Get Outdoors: Our Patch of Wilderness
This post is by regular contributor Sarah Bendeich of Oesch and Doots.
Eight years ago, Stephen and I arrived in Hobart (for international readers, Hobart is the capital city of Tasmania – Australia’s smallest state) with plans to stay for three. He’d been offered a job here and we were looking for a change from our lives in inner Melbourne, a chance to live somewhere very different for a while. Admittedly I had been dreaming of Paris, or London or Chicago, but this small city, perched right down at the bottom of the island, at the bottom of Australia, wedged between mountain and sea and surrounded by wilderness, was certainly going to be ‘different’. So, holding hands, we opened this door of opportunity, and walked through.
We’re still here, we married each other here, had our babies here and although we miss our families and Melbourne friends every day, this is where we plan to stay. A big part of what we love about our adopted home is the accessibility of nature. From the city you can see the sea, the mountain or bushland in almost every direction. So three kilometres from the city you can be here…
Now I know that YOU know how good the outdoors are for kids. It’s a no-brainer. So for my ‘outdoors’ post I just want to share some simple moments from our wanders in the bush last weekend. It’s nothing new, but every time we do it as a family (or sometimes with friends) I wonder why we don’t do it EVERY weekend.
It’s great for our mood. As soon as we get out of the car Oesch grabs the opportunity to use his OUTSIDE VOICE. I am toddler, hear me ROAR.
It stimulates our imagination. Who lives here? wondered Doots. She had a good look for faeries but alas, didn’t see any evidence.
We visited a favourite dwelling place. I wonder who made it.
It’s right up the top of a slope and whenever we come here it always inspires lots of games. I’m the king of the caaaa-stle and you’re the dirty raaaa-scal.
It’s fantastic for getting our bodies moving. Doots forges ahead, sets the pace, leads the way. I wouldn’t dream of taking the lead on these adventures. It’s too much fun seeing the world through their eyes.
There is so much to discover. We stop often. She finds brand new, miniature worlds which make us feel big and loud…
and great big, ancient trees which make her feel very little.
We peer into mysterious watery worlds where shy platypus and rare fish live. Surely there must be faeries down there!
Being in the bush stimulates all of our senses. I can smell honey! And so she could, these are flowers from a leatherwood tree. Leatherwood honey has a strong, distinctive, love-it-or-loathe-it flavour. Most Tasmanians love it. I’m afraid I don’t 🙂
I wish I could show you a picture of the wallabies we saw. As Stephen and Oesch made their way back to the car, Doots and I spotted some little marsupials in the undergrowth. We crouched down quietly and watched them watching us. We stayed that way for a few minutes, no one moving, until another walker came by and the little wallabies hopped away. It was an exciting moment for my little animal lover.
We didn’t make it all the way to Gentle Annie Falls, but it didn’t matter. The real value of our little adventure was in the time spent with each other, in nature. I love watching the kids discover and feel more comfortable in the bush, I love answering all their questions, I love the conversation, I love the fresh air.
I just need to remember to go next weekend too.
Do you have a patch of wilderness to explore nearby?
Oh that has inspired me to take the boys for a nature walk this afternoon. We are lucky to live 10 ks from sydney, but accross the road we have a national park that has a track down to Bantry Bay. It is like being in another world. If you time it right on a Sunday morning, a little boat putts by, and sells coffee and ice cream…
Icecream and coffee from a passing boat – that sounds magical Andrea. Sydneysiders are so lucky to have all those pockets of bush, and then there’s that harbour, and the beaches (sigh)… Enjoy your walk!
What a beautiful life they have down there, love Posie
What a lovely, lovely place. Wish I could come for a visit!
If you ever get the chance Fatima, look me up. I’d love to show you around 🙂
Me too, Fatima, doesn’t it look heavenly. 🙂
What a dreamy place for the kiddos to play in nature! I hope to make it there someday (I’m way over here in the states). Our favorite place to enjoy nature is about a 6-hour drive from home in Yosemite National Park, but we try to explore nearby nature within the confines of our very urban neighborhood. I’m thankful that kids seem to discover the magic of nature whenever given the chance to stop & look.
So true Debi – kids DO see the magic wherever they are, as long as they have that time to wander. Yosemite (was that America’s first NP?) is on my list – we’ll get there one day!
We’ve done the whole Little Annie Falls circuit and missed the falls as they were more like a small “tumble” in the stream! But it’s such a lovely part of the world to go and explore and enjoy some autumnal sunshine.
Thanks Ange – I’m so glad we didn’t miss much! We should really have a bbq at waterworks one weekend.
You are creating wonderful opportunities for your children to build beautiful memories Sarah. Gorgeous post.
Thanks Fiona. I feel the same about you and your kids, whenever I see your gorgeous photos from the farm.
