Thank You Freemasons Foundation Victoria
Mittagundi is incredibly grateful for Freemasons Foundation Victoria, who have recently supported us with a very generous relief grant. This funding is pivotal for our economic survival at a time when courses have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Freemasons Foundation have been long-term supporters of Mittagundi, providing sponsorships for young people to take part in our 10-day Winter programs, and Omeo Freemasons generously provided us financial support for a new horse.
Mittagundi was built by volunteers, with no Government support and would not exist if it wasn’t for the generosity of our team, volunteers and long-term supporters. Almost 20,000 young people have taken part in the Mittagundi experience over the past 40 years.
On behalf of our Council, Directors and staff we sincerely thank the Freemasons Foundation Victoria Board for believing in Mittagundi.
This support will ensure Mittagundi’s future so we can continue to provide life-changing experiences for young people.
Mike Heffernan
Chair
Mittagundi Council
Autumn 2020 Newsletter
What a year it is shaping up to be, certainly not the year any of us were expecting. Like many of you we have been severely impacted by COVID-19 and the restrictions that have been put in place to try and contain it’s spread. We are sure it will come as no surprise that we have had to cancel a significant number of this years courses. While it was the only real option, it was nonetheless a sad one to make and given our isolation, it probably surprised our poor staff the most. In spite of a lack of young people, we are exceptionally grateful to the staff who have decided to stay on and continue looking after Mittagundi. We have some big plans for the farm over the next few months which includes: redoing the floor in the Dining Room (thanks termites), renovating the Gear Shed, much fencing, preserving, and continuing the vege garden’s dream run! We all feel very lucky to be able to be here during this time.
We are thinking of our extended community and hope that you are all staying safe and well. We look forward to seeing your faces and hearing your stories sometime soon!
Book Launch Postponed
COVID-19 Update - Mittagundi 40 Years On Book Launch Postponed
Thank you for your book purchases and continuing support of Mittagundi.
As you will appreciate the COVID-19 virus pandemic has meant we have all had to take extra measures to look after each other. We are closely monitoring Federal and State Government updates and, as safety is our number one priority, we recently made the tough decision to cancel the next two courses (http://www.mittagundi.org.au/covid19statement) and will shortly review subsequent programs. Additionally, we have decided to postpone the book launch planned for Sunday 29th March.
Mittagundi appreciates your understanding and would like to assure you we look forward to celebrating the book in an event later in the year.
For those that have not ordered a book yet we encourage you to do so now. Course cancellations place greater pressure on our finances. Every book purchased makes a significant contribution to Mittagundi, as well as highlighting the amazing things that Mittagundi has achieved, and with your help, will continue to do in future.
For those that have ordered a big thanks and we will be either mailing your copy or contacting you with regard to collection over the next month.
Spring Summer Newsletter
Hello Everyone!
We are doing ok here and besides the smoke haven't been impacted by the fires at this stage.
However, given all the fire activity in region and the weather that is forecast, we have cancelled our January program that was due to start tomorrow.
As for the Mittagundi Festival that is due to start on the 17th & 18th we are currently looking at alternative options so please hold tight and watch this space.
Much love to you all, especially those in fire affected parts of the state and country - we are thinking of you. Have a read of our latest newsletter to catch up on all the news.
Winter 2019 Newsletter
Winter is well and truly here at Mittagundi and we are right in the middle of our Winter programs.
Have a read of our newsletter to catch up on all our news of everything that’s been happening at the farm!
Autumn 2019 Newsletter
New year, new Directors, new staff team!
A fantastic start to 2019 with some awesome Young People on our Autumn programs. Click below and read the full newsletter.
Spring Summer Newsletter 2018
Our last set of programs for 2018 slipped past in the blink of an eye …. our 2018 Staff team are packing up and our 2019 crew are moving in. So much happens at Mittagundi! Click the link below to read our latest newsletter.
Winter Newsletter 2018
The sun is shining, the skies are blue, our Spring programs have already started and winter seems like a distant memory……..
Have a read of our Winter newsletter to hear about what has been happening at the farm and how our winter programs were.
Mittagundi Book Project
We need your Mittagundi photos and stories now!
