Unique Australian Cultural Experiences

An hour in the forest, or a day across the Yarra Valley — warmth, story, and a real glimpse of Australian life, hosted by Lady Bunya.

Welcome

Between the meetings, the screens and the long flights — a pause.

I’m Sharni — a fourth-generation Victorian living off-grid in an intentional community in the forest, high above Melbourne’s city skyline and the bay. I open my home to visitors who’d like to step out of the conference room and into something real: an unhurried hour or two of Australian warmth, story and place.

Every guest is welcomed personally. Nothing is rushed. You’ll leave having seen a corner of Australia most visitors never reach — and, I hope, feeling a little more at home on the other side of the world.

How an experience unfolds

Every visit begins the same gentle way:

• A warm welcome — settle in with a hot or cold drink of your choosing.
• An introduction — a little about me, this place, and the time we’ll spend together.
• An Acknowledgement of Country — offered in song and spoken word, with respect for the Wurundjeri people, the traditional custodians of this land.

From there, the experience is yours to shape. When you book, you’ll choose what calls to you — and I’ll prepare it especially for your visit.

Choose your experience

Tailored to your interests and the weather. Choose one or two for an hour together, or settle in for two or three across a longer visit.

Out in the landscape (weather permitting)

• A forest walk through pockets of towering mountain ash among majestic messmate, with all the magical understorey that cool temperate rainforest offers
• A wander through the gardens
• Wildlife spotting along the way
• A walk to the beautiful dam
• A tour of our off-grid intentional community

By the fireside (warm and snug when the weather turns)

• A take-home keepsake — a small craft made with pressed and dried flowers. Each is made with blooms prepared by guests who came before, and you’ll press a few for those still to come: a small, living circle of hands.
• Learn an Australian song
• Learn a classic Aussie dance
• Australian poetry and travelling stories
• Curious conversations — a relaxed, open chat about life here, our community, and the stories of this country

Through the lounge-room window, in their season, you might spot a wombat ambling slowly about its business — or, if the lyrebirds feel unobserved and undisturbed, watch them frolic through the garden, shimmy and shake, and pour out the most outrageous mimicry to win over the ladies. (They can imitate almost any sound on earth — I have footage to share.)

From $260 + GST, for up to four guests. A detailed pricing guide is shared when you enquire, so I can tailor it to exactly what you’d love.

Both experiences warmly welcome families.

A Day in the Yarra Valley

For groups and families — Healesville shown through the eyes of someone who calls it home.

Let me show you the Yarra Valley I love: a winery lunch or a boutique local picnic, my own plot in the community garden behind Healesville’s main street, the stunning views of Maroondah Dam, art at the Memo gallery — each stop carried along by real stories and the history of this remarkable region.

Add a guided visit to Healesville Sanctuary

We can include a guided visit to the internationally renowned Healesville Sanctuary, home to Australia’s native wildlife — koalas, kangaroos and more. The Sanctuary is unforgettable on its own; with me alongside, you’ll also hear the stories and meaning behind what you’re seeing, the way a solo visitor never would.

Two ways to join a day experience

• With your own transport — begin or end at the forest, and we’ll explore the valley from there.
• By public transport — staying in the city? Take the train from Melbourne to Lilydale (around 50 minutes), then the bus to Healesville, where I’ll meet you for a relaxed half-day tour. A lovely way to see the valley without a car.

A day is shaped entirely around your group. Tell me who you are and what you’d love to see, and I’ll craft it around you.

The Two-Day Immersion

For those who’d like to truly slow down and take it all in: a two-day experience that pairs a day with me across the valley and forest with a full, unhurried day at Healesville Sanctuary — with a night’s stay in between, here on the co-operative or in accommodation arranged to suit you.

The Sanctuary deserves a day of its own, and this is the way to give it that, without rushing a moment. Shaped around you, with accommodation to match — please enquire and I’ll put together a package just for your group.

Staying over

If you’d like to make more of your visit, I can arrange accommodation in our guesthouse here on the co-operative — just a few minutes’ walk from my home, so I remain your host and point of contact throughout your stay. Needs-based options can also be arranged locally. Accommodation requires 14 days’ notice.

Enquire

Every experience is prepared personally, so all visits are by enquiry. Tell me a little about you — when you’d like to come, how many of you, and what’s caught your eye above — and I’ll be in touch to arrange the details and share a full pricing guide.

Enquire

To book a Cultural Experience, or to ask any question at all, please email me directly. I read every message personally and reply within 48 hours.

or write to sharni@ladybunya.com

When you write, please mention: preferred date(s), group size, any dietary needs, and whether you’d like a one-hour, full-day, or two-day immersion.

Good to know

How do I get there?

By car, it’s around 1 hour 15 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD outside peak times — allow longer during peak. [ASK GLEN — paste guest directions here] By public transport, take the train from Melbourne to Lilydale (around 50 minutes), then the bus to Healesville, where I’ll meet you.

Where can I stay?

Our guesthouse on the co-operative is a few minutes’ walk from my home, with me as your host throughout. I can also help arrange suitable local accommodation. Please allow 14 days’ notice for any accommodation.

What if English isn’t comfortable for me?

Much of the experience is conversation and storytelling. If English isn’t comfortable for you, you’re warmly welcome to bring an interpreter or a friend to share the day — just let me know when you enquire, so it’s relaxed and enjoyable for everyone.

What about hot weather and fire season?

Your safety comes first. During the Australian fire season (November–February), on any day the CFA declares Extreme or Catastrophic fire danger, I’m unable to host guests on the property. If your booking falls on such a day, I’ll let you know as soon as I can, and we’ll choose together from:

• Postpone to another day, or
• Cancel with a full refund, or
• For day tours — let me take you somewhere else close to my heart instead, such as the Mornington Peninsula or Naarm (Melbourne) itself.