Our story

Big Scrub Nature Play was created as a space where children, families and communities can slow down, reconnect with nature, and rediscover the power of play and story.

I’m Lidia — a nature-based educator, community facilitator, and Restorative Storytelling™ practitioner with over seven years’ experience designing and leading programs that support connection, wellbeing and belonging.

My work sits at the intersection of nature, play and storytelling. I am deeply interested in how these elements support emotional wellbeing, imagination and a sense of place — not through performance or pressure, but through presence, listening and relationship.

Over the past seven years, I have facilitated forest school and nature play sessions, storytelling programs, workshops and community events across the Northern Rivers and Sunshine Coast. I am the founder of Big Scrub Nature Play and the author of Growing with Nature, a book exploring nature connection, creativity and mindfulness through the rhythm of the seasons.

 

Alongside my work with children and families, I now also offer Restorative Storytelling for Nature Connection — a reflective, experiential professional development offering for educators, councils and community organisations. This work supports wellbeing and connection through story, nature and gentle facilitation, and is designed to nourish both practitioners and the communities they serve.

 

My approach is wellbeing-centred, relational and inclusive. I value slowness, curiosity, consent and care, and I design experiences that honour each participant’s pace and voice. Whether working with children, educators or communities, I aim to create spaces where people feel safe to listen, reflect and belong.

​

Big Scrub Nature Play remains grounded in the belief that meaningful experiences don’t need to be rushed or over-structured — they need time, trust and connection. This philosophy continues to guide all of my work.

If you’d like to learn more about workshops, professional development opportunities, or community collaborations, you’re warmly invited to get in touch.

Formal qualifications to date​

- Level 3 qualified Forest School Leader, recognized by The Forest School Learning Initiative UK with an International Open Awards

- Full certification in Restorative Storytelling™ with David Sewell McCann from How to Story, master storyteller and co-founder of SparkleStories

- Currently undertaking a certification in Therapeutic Skills for Outdoor Leaders to support children with additional needs, including learning disabilities, attachment difficulties, and children needing support with cognitive, language and fine and gross motor skills.​