FINALE! Celebrations

As we come to the end of our 2013 Firefly Season we're reflecting on a key issue - the environment.  Because we have seen some changes in this year's season that we've never seen before and are finding hard to explain.  We've also seen visitors to the Forest this season that are highly attuned to their surrounding environment - and some that are totally NOT attuned.  Stay posted and we'll explain further in next month's article.
For now, we're working to get ready for our Firefly Finale  - it will be a BIG weekend on  21/22 December - and you're invited to join us!   Here are the details:

21 December Firefly Finale Wizard Festival  - 4pm - 10pm. Wizard Workshops commence 4 pm. This will be followed by Firefly Closing Night Walk around 8:30pm and Music to end the Season. For bookings contact events@forestoftranquility.com

•     Artistic Photo Tips for the smart phone 4pm
•     Laughter Yoga.
•     Healing Gongs - Songdahla Sound Bath in the Forest. 5pm
•     Body Percussion
•     Firefly Night Walk after 8pm
•     Live Music Melting Pot until 10pm.

Firefly Magic Weekend Night Live Music and 21 Dec Firefly Finale Wizard Entry Prices: 
Adult $35.00   Pension Card Concession $25.00 Children $25.00 Students $35
Family (2 adults, 2 children) $85.00    
Bookings open for Sat 21 December by contacting events@forestoftranquility.com.au

 22 December Rainforest Family Christmas Festival -  11-2pm

Come dressed as your favourite Christmas character ...all Christmas elves and angels welcome! Bring a picnic lunch.
Prices:  Adults $20  Child $15  Family $50 {2 A + 1-2 C}

FIREFLY SEASON HAS STARTED

We're very excited here in the Forest because the first of the fireflies have started to emerge - earlier than usual.  Our Firefly Season starts this weekend on Saturday 9th November and we have lots of things happening between now and mid December to celebrate this season.

Firefly Magic is a unique festival at the beautiful Australian Rainforest Sanctuary, known locally as the Forest of Tranquility.

That enchanting hour between day and night is when creatures of the forest stir from their afternoon slumbers and venture out to play.  The Fireflies come out at Dusk and like humidity. However they do vary nightly, so we suggest the evening is deemed an opportunity for a twilight stroll and evening picnic. A torch is recommended - for footsteps - not for viewing.

 

Due to dry conditions and bush fire smoke we have decided to move the Wizard Costume Event and workshops to the closing of the Firefly Season on the 21 December. This will coincide with our Musical Melting Pot weekend 21 and 22 December and Xmas activities on the Sunday. 

The Wizard Costume event and workshops will be followed by Healing Gongs and live music with  local group "Lightning Bugs".  Here is a snapshot of the program for that day:

21 December ~  Wizard - Costume Event and Workshop Details - Park entry from midday on Saturday. $30 per person. Wizard Workshops commence 3pm. Finish 5:30pm.

• Laughter Yoga.
• Healing Gongs - Songdahla Sound Bath in the Forest.
• Artistic Photo Tips for the smart phone
• Fire Twirling Beginners

Wizard Costume Competition - Awards and prizes for originality, aesthetics, creativity and sustainability.

LIGHTING UP NOVEMBER

It's nearly that time again ... 
 FIREFLY SEASON ... mid November to mid December is when these remarkable creatures turn out for the most spectacular light show and here at the Australian Rainforest Sanctuary  we have arguably the best show in Australia!

This year, we have quite a feast of activities and events planned around the season and here's an early taste:

WIZARD FIREFLY MAGIC

OPENING PROGRAM

• short workshops
• long workshops
• dress-up competition with prizes awarded
• live music
• Asian Noodle Dinner
• Firefly Magic Forest Walk
• Wizard Minstrels

...more details will be posted in coming weeks. 
Preliminary information:

• On-line booking is available via our blog http://forestoftranquility.blogspot.com.au/ by clicking the book now button.

• Prices are published on the website www.forestoftranquility.com

• Early bird tickets $65 adult and $30 for children must be booked direct with the Forest of Tranquility by emailing fireflies@forestoftranquility.com. Note ratio of one child per adult. Early bird price still includes asian noodle dinner for adult and child.

•  On line tickets are $85 and are non refundable but in the event of bad weather the event will be moved to the following weekend. 

•  Remember to come in costume and bring a rug and torches for your feet.

 TEMPORARY CHANGE TO OPENING HOURS:

Currently we are closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays until Firefly Season opens  in order to carry out further track repairs.

WHAT A WELCOME TO SPRING!

SPRING EQUINOX WEEKEND

We'll be celebrating the Spring Equinox on the 21+22 September.   Come join us for an amazing weekend:

Faery Celebrations    

                      

Saturday 21 September 2013

Faery Godmother Forest Walk with Elemental Cisum  starts 1pm.
Forest walk to find Elementals, Faeries and  Nature Spirits. Faeryllen with  Spring Celebrations
Join in Equinox Celebration  on  Saturday  night starts 5pm.

Tipis available for  overnight bookings @ $60pp  tipis@forestoftranquility.com.au

 Music Melting Pot 
Midday Sunday 22^nd September

Music Melting Pots will be held 4 times a year.  On Sunday of  the Equinox  and  Solstice weekends.
An  opportunity  to  jam  with other  musicians  and  singers at  Forest of Tranquility.

Discounted Special Entry $10pp  Free to Rainforest Friends and Whistle Hill Studio Members.

                                            

Join the Intimate Celebration around a campfire  on  Saturday  Nights AND camp over.  
Acoustic music with campfire Singalong.
Sunday Music Melting Pot Contact whistlehillstudios@gmail.com

                             

Tipis available for overnight bookings @ $60pp  tipis@forestoftranquility.com.au


 

A little Magic in the Air

The School Holiday Winter 4 Seasons Learnscapes program is over for this year and a great time was had by all who came along.