Help Celebrate Mittagundi’s 40th Anniversary
Mittagundi will be publishing a book in 2019 as part of the 40-year anniversary celebrations. We want to bring together a pictorial history to help celebrate the fantastic contribution that has been made both by, and to, Mittagundi.
Our aim is to weave together some of the amazing history and stories with your great photos. We want to create a book that captures the spirit and culture of Mittagundi and highlights why it remains more relevant than ever. We don’t have the resources to produce a formal structured history but what we hope to do is create a book that will bring memories flooding back as well as encourage the next generation of young people to Mittagundi carry it forward.
So please, check your albums, storage boxes, diaries, hard drives, phones, digital albums and memories. And if it makes you think of the amazing impact that Mittagundi has had then send it in.
How to get your memories to us?
As we are aiming for a high quality professionally published book the quality of photos will be important, so we will set up a drop-box or google-photo account for those with digital snaps. (Please ensure you send the highest resolution photo files that you have as it is critical for the publishers.)
- Originals and documents can be sent in for scanning and return however we would prefer for you to email SCANNED (not photocopied) copies so that we don't have your precious originals.
- General text and documents can be emailed or mailed.
- Your comments, descriptions, names and dates will be very important for ensuring context.
- Initial contact points are:
- Alli, Bookings & Communications Manager info@mittagundi.org.au,
- (0467 678 818)
- Greg, Council Secretary gregmarks@bigpond.com
- 68 Outer Crescent Brighton 3186, 0439 639 278
We will need your contributions by September 15 to allow us to meet our deadlines.
While it won’t be possible to include everything we receive in the book, everything will be digitised to form part of a permanent Mittagundi archive.
Many of you already provided photos and stories to the 40th bash at Mittagundi last January. However, in true Mittagundi fashion we didn’t capture them as the book project had not been organised at that stage. So please dig them out again.
Towards the latter part of this year we when the structure of the book and costs are finalised we will let you know how to order. However, note that the book will only be available for purchase directly from Mittagundi and will not for sale through book shops.
We are very lucky that a friend of Mittagundi, Annie Chapman, is doing her Masters of Writing and Publishing and has agreed to help us. As a result, we have the opportunity to get professional management and significant savings on this project. It will be produced in collaboration with Bowen Street Press, the student-led publishing house of RMIT’s Master of Writing and Publishing. This not only ensures a great product but also maximises the money that will go directly to supporting the future of Mittagundi.
And, please note that by sending your photos, stories and memorabilia too us you will be agreeing to the terms and conditions below and that the items you share with us may be used in either this book project, the Mittagundi website or a future publication.
Please join Ian, Bloggs, Gibbsy, the Mittagundi Council and many others in supporting this project.
Terms and Conditions
Copyright: By submitting materials you are granting Mittagundi the right to publish these materials in both printed (book) and digital (website) formats and under the following conditions:
- The author and/or photographer retain their copyright but licence these rights to Mittagundi for the life of the book including reprints and other formats and for the duration of their presence online.
- These rights are not exclusive and the copyright owner is free to use these materials at any time and in any form.
- As the copyright owner of a photograph, you must ensure that you have the permission of any other people who appear in the photograph for it to be used.
Acknowledgement: You will be acknowledged as the copyright holder of these images and as such an attribution will appear in both the book and on the website.
Autumn Newsletter 2018
We're nearly half way through the year and our new team (and Director) are settling in well. Our 40th Anniversary celebrations way back in January were a huge success with over 400 people joining us for a spit roast dinner on Saturday night.
Spring Newsletter 2017
It's newsletter time again! As the year draws to an end, our staff reflect on their experiences at Mittagundi, we look forward to our 40th Anniversary Celebrations in January and we farewell Director Liz Leyshan after 4 years at the helm.
We have a new Director!
The Mittagundi Council is excited to announce that after an extensive search involving some very high calibre applicants, that Phil O’Donnell is our new Director. Phil, along with his wife and family, will take up residence at Mittagundi early in 2018.
Phil comes to Mittagundi with a wealth of management and leadership experience and has a broad, if a little unusual, background compared to some of our past Directors. Phil spent much of his youth rambling around the High Country and rock climbing in the hills around Canberra and Wagga where he grew up and went to university.
