Rewilding expert Gina Chick headlines this year’s Inspire Festival. Photo: Supplied.
In 2023, Gina Chick captivated more than 5.5 million Australians as she outlasted nine other participants on the hit SBS series Alone Australia, enduring 67 days of intense isolation and wilderness survival.
For the celebrated rewilding expert, this profound experience was never just about testing physical endurance – it was the manifestation of ideals she has lived and breathed her whole life.
“Connection to nature is a superpower we all have, as part of our birthright. It has helped our species survive 350,000 years,” she says. “Even though in our culture of disconnection, it can sometimes feel like we’re alone and overwhelmed, true connection is waiting around every corner – it’s just a matter of learning how to listen.”
Ultimately, it’s this lesson audiences will walk away with when Gina joins a superstar lineup of speakers at Ginninderry’s Inspire Festival.
True to its name, this free, one-day, all-ages event offers life inspiration for the whole family, whether you’re passionate about sustainability, love getting creative or just want a fun day out.
Alongside Gina, guest speakers will include popular broadcaster and author Indira Naidoo and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki AM, who has been spreading the good word of science in print, on TV and radio and online for more than 30 years.
Audiences will enjoy live music from the Woolshed Stage and hands-on workshops for all ages, including introductions to composting, sustainable decluttering, mindful meal planning to reduce food waste and how to make your own toxic-free cleaning products.
Kids and teens of all ages can help construct a giant stick insect with local artist Tony Steel, visit the Canberra Reptile Zoo, get their faces painted, or join in the many hands-on activities.
Drop-in sessions throughout the day include potting up, seed-tape making, traditional weaving and “Hapa Zome” eco-printing.
During the festival, Strathnairn Arts Association, in partnership with Ginninderry and artsACT, will launch the inaugural Strathnairn Arts Small Sculpture Prize (SASS). An emerging artist, highly commended and winner will be announced at Woolshed Gallery on the day, among open studios and showcases of local artists.
Other festivities include bee hotel making, delicious food, markets with locally made products for sale and an opportunity to engage with a range of community groups.
For Gina, it’s a chance to share insights into the profound effects of connection to nature – and the simplicity of it.
“We didn’t really have a sense of living only in a house … Life extended as far as we could see over the horizon,” she says. “I don’t have a sense of going into nature and coming away from it. For me, everything about being human comes from my relationship with the natural world of which I am a part,” she says.
That horizon became both a playground and a teacher – an early gateway into the ancestral hunter-gatherer skills Gina now weaves into her Rewild Your Child camps. Designed for those living modern lives, they bring together 200 people to create a village in the wilderness, focusing on nature connection.
“People from the city who attend tend to love it,” she says.
“I find as long as they’re physically safe, people will rise to any challenges – even when the weather is hard work. Then, they discover parts of themselves they thought they’d forgotten – the parts that used to jump in puddles and light fires as a kid.
“Often there can be voices inside our adult selves clamouring to get out, and we know how to get them outside and reconnect – we just need a reminder.”
Gina says for those living in urban spaces and looking to connect with nature, inspiration is everywhere – and it doesn’t require 67 days in the wilderness.
It starts with two fiendishly simple words: go outside.
“There’s a park near everyone, so if nothing else, go for a walk in your local and sit down with your back against a tree,” she says.
“Put your phone on silent, let your eyes go soft and just listen to the birds, feel the sun and wind on your face. Just 10 minutes can make a massive difference.”
She’ll tease these ideas and more out at Inspire Festival.
“I will bring elements of rewilding and connection to nature, and who knows where we’ll end up – but wherever it is, we’ll all go there together.”
Inspire Festival takes place on Saturday 6 September from 10 am to 2 pm at Strathnairn Arts Association on Gullifer Street.
