The Positive Impact Adventure

A day full of incredible outdoor adventures intertwined with positive impact activities that empowers you to learn, and participate in a multitude of giving back experiences. Make a positive difference and discover the skills to do so in the future. Simply put, this day is life-changing.

The day takes place on Wadawurrung Country. The Bellarine Peninsula has been cared for by the Wadawurrung people for millennia. The region today is home to some progressive and positive impact organisations who are inspired to care for country.

A day full of adventure, learning and giving-back activities including:
• Welcome to Country & Smoking Ceremony
• Swimming with seals
• Bushwalking at Victorias largest predator-free ecosystem
• Tasting farm to plate fresh produce
• Boating to a deserted island

All of this whilst gaining valuable skills and knowledge in the following areas:
• Wildlife conservation
• Marine conservation
• Cultural Awareness
• Regenerative Farming
• Plastic Waste Action
• Supporting women and disadvantaged communities
• Mindfulness

Your experience starts with an early morning pick-up from Melbourne by your eco adventure tour operator Wild Adventures Melbourne (WAM) who are one of the only tour operators in Australia to be a Certified B-Corp.

As we journey west from the city your guide will inform you what is in store for the day which makes an immediate and
ongoing positive difference to communities and the environment.

In the space of less than an hour we have moved through three First Nations countries from Wurundjeri Country, to Bunurong Country, to our arrival in Wadawurrung Country where we will be meeting a Wadawurrung elder to learn about why it is important to ascertain our purpose for coming by knowing more about language. We will then be
invited to take part in a very special welcome to country and smoking ceremony as we connect with the land and grow our cultural awareness.

After the Welcome to Country breakfast is served by the team at Mt Rothwell with local produce and freshly roasted coffee to enjoy. Only 50 km from Melbourne Mt Rothwell is the largest feral predator-free ecosystem in Victoria where you can see some of Australia’s most threatened fauna, including the Eastern Barred Bandicoot, Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby and Eastern Quoll. Mt Rothwell was established for the management of high conservation value species breeding and research programs. The centre has a focus on Victorian species with a particular emphasis on species indigenous to the basalt plains grasslands, habitats and woodlands.

Our time in this very special place is spent participating and learning conservation skills on a morning guided bushwalk, viewing wildlife that would be very rare to see anywhere else.

Our journey continues further into Wadawurrung Country as we head to an amazing social enterprise close to the Great Ocean Road called Common Ground Project which runs inspirational programs to support various communities. Our experience starts by joining the farm team for an immersive hands on time in the regenerative farm partaking in various farm tasks that could include harvesting veggies, planting trees and sowing seeds. Having extra sets of hands supports a very tangible impact on the farm, with all proceeds supporting the ongoing growth of Common Grounds training and education programs for those facing structural disadvantage in the region.

Following our connection with the produce grown on the farm it’s time to taste it so we head to the on-site restaurant for lunch served by very talented cooks from the Staying Grounded Program. Established in 2020, the Staying Grounded program provides training and employment pathways in farming and hospitality for people facing disadvantage in the Geelong region. In particular, the program works with women from asylum seeker and immigrant communities seeking employment.

After lunch we drive across the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula, arriving at the picturesque coastal town of Queenscliff where we head straight to the marina. Here we will meet the team from Sea All Dolphin Swims who do some significant work in ocean conservation and run a charity called SOEL (Southern Ocean Environmental Link).

We begin by participating in a plastic pollutions workshop where the team will show how they are collecting plastic waste from the ocean and turning into other products whilst also providing education programs. It’s them time to get wet-suited up and head out onto the water as we take a boat trip to deserted islands where we will embark in a mindfulness activity followed by putting into practice what we learnt by doing some citizen science and measuring micro-plastics on the beach. Then it’s time to jump in the ocean to swim with seals, rays and other marine life whilst keeping an eye out for dolphins as we go.

Back ashore, we’ll get changed and warm up before heading back to Melbourne.

Physical Requirements

This adventure includes hiking done at a leisurely pace and swimming with seals so just a moderate level of fitness is required but participants must be able to swim. Parts of the itinerary are dedicated time to skiing and snowboarding. If you are unsure if this tour is suitable for you, please contact us(opens in a new tab) or check out some of our other adventures.

Weather

There can occasionally be adverse weather conditions which may require us to modify the itinerary for your own comfort.. WAM will inform you of this in the lead up to the day.