Join us for the GRAND FINALE of the Yila Healing Trail.

We started in Nowra and we finish off on the grass of Ulladulla Civic Centre in the sunshine having spanned the Shoalhaven.

Wtih strong involvement from many schools in this area, we have gifted clapsticks beautifully fashioned by Michael Robinson from Doolagartefacts and Gumaraa to over 500 students with Uncle Paul, Joe and Ronald McLeod teaching the Traditional song Yila to all students. They will all join us to clap in healing on this beautiful day.

We invite you to bring a picnic rug and delicious food and drink to fill your belly and be down here with us for a nourishing event to accentuate our reconnection to nature and the strong role our young people will play in bringing this about

Kicking off with a Welcome to Country by Uncle Phil Butler, Yuin man and Aboriginal Education officer at St Marys School in Milton,  Carolyn Loton will then welcome you to this chapter of Picnic For Nature,  an annual NSW wide event happening over this weekend. She will acknowledge our young people's role in heralding in a nature-centric world.

We will welcome to the stage an interweaving of the school communities and those nature conservation groups that will be supporting the event with engaging stalls to be the Voices for Nature up on stage.

Shoalhaven Community Preschool, Sussex Inlet School,  Ulladulla High School  and the Home School and Bush school communities from around the Shoalhaven.

We will then finish up before moving into the 'picnic' part of the day with our grandfinale Clapstick Orchestra singing 'Yila'.

As we move into picnic mode we are graced with Hein Cooper singing his version of  Nature Boy and many other tunes besides.

We invite you to visit the Nature Champions onsite as part of this closing ceremony who have much to share with you!

PS - As a nature loving event, we ask that you bring washable picnic gear along rather than single use disposable cutlery, cups, plates or utensils. a proper old fashioned picnic 🙂 Don't fooget to bring your water bottle.

The Yila Healing Trail opens on Friday afternoon with a ceremony inviting and welcoming all to be part of what is on offer for the next ten days.

Down in Paringa Park in Nowra, which has much Cultural significance around here in association with Cullunghutti Mountain, as a part of the Dreaming Tracks, we welcome you to our Coroborree. Where fresh water comes travelling songlines down to meet saltwater songlines and unite our absolute connection - Gupoo Ngullie -- bubbly water.

Walk through the Smoking Ceremony into the grounds of Paringa and join us for a Welcome to Country with our precious Elders, Aunty Ruth Simms, Aunty Margaret Samoes, Uncle Sonny Simms and Uncle Paul Mcleod.

Sit or lie down and be treated to the sound of Didge with David Little, Reconnecting to Country and presencing yourselves before the evening ahead.
We then welcome Mudjingaal Yangamba, our incredible local Elder and  up and coming women's choir to sing up Country through the  local languages Dharawal and Dhurga to revitalise Culture and bring our Country back alive.

We have invited three delicious food trucks to join us down at Paringa and are shouting dinner for local Aboriginal Community members who join us. If you are from Community just let us know when you are booking so we can extend this mark of Respect to you. Please note this is an alcohol free event.

Àine Tyrrell is joining us from afar, up on the rock, with her amazing songs in support of Aboriginal Community and reminding us of all our part in the healing.
We are in the tail stages of negotiating another frontline performers - so stay tuned! We also welcome Ash Mac to the stage with her song ' Never Letting Go'.

Our MC,  Joe Brown McLeod, has invited dancers from the south-east coast to be with us alongside members of Doonoooch Dancers for the evening Corroboree, including Gumaraa and Warren Foster connected through bloodlines through Country.

It will be a night of coming together and helping us know, down to our bones, that this Always was, Always is and Always will be Aboriginal Land.

A fact we can draw strength from.

We honour and respect our Elders past and continue to practice our traditions into the present and more so into the future.