emerge from our community — and we very much hope it will!

Every person who leans in with clarity and care helps weave camp into being.

To express interest, please reach out and let the weaving begin!!

In love and connection 💚

15/12/2025

🌞🌿 Dearest Rewilders of Narrm 🌿🌞

SunSpells (20 December, Mycelium Studios) is a small, Summer Solstice gathering devoted to rekindling our relationship with land, story and community. Just before Christmas, the sun reaches its zenith, the longest day declaring the beginning of the hot, dry months to come. The gathering will include ritual, live music, storytelling. This is an invitation to pause with the sun, to reflect on the year just passed and drop into what matters. Let the bob and swell of story wash over us. Let meaning rise from the charred remnants of late-stage capitalism

If you’re someone who feels the call to deepen your devotion to land and the local ecology, to slow down, and gather in a way that feels earth-centred at this crazy time of year, this one is for you.

🌾 What to expect:
• Live performance by Yorta Yorta musician and spoken word poet Allara
• A mythic storytelling circle with Eloise Oxer

• A ceremony with effigy burning

• Metabolise through movement with dance floor vibes by Macaulay Cult King
• A fundraiser for Scott Reef, an ancient coral atoll under threat from new gas drilling — a chance to take collective action for ocean Country
• Space to rest, connect, reflect

🌱 Families welcome
We’ll have a gentle craft + nature-play station held by two lovely young people so parents can drop into the experience with a little more ease.

SunSpells is intentionally intimate: a moment to come back into rhythm with the living world and with each other.

💛 Event: SunSpells, 20 December, Mycelium Studios

Hope to see some of you wild-hearted folk there. 🌞🌿🌀

— with Eloise Oxer and Macaulay Cult King.

Join us for SunSpells: a summer solstice gathering of story, music, and ritual. A night to slow the fever of the festive season and honour the sun

28/11/2025

Autumn Camp nest 🪺 and hearth 🔥call out! - https://mailchi.mp/c2cecfc7adcf/autumn-nest-callout

Do you have energy to bring forth for Autumn Village Camp and beyond with Firekeepers? If two more folks from our community step forward in the coming week with the clarity and capacity to join the Nest, Autumn Camp 2026 can move ahead. Otherwise, we take a moment to pause, a breath out, and focus on community gatherings and preparing a strong Spring Nest.

Read more at the link or email [email protected] to respond to the call!

21/08/2025

Nature Connection mentor Call-out!!

Do you love hanging out with kids in the bush? Do you long to connect with like-minded humans in nature?

A core part of Village Camp are the adventures that kids and young people get to go on each day with mentors. Mentors are guides, who use their own unique gifts to model a deep, playful and attuned relationship with the more-than-human world. They get to have a lot of fun playing nature games and being child led into explorations and adventures in the bush.

Tending to village, weaving threads of connection to our more-than-human kin feels more important than ever before!

The next camp is happening 30th September -4th October!

Perhaps you're feeling curious about the idea of being a mentor at this camp? Please reach out - You and your gifts are needed!

More detailed information and a link to a mentor EOI can be found here:

Do you hear the call, wild ones? The kookaburras are singing us home – back to country, back to community and back to connection! Save the date for our spring village camp - 30 September to 4 October!! And if you're keen to mentor or crew, let us know :) Expression of Interest links in the newslet...

07/08/2025

Book NOW for Spring Village Camp!! 💚🌼 - https://events.humanitix.com/firekeepers-spring-village-camp-2025

06/08/2025

Just a BIG BOLD EXCITED reminder that tickets go on sale THIS FRIDAY!!! 🎉

02/08/2025

Places in our upcoming Mentor Immersion are filling fast! Now's the time to book if you want to secure a spot. Tickets via our linktree in our bio.

31/07/2025

Spring Village Camp TICKET RELEASE is coming up!! Tickets go on sale Friday 8th August at 8am - note that in your diaries :D We can't wait to sit by the fire with you again! Click through for details about pricing and to jump aboard to join as a mentor! - https://mailchi.mp/c90f4d0e64af/spring-2025-village-ticket-announcement

20/07/2025

We're so excited to kick off this Mentor Immersion in late August. We hope you can join us!

Address

Melbourne, VIC

Website

http://www.firekeepers.com.au/

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