Adventure Awaits, Hidden in the Warburton Valley

East Warburton Redwood Forest, Victoria

One of Victoria’s hidden gems is the Redwood Forest, east of the Warburton Valley. Without any official signage, besides on Google Maps, the forest has an aura of a secret, mystical place. The moment you step foot into the forest, you are instantly faced with a sense of calmness and wonder. The trees were planted in perfect rows that soften the noise of the outside world. Walking through the forest, all you can hear is the sounds of the birds that you cannot see, chirping away in the towering canopy above. The magnificent Redwood trees make you feel so small. In this way nature really has a way of putting things in perspective. It’s a beautiful place to explore, to sit and think, to have a picnic. A sense of clarity comes with being in the wilderness. There is no phone or data reception in the Redwood forest, but you will find a better connection.

The towering canopy of Redwoods

Now Heritage listed in Victoria, the Californian Redwoods – Sequoia sempervirens, were planted in the 1930s by the Board of Works for experimental purposes, to study the canopy interception results in comparison with native forest trees. There are over 1,476 trees all planted in an aesthetically pleasing grid, some trees reaching up to 55 metres!

Day Tripping – Sorrento and Surrounds

Day trips are a perfect way to adventure and to take some time out to refresh and revitalise. Being surrounded by nature makes me appreciate how beautiful the world can be. Taking in deep breaths, and paying attention to my surroundings automatically improves my posture and inner being. It brings an invigorating sense of harmony, and a Zen-like peaceful state. The Mornington Peninsula in Victoria is stunning, there are many places I could highlight. However, in this post I place a spotlight on some of my personal favourite spots – Sorrento Back Beach, Portsea Pier, and the London Bridge. Being limited in terms of how much walking or activities I can do, this is the perfect place to still see a lot and enjoy experiences within a close vicinity.

Sorrento Back Beach

I love the atmosphere at Sorrento Back Beach.The fresh breeze of the ocean air. The vast coastline surrounded by the hills of the Mornington Peninsula National Park. Lined with sandstone cliffs and rock formations, there are many rock pools to explore – some deep enough to jump into off small rock platforms.

An Elegy to my wonderful dog, Moose

Moose, you were the best dog I could have ever imagined. Words cannot describe how much I will always miss you.

I will miss not being able to take you to your favourite parks.

I will miss seeing you elated running through those muddy streams.

I will miss taking you to the beach, your enthusiasm when running along the sand or trotting blissfully through the water.

I will miss seeing the attention you loved receiving from the passerby’s who couldn’t resist patting you or taking a “selfie” with you.

I will miss taking you on adventures in the car, and how you would pop your head up to the window every so often to surprise others.

Magazine Review: Collective Hub

Collective Hub is a magazine that never ceases to inspire me. Filled with passionate content, it is aimed at “Game changers, thought leaders, rule breakers and style makers”. The magazine has a sense of making a difference by motivating people to find their purpose, and provides interesting real life examples through success stories. 

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”

Self-consciousness, what drives it? Why do we seek validation or approval? Is it not enough to be satisfied with our own opinions concerning matters pertaining to ourselves? Societal pressures often cause people to pander to this need of being accepted by the collective whole. I get it, collectivism can be very supportive. It can feel good, and can foster a sense of “belonging”.  A lot of people feel the need to be liked by others. There is nothing wrong with this, unless it harms the person themselves or others around them. I know of people who choose not to act a certain way, or will choose not to do something because of a fear of “what will other people think?” This has the disabling ability of controlling someone’s actions or inactions.  If you spent your life concentrating on what everyone else thought of you, would you forget who you really were? Would you not follow a path that you otherwise would have? Would you miss out on activities that you really wanted to try because of the fear of being judged or laughed at?

Social media seems to have magnified this need of being “liked”. The number of likes, or lack thereof, concern us on our social media pages, triggering a sense of social anxiety.