Walkabout Training

🚣‍♂️ BOOM Session 3 ✅ | Finishing Strong on the Burnett River 🌿
What a way to finish another BOOM (Building Our Outdoors Movement) program.
Bundaberg turned on a perfect winter morning for our final session, with a cool start of around 15°C, clear blue skies, a light breeze, and temperatures climbing into the mid-20s by the time we returned. You couldn't ask for better paddling conditions.
Launching from the boat ramp in town, we headed upstream along the river side of Harriet Island. With the tide too low to paddle around the back of the island, we took the opportunity to slow down and enjoy what was right in front of us.
🦅 A sea eagle soaring overhead
🐦 Welcome swallows sweeping and darting across the water
🌈 Rainbow bee-eaters spotted along the riverbanks
🏝️ A sandy beach at the top of the island that provided the perfect place to get out, stretch the legs, explore and enjoy the morning
From there we crossed back over the river and paddled beneath the three bridges, taking in the birdlife and appreciating the healthy waterways that flow right through the heart of our town.
A quick check on Google Earth afterwards showed we'd paddled 4.2 kilometres. Not bad for a crew who, only a week ago, were learning how to paddle in a straight line!
One of the things I love most about canoeing is how universal it is.
Looking across the water today, we had 23 people in 11 canoes.
We had:
✅ Under-10s and people in their 70s�
✅ Mums and daughters�
✅ Dads and sons�
✅ Husbands and wives�
✅ Friends paddling together�
✅ Complete strangers who introduced themselves at the start of the journey and were friends by the end

Some paddled hard for fitness. Others paddled slowly for mindfulness.
But everyone shared the same experience of being outdoors, connecting with nature, and enjoying time on the water.
A huge thank you to everyone who participated in BOOM. The enthusiasm, encouragement and willingness to have a go is what made the program such a success.
We'll continue to run the occasional Paddle & Connect social paddles, so keep an eye on this page for upcoming dates.
And if you're keen for more, watch out for the next round of BABA (Be Active Be Alive) in a few months' time. We'll share details here and you'll also see it promoted through Bundaberg Now.
Finally, thank you to Outdoors Queensland for funding the program and to Bundaberg Regional Council for helping promote it and supporting outdoor participation in our community.
Here's to getting more people outdoors, one paddle at a time. 🌿🚣‍♀️

🚣‍♂️ BOOM Session 2 ✅ | Exploring the Upper Burnett 🌿
This week our BOOM (Building Our Outdoors Movement) participants headed to Cedars Crossing for Session 2, with the group split across Wednesday and Thursday afternoons to ensure we had enough canoes for everyone.
Launching from Cedars Crossing, we paddled upstream through a beautiful stretch of the Burnett River. After the first bend, the traffic noise disappeared and we found ourselves immersed in the quiet of the river, with only the wildlife for company.
Along the way we pulled up on a sandy beach to stretch our legs, share a few stories, and enjoy the peaceful surroundings before turning around for the paddle back.
The wildlife didn’t disappoint 🦅
Wednesday’s group was treated to an unforgettable sight when a magnificent White-bellied Sea Eagle swooped down right in front of the canoes and sn**ched a fish from the water. One of those moments that reminds you why it’s worth getting outdoors.
Thursday’s crew spotted something surface briefly from the depths that sparked plenty of discussion. Was it a platypus? Was it a Ceratodus (Australian Lungfish)? After everyone had gone home, I stayed back for a while and was lucky enough to see a lungfish surface several times, so the smart money is on the kingfish of the Burnett River!
Most pleasing of all was seeing the improvement in everyone’s paddling. Canoes that zig-zagged a little during Session 1 are now travelling much straighter, paddlers are becoming more efficient, and confidence and fitness levels are clearly improving.
A big thank you to everyone who joined us this week.
We’re looking forward to bringing both groups together for our final BOOM session this Saturday, where we’ll put all those new skills into practice and finish the program in style.
BOOM is proudly supported by Outdoors Queensland and Bundaberg Regional Council.

