Looking for an escape into the WILD?

This could well be the most enticing event this year – a long-weekend of eco-adventure, gourmet food, and spectacular wilderness. Sounds like the the perfect antidote to me – to balance my demanding work and family schedule. 

WILDfest is an exclusive and all-inclusive event experience – escaping into the wild, and taking place in the New South Wales Southern Highlands on 27-29 October 2017.

The event is a unique celebration of nature through soul-stirring and authentic wilderness experiences, including remote glamping and wilderness adventures, canoeing, gourmet food, and complete with concierge and custom-designed bell-tents with lavish interiors and a host of creature-comforts.

We interviewed Amanda Fry, the creator and founder of this ultimate all-inclusive glamping weekend to find out more.

What was your initial motivation to create WILDfest?

One of my celebrity assignments had me trekking in Vietnam to experience an encounter with the endangered Black Gibbons and this ignited my heart for conservation so much so, that it became the driving force in my professional and life path. The group I worked with in Vietnam felt it was too late to influence the baby boomers en masse and that the best hope for these magnificent creatures and other endangered species in the region was to engage up-and-coming generations. So they started a program in the wild in a way that got millennial’s connected with wildlife at a deep level to change the culture of wildlife protection. I knew then that I wanted to play a part in making that happen in some way, and the best place to start was at home in Australia.

What is the key goal of WILDfest?

Upon returning to Australia, I unplugged from my fast-paced professional life and made the permanent move to the New South Wales Southern Highlands where WILDfest became my raison d’etre. That feeling of absolute awe for the wonder of nature is what I want people to experience at WILDfest. And Joadia is home to large populations of Kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, platypus, kookaburra’s, monitors and birds of prey.

The Highlands has great pockets of wilderness with no wifi reception. I needed to un-plug, re-boot and re-connect with the wild by immersing myself completely in the environment. It showed me how many places there are just 2 hours from Sydney to get lost in nature.

“What better way to get people excited about nature and the preservation of our beautiful open spaces than to create a festival – so Wildfest Southern Highlands was born. It’s a festival celebrating the wild and all of nature’s diversity, beauty and unpredictability. In the wilderness there is a sense of freedom that overtakes you, letting you leave the daily grind behind. We add in the right modern luxuries, and some artisan and creative elements to make our outdoor adventures special and transformative experiences.”

WILDfest Package details

The premium experience includes a welcome lunch of local produce; a Hike & Harvest trek to a magnificent escarpment where deckchairs and cool climate wines await your arrival; sundowners by the waterhole with rare wildlife encounters; a gourmet fire feast out under the Milky Way; wild bush yoga or tai chi; sumptuous breakfasts; an exhilarating wild cycle; the wild native feast in the ruins of a remote mining settlement; a wild escarpment or 4WD experience; a rejuvenating wild bush spa and more!

For the ultimate experience at WILDfest, book the all-inclusive, Premium Experience Package which includes remote glamping with king, twin or quad accommodation. The bespoke 3-day, adventure-packed glamping experience starts from $2,500 per person. For full event details, costs and program visit the event website: www.wildfest.com.au

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