After spending time with us our Rainforest Fairy Queen flew off to visit the other rainforests but she will be returning in Spring when we celebrate the Equinox and Faery Festival Day. So all faerys and fairies mark your calendar and have your wings ready to fly in for a visit. There will be more stories to tell, plus...... Miss Lilly Pilly will have wands and other things to make and there will be a host of fairy
things to do!!!

Please Note:  We are closing for the next 2 weeks and taking the opportunity to repair our flood damaged driveway ready for the Spring season.

Our Spring Equinox weekend is 21-22 September 2013. Saturday is a special celebration of the Equinox with Vikki Cunningham. Sunday the 22 September is the day for Fairies. Come in your fairy clothes or join a workshop. More details posted later.
Mark your calendars for the Opening  of Fire Fly Magic 16 November. Costumes mandatory. Bookings essential.We'll be keeping you posted in advance of this extraordinary season and you won't want to miss this experience.

Lots to do these holidays

Want something to keep the kids occupied over the holidays?   Our July School Holiday program is now available – details are on our Program page  - it's a great way to keep the kids occupied and away from the telly during the school holiday break.

Also beginning in July…..
We’re inviting FAIRIES – yes, that’s right, FAIRIES – to join us on Wednesday’s from the 10th of   Rainforest Queen will be arriving at 12.30 on July 10th and we’ll be having Fairy Storytelling at 1pm and 2pm  with Miss Lilly Pilly Queen.  And of course, we encourage our fairies to take a Rainforest Walk while they’re here and meet some new friends.
July.   Fairies of any age are welcome to visit and we encourage all of them to come in costume.   Our

Mark your calendar for our  FAIRY FESTIVAL DAY on Sunday 22nd September 2013.

Tranquility Exhibition ~ Sculpture in the Greens. 

EXHIBITION NOW CLOSED

The Forest is thrilled to be offering it's Tranquility exhibition as part of this year's Sculpture in the Greens -  an annual arts and cultural exhibition on the Central Coast, now in it's 37th year. 

This year, the Forest is featuring forms in nature from 5 selected artists including:

•  Dandelions by Al Phemister, recently exhibited in the Sydney Botanical Gardens Arts Exhibition 
• Splash by Louise Steer 
• And work by local artist Emilia Krumm under tutorship with Col Henry.

For those wishing to view the sculptures and picnic in the park without undertaking the 5 km rainforest trail, there is a special discount entry price of $10/adult.

This is the second sculpture exhibition in the Forest. Floodfest 2011, being the first, was a collaboration between the community, musicians and sculptors



 The Exhibition is open now and runs until 26 May 2013.

Fairies in the Forest

A FOREST FULL OF FAIRIES!

Sunday 21st April 11am - 2pm DATE CHANGED TO 22ND SEPTEMBER

Bet you didn't think you'd find THESE in our beautiful Forest of Tranquility? But there you go ... all sorts of surprises await you here....and this month we expect to find fairies making an appearance!

Get dressed up as your favourite Fairy and come and play with us at Fairyland.   
Make a magic wand - take a magic forest fairy walk and hear fairy stories. 

BYO picnic lunch and drinks or buy cold drinks and Rainbow Icecreams $1.50 and of course - it wouldn't be fairyland without Fairyfloss too, would it?  

NOTE:  Bookings essential to reserve a place and to be able to meet our visiting Fairies for the Day.

Cost is $10 a Person/Fairy (+$5/Wand) and only $10 Gate entrance fee

BONUS DRAW:

Go into a Free Pass draw to Firefly Magic for all Fairy Costumes on the Day (1x Adult + 1x Child)

Just Another Lazy Sunday

Soapbox Sunday  31st March ....

& EASTER EGG HUNT

Soapbox Sunday is a Community Day of relaxation, sharing, learning, outdoors fun, a rainforest walk, music, a picnic or bring a plate to share for a 1pm lunch.  It's a great opportunity to meet and make new friends.  Because this month, Soapbox Sunday falls on Easter Sunday, we're adding to the fun with an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids.   

Program of Activities

11:00 am - 12 noon -  Ukulele lesson with Whistle Hill Studios- instruction for beginners - learn the basics and come away playing a song. Bring a Ukulele. Just $10 for the class. Email whistlehillstudios@gmail.com to book a place or turn up and take pot luck!

You also need to pay the Soapbox Sunday Special Park Entry Fee of $10. This enables you to walk the rainforest and join in shared lunch and afternoon jam. Bring a plate of food to share.   Note you only pay the Special Soapbox Sunday Park Entry once on the day.
You can attend as many workshops as you like that day.  Each workshop has it's own fee and some are free.  Refer to program of activities.

11:30 am - Bugs Beautiful Bugs - Jeannie Lawson takes you on a guided tour walking the park to find out what the bugs are doing - find out their secrets. Cost $10.

1pm Lunch - meet each other and bring  lunch to share. If you prefer not to share due to special dietary requirements or sit quietly by the creek that's ok too!

1:30 pm - 2:30pm Workshop and Guided Tour with Jeannie looking at bush foods and natural plant remedies. Cost $10.

2pm Musical Jam. Bring your instruments. Free.

Note: Free Park Entry for Rainforest Friends and Whistle Hill Club Members on Soapbox Sunday.This year we have workshops on Platypus and their food the Water Bugs, Permaculture Seasonal Observations, Drawing and Painting in Nature as well as musical Sunday afternoons and Saturday Summer Evenings.