Our Bio's

Sam Robertson

Sam finds great purpose and inspiration in the world of nature. His relationship with nature has led him to intensively study and teach primitive survival skills. Sam has travelled throughout Australia & the USA to learn and seek out primitive skills and knowledge. He has spent time learning from indigenous Australians, Tom Brown Jnr at the Tracker School, NJ, USA and Malcolm Ring-walt from The Earth-Heart Institute, USA. Sam is particularly passionate and committed to sharing the transformational experience of the Vision Quest. Sam currently works as a youth worker with disadvantaged teenage boys within his local community.   

Kate Rydge

I’ve had a deep love for nature ever since I was a little kid. Even now I can remember moments of distress being softened by rolling around in the grass and absorbing the sunshine, or spending hours up trees playing with dolls! It wasn’t until I finished my formal western schooling that I really started to yearn for that same healing nature connection I experienced as a child. This quest has guided me to many inspirational teachers and mentors both here and in America. In particular I am very grateful for the teachings and mentorship of Tom Brown Jnr, Malcolm Ring-walt and all of my Australian indigenous family. I am deeply devoted to offering Vision Quest here in Australia and developing the Nature Philosophy stream of programs into a thriving community movement of earth reconnection.  I love spending time with my family, wandering in the bush, sharing skills, making baskets and spinning a fire stick. 

Claire Dunn

Claire has been exploring and protecting the wild places of the Australia since a teenager. Initially channelling her love of the bush into environmental campaigning, Claire worked to protect forests and marine environments across Australia for many years, with grassroots organisations and The Wilderness Society. A strong calling to explore the roots of the ecological crisis led Claire to study Deep Ecology work and she currently co-facilitates ‘Earthworks' retreats, exploring personal and social change. Claire was drawn to with Nature Philosophy in 2005 and found the combination of indigenous living skills, naturalist, and awareness training transformed and greatly deepened her relationship to the natural world. She followed this passion to the US in 2008 and 2009, studying at Tom Brown Jr's Tracker school and completing her Vision Quest Protector training. Claire has just completed the Guunuwa Residential Year Program, living in a much beloved thatched hut for a year, exploring her inner wilderness as much as the forest around her.  She brings her passion for earth-skills to Nature Philosophy, combined with a love of community building and personal exploration in wild places. Claire is a writer and freelance journalist and holds a Bachelor of Media and Communications.

JJ Bruce

JJ is a qualified environmental scientist, who has spent many years exploring his relationship with nature. With a focus on sustainable living and preserving the natural environment, JJ has developed and refined his skills including, landscape and natural process interpretation, mapping and navigation, tree climbing and abseiling, handcrafts, hunting and gathering. Through initial Deep Ecology experience, JJ’s intuitive relationship with nature was reaffirmed. More recently, formal training by Sam Robertson and Katie Rydge through their Nature Philosophy program has provided a complementary framework for JJ to expand and explore his relationship with his environment, and be involved with the programs presentation.