🚣‍♂️ BOOM Bundaberg – Session 1 Complete! 🌿
A chilly, windy morning at Lake Gregory didn't stop an enthusiastic crew of paddlers from getting out on the water today for the first session of our latest BOOM (Building Our Outdoors Movement) program.
We had 23 participants join us across the two sessions, and it was obvious from the start that everyone was keen to learn, have a go, and enjoy being outdoors.
The wildlife certainly put on a show as well 🐦
✅ A flock of around a dozen black swans
✅ Pelicans
✅ Dusky moorhens
✅ Black ducks
✅ Wood ducks
✅ Darters
✅ Cormorants
✅ Grebes
✅ A majestic sea eagle soaring overhead
✅ Plenty of other birdlife around the lake
One of the things I love about these programs is that they provide an opportunity to slow down, look around, and appreciate the natural environments that are right on our doorstep.
A big thank you to everyone who came along and embraced the conditions with a positive attitude. The improvement in paddling skills over just a couple of hours was impressive, and I'm looking forward to seeing those skills continue to develop at our next session.
This is actually our second BOOM program in Bundaberg. The first was intended as a one-off, but thanks to the enthusiasm of participants and the positive outcomes achieved, Outdoors Queensland provided funding for another round. We're incredibly grateful for that support and encouragement.
Now we're faced with an important question... what do you call the second BOOM?
BOOM 2? BOOM Reloaded? BOOM Returns? Or simply BOOM BOOM? 🤔😂
Whatever the name, it was great to see all our enthusiastic participants brave the chilly conditions and get out on the water.
Our thanks to Outdoors Queensland and Bundaberg Regional Council for the opportunity and support.

🌿 Paddle & Connect – Lake Gregory 🌅🚣‍♂️
Sometimes the best paddles aren’t the longest or the busiest.
Yesterday’s Paddle & Connect at Lake Gregory was one of those afternoons where everything seemed to slow down. We spent a few hours exploring the lake, spotting plenty of birdlife, sharing stories, and enjoying the simple pleasure of being outdoors together.
Along the way we noticed a few plastic and glass bottles washed up along the shoreline, so we took a few minutes to collect them and leave the place a little better than we found it.
Caring for Country isn’t just something we talk about. It’s something we do. 🌿
We also had the chance to introduce our new Swift canoe to our local waters.
As the afternoon wore on, the wind gradually dropped away, the lake became glassy, and the reflections came alive. We were treated to a beautiful sunset and that special kind of stillness that only seems to happen when you’re out on the water.
A big thank you to Sharon, Lucia, Shayne, Malin, Karlee and Clare for coming along and making it such an enjoyable afternoon.
The Paddle & Connect community continues to grow, one paddle at a time.
🚣‍♂️ Stay tuned for the next Paddle & Connect.�We’re likely to be back on the water on the second-last Saturday in August, with details to be announced soon.
Until then, keep exploring, keep connecting, and keep enjoying the outdoors.

Just a reminder for anyone who will be in Cairns in September, for the National Outdoor Education Conference or for any other reason, I'm running a 4 day expedition to explore Cape York prior to the conference. Details below.

What becomes possible when we slow down, listen deeply, and reconnect with Country, community, and ourselves?

Join us for On Country Before Conference: A Northern Journey of Listening, Wellbeing and Relationship — a unique immersive pre-conference experience designed to create space for reflection, connection, cultural learning, and deep listening.

Held on beautiful Country in Far North Queensland, this gathering invites participants to step away from the busyness of everyday life and into a shared journey of relationship-building, wellbeing, and learning through First Nations ways of knowing, being, and doing.

Together, we will walk gently, listen deeply, and explore what it means to be in respectful relationship with Country, culture, and one another.
Whether you are a health professional, educator, leader, practitioner, or community member, this experience offers an opportunity to ground yourself, strengthen your cultural understanding, and connect with others in a meaningful and transformative way.

Presented by wealli and Walkabout Training, this intentionally small-group experience takes place ahead of the National Outdoor Education Conference 2026 (NOEC) — held in Cairns from Monday 28 September to Thursday 1 October. This is a meaningful opportunity to begin the journey before conference week begins. (Next NOEC – Outdoor Education Australia).

📍 Far North Queensland, Cairns QLD, Australia
📅 Thursday, 24 September – Monday, 28 September
🕗 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM SST
👥 Maximum 12 participants only

Return Monday in time for the opening of the National Outdoor Education Conference 2026 (if attending).

Find out more and register here:
https://events.humanitix.com/on-country-before-conference-a-northern-journey-of-listening-wellbeing-and-relationship