Outdoor pursuits took a bit of a back seat for a few years, when life took him to the NT, WA and overseas for work. Recently, wanting to reconnect with the high country and wanting to be a part of an organisation working with Young People, Phil begun volunteering at Mittagundi. This experience had a profound effect on Phil and it planted a seed and highlighted the fact that Phil really wanted to have a deeper connection to Mittagundi. Fortunately for us, Phil applied for the role of Director and was successful in his application after a competitive selection process.
Phil looks forward to reinforcing the outstanding work that has been done by Liz Leyshan over the last 4 years. The Council is excited about this new phase for Mittagundi and working Phil to further develop Mittagundi’s Vision of ‘excelling at helping young people finding their purpose and achieve their potential’.
Staff Positions for 2018
Now that Phil has been appointed, the annual task of finding staff that want to be a part of the team at Mittagundi for 2018 has begun in earnest. We need to fill the Program Manager role and five Program Leader roles for 2018 and applications are sought for these roles. A summary of the positions are below, but for more detailed information with respect to the roles and the application process, please go to the Mittagundi website (http://www.mittagundi.org.au/jobs/).
Program Manager
We're looking for a skilled outdoor educator with program management skills to join our team in an exciting leadership role. This position is designed for a person with solid outdoor and group leading experience to be a valued part of a professional team delivering unique opportunities for young people and leaders on our classic outdoor programs. The key responsibilities are to support the Director in all program related responsibilities and team management.
We are looking for applicants that have a passion for working with young people in an outdoor education and working farm environment. The position requires a Manager to lead and manage the Program Leader team to assist the learning for our young people. Outdoor adventure activities (bushwalking, xc skiing, rafting and abseiling) and farm based projects (such as feeding animals and gardening) are a pivotal framework of the MG experience.
Program Leaders
It is a rare chance to be a valued part of a professional team delivering unique opportunities for young people on our classic outdoor programs. Leaders are at the heart of Mittagundi’s large community, they share a purposeful life and experience a year of professional development and personal learning through nationally accredited and in house training, skills and group work.
Like the Program Manager role, we are looking for applicants that have a passion for working with young people in an outdoor education and working farm environment. The position requires staff to lead young people on outdoor adventure activities (bushwalking, xc skiing, rafting and abseiling) and farm based projects (such as feeding animals and gardening).
If you, or someone you know, wants to be a part of an awesome team, working collaboratively towards ensuring that young People have a unique experience in one of the most beautiful parts of Australia, head to the website and get an application in.
WINTER NEWSLETTER 2017
Check out our latest newsletter - with information about our successful Pozible campaign, news on our newest arrivals and updates on the latest farm news and staff members
Pozible Fundraiser
This year we have a focus on improving our staff accommodation heating facilities. We have set up a Pozible Crowdfunding campaign to try and reach our target of $15 000.
Up until now the staff have coped with 40 year old heaters that are not efficient and don't keep the staff warm for long. This makes winter an interesting time as the woollen garments are always on and at some point it would be nice to enter our rooms and take off a layer.
Each year we have a group of young people come back and help us restock our wood shed for the following winter. This program is very appealing to the young people because they know they are helping the future staff have wood for their winter. Wouldn't it be great for the young people to know the fire wood will go a long way with more efficient heaters?
You can help us out by donating (and receiving a great Mittagundi reward) via this link
Autumn Newsletter 2017
Click on the link below to read our most recent newsletter. Find out about all our upcoming events, recent programs, how our new 2017 team members are settling in and more! We hope you enjoy reading it!
Jimmy Findlay - Outback Mag Feature Article!
Crafted by hand - Story by Genevieve Barlow, Photo by Matt Miegel
In time-honoured traditions, a small and dedicated crop of craftsmen and women are still creating practical and beautiful objects by hand. Some of these artisans may be the last exponents of their bushcrafts.
In a clearing high on his home block in Victoria’s High Country, Jimmy Findlay approaches a 13-metre, plumb-straight peppermint log with a chainsaw. All around is birdsong, towering trees, grass and the sweet fragrance of spring’s flush. Soon the timber is in five bits. Jimmy swings a pickaroon. It digs into a cut end and sticks there – an instant handle.