What a gorgeous outdoor space to have so close to your home 🙂
Oh Sarah, it sounds wonderful in Hobart. When we lived in Stockholm for a year(bk – before kids) I worked at an english speaking nursery and we had wonderful adventures in the Swedish forests finding blackberries and getting in touch with nature. Even when snowing we would go outside and discover, it just meant wearing the right attire and keeping warm! Enjoy Hobart and all it has to offer , sounds delightful!!
Hey Shauna! I’ve heard Stockholm is a fantastic place to live. Wandering through forests in the falling snow sounds about as different from Melbourne as you could get! Actually your comment reminds me of an article I saw a while ago on Waldkindergartens (outdoor kindergartens) in Germany, where the kids spend their day in the forest, even in the middle of winter. I think the motto was something like: there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate dressing. Imagine!
Those photos and the story along with it are just beautiful Sarah. We are off camping for 4 nights beginning tomorrow and I hope we can have some similar experiences. I am extra excited as it is the first time that we’ve taken the younger 2 camping.
How exciting Emma! We WILL go camping one day (all my childhood holidays were under canvas :)) but I must admit I find the prospect of sharing a tent with my kiddos just too scary right now. Maybe in a couple of years. I can’t wait to read about how it all goes. Remember to pack your camera! xx
Just fabulous, Sarah. You’ve captured the essence of this place so perfectly. Bravo, my friend. J x
Sarah, what beautiful words and images. I am so pleased my children experienced their early years living on five wonderful acres in the bush on Mt Tamborine. That time was so priceless and the memories are so cherished by us all. My children were just as excited by walks in the bush as yours, and actually still are! We are lucky here because there are so many gorgeous walks around the great south east! we are off to visit friends down the coast a bit, and we walk together with a total of five children and you really do get to experience the wonder of the world through their eyes! X
What an idyllic way to grow up Tiff, surrounded by nature. I would really love to live in the country (wouldn’t we all!) but for now, this feels like the best of both worlds. Enjoy your easter getaway and your walks!
I have been exploring a big site every tuesday for the last month or so that is a future botanical gardens site. Because it is so wet, despite all the camphor laurel (invasive tree) there are amazing funghi, and ferns, and a few rarities like some junior Sandpaper fig. I don’t get out in the forest often enough and this last month of Tuesdays has been so regenerating for the soul…not so good for my hydration levels cos of the heat and humidity, but being in nature is so restorative!
Sarah, this post is divine. As you know, we explored Tassie’s wilderness on our recent holiday. It was so lovely to get outdoors with our boys, not just to a park or for a walk, but out in the bush to explore and climb and imagine. Now we’ve bought a second hand baby back-pack carrier so we can start exploring the bush closer to home (we’re on the Mornington Peninsula). We can’t wait, particularly our Mr 4.
Yay for the back pack! You’re going to get so much wear out of it! We take ours whenever we go ‘out’ and usually end up rotating the kids – even the 4 year old still rides when she needs a rest. It lets you go further and stay out longer.
You know that Cradle Mountain post of yours was so, so beautiful Karen. We’ve just returned from a long weekend on Bruny Island and your words and imagery kept coming back to me.
What a lovely weekend walk, Sarah! We just spent a week in Slovenia, which included some wondeful hikes as well. Tazmania sounds like a truly unique place!
Hi Sarah,
I love seeing kids exploring the outdoors like this. We are lucky enough to back onto bushland at our home at the base of the Dandenongs – so we get Melbourne AND bush… Lucky us. I’m looking forward to the munchkin being able to head off into the park with his friends alone, to make cubbies, explore, and probably fall down an echidna hole or two. In the meantime, he loves discovering it with us, and we have made our garden a haven for the local critters (including fairies at the bottom of the garden). It’s so special watching interaction of kids with nature. Today he declared, “Mum, there’s Wonga Vine growing here” where previously there had been ivy (a noxious weed around here). Rightly identified too.
Kids are amazing, especially when left to discover stuff for themselves. It was lovely to see yours doing just that. Thank you.
Hi Cath,
I love the Dandenongs – so lush and magical. How lucky you (and the munchkin!) are to have a future of big boy bush adventures. I dream of living in the country and having some access to bushland for the kids to roam in. It would be wonderful, but it would be too difficult to prise my husband away from our address with its 25 minute (on foot!) commute to town for work. And hooray for your local species (I presume Wonga vine is given it’s name!) outrunning the ivy (one of pet hates!).
Yes, hubby does dream about the 25 minute commute, especially after the first hour. We work around it, but it is definitely the downside. That said, he’s a fab hands-on Dad, and we still have a very strong family life.
I’ve dreamed of living in Hobart since I sailed there in the race in 2001. I grew up in Cornwall UK a country side peninsula surrounded by the Atlantic coast, so Hobart would tick all the boxes for me. For now the beaches and bush of Sydney are where I take my family to get away from the rug rat race. Love the photos, there must have been fairies there for sure!