Who we are

Nature Philosophy Australia was Co-Founded by Sam Robertson and Kate Rydge in 2004. Sam & Kate specialise in the facilitation of transformational earth-based programs and cultural regeneration experiences.

Since the birth of Nature Philosophy in 2004 Sam and Kate been actively exploring and sharing survival skills, sacred ceremony and deep nature connection practices with 1000’s of humans in Australia and around the world.

Here is some of their story…

Nature Philosophy Founders Katie and Sam are standing in bushland smiling at the camera. They are surrounded by nature. Katie has long dark brown hair and tanned skin. Sam has short blonde hair and a grey beard.

As children, we both felt a deep resonance and connection to the natural world.

Moving into adulthood we completed tertiary qualifications in business and economics and worked to financially support ourselves. Working for money without a deeper life purpose left us yearning for something greater…

We both found ourselves powerfully drawn to earth-based philosophy and its ancient and grounded respect for the Earth. In the years that followed we continued to devour any survival skills, indigenous wisdom and deep nature connection practices we could find, both in Australia and North America. We also explored the many survival skills found in our ancestral European lineages and began to discover the global nature of earth-based wisdom.

A shelter made out of dried leaves, branches and sticks as part of Nature Philosophy's survival skills course.
A close up photo of women winding string and vines around a burnt tree trunk as part of Nature Philosophy's nature connection course.

When we met in America we spent time together learning survival skills, nature awareness and Native American scout philosophy with Tom Brown Jnr of The Tracker School, USA.

During this time Sam wandered through America exploring survival skills and deep nature connection through varied wilderness locations. Kate took the role of a Caretaker at Tom’s Brown Jnr's school in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Here Kate lived for a year in a primitive shelter, exploring advanced survival skills and deeply diving into her spiritual journey.

While both in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey we participated in numerous personal Vision Quests - eventually training for many years with Malcolm Ring-walt of The Earth-Heart Institute to become Vision Quest Facilitators and Trainers. 

These years of wandering and mentorship in America developed in us a heartfelt passion to share the skills of survival, nature connection and rites of passage that had woven true magic into our lives.

Upon returning to Australia in 2004 we offered our first program together and Nature Philosophy Australia was born!

Kate also started to search for an Australian Indigenous community she had seen in a 'vision' from her shelter in The Pine Barrens.

In search of this community, we travelled for the first time in 2008 into North-East Arnhem Land, Australia. We met members of an inspirational Homelands Community and were adopted as family. This Australian Aboriginal Community is called Mäpuru. The people of Mäpuru live on their traditional ancestral estates and have a continuous connection to their traditional Yolngu culture.

Yearly we have been invited to return and bring with us members of our community who are willing to respectfully learn from and support our Mäpuru families. It’s always hard for us to put into words our experiences on country and our appreciation and love for our Yolngu families. Needless to say, our time spent living with our Mäpuru families and endeavouring to support the community’s workshops has transformed our understanding of indigenous culture, community villages and survival.

Our ever-deepening love and kin connections with our Mäpuru families have sharpened our belief in the importance of supporting the continuous survival of indigenous cultures.

Nature Philosophy Co-Founder Katie is standing in the belltent seting up a whiteboard to teach Wild Awareness.
Nature Philosophy Co-Founder Sam is kneeling in the belltend surrounded by survival skills students as he demonstrates a skill.

Western culture is in a rapid transformation and if we can use the wisdom of deep nature connection practices as a north star we can ensure soul-connected and sustainable lifestyles are passed down to future generations.

The Nature Philosophy stream of courses draws broadly from all of our unique life experiences and our heart-felt support of living a nature connected life. At its heart Nature Philosophy is our offering to you of the most powerful techniques for personal transformation we have also experienced. 

Today, 20 years on, our programs sustain and inspire an Australia-wide community of epic humans who are called to empower their modern lives with the power of nature connection and survival.

Time and time again, we see our tribe experience deep soul-level transformations and body awakenings as they embrace themselves through earth skills. Sharing in this process is our most profound inspiration for offering the Nature Philosophy programs.

Thanks for taking the time to hear some of our story. We’d like to hear your story too, maybe by a fireside soon…

In Connection,

Kate & Sam

Meet the Nature Philosophy Team

Here are some of the wonderful humans who have joined the Nature Philosophy Team!

We also have over a hundred humans who volunteer their time to support our programs every year - in the roles of Wild Village Mentor, Nature Connection Mentor and grounds/kitchen support.

We are extremely fortunate to have their support and highly respect these epic humans!

Tribe Coordinator Holly, who has blue eyes, blonde hair and a nose ring.

  • Holly has been working in outdoor education for over 15 years. She has since delved into Nature Connection and is passionate about Vision Quest.

    She has a deep understanding of what we offer and shares our commitment to making a difference in the world. We are lucky to have her helping plan and coordinate our customers (as well as Kate and Sam.)

Lead Instructor JJ Bruce, who has dark blonde hair puled back in a ponytail and a short beard.

  • Raised on the edge of the city and the ocean, Mahli has evolved a career in primary school teaching into a dedication to facilitating deep nature connection through events and workshops.

    His passion is co-creating village culture, and weaving story and play into experiences that connect people with each other and the land. He is also passionate about recreating healthy masculine culture, and supporting young boys in their passage to manhood.

    Mahli is one of the Lead Mentors at our Wild Village Family Camps, where he is well-loved for stories that spellbind child and adult alike.

Nature Philosophy mentor Talia, who has tightly curled dark hair, a nose ring and gentle eyes.

  • Talia is a Nature Philosophy powerhouse, working on various programs in different capacities, reflecting her extensive skill, enthusiasm and diverse abilities. Talia is dedicated to remembering the old ways of connecting to earth, self and community.

    As well as her work with Nature Philosophy, Talia runs programs through her own projects Weaving the Hearth and Grow Natural Learning. She brings her experience as a mentor, educator and Shamanic Craftswoman to her work and projects.

Wild Village Mentor Mahli Hawke, who has curly ginger hair, a short beard and a big simle.

  • Raised on the edge of the city and the ocean, Mahli has evolved a career in primary school teaching into a dedication to facilitating deep nature connection through events and workshops.

    His passion is co-creating village culture, and weaving story and play into experiences that connect people with each other and the land. He is also passionate about recreating healthy masculine culture, and supporting young boys in their passage to manhood.

    Mahli is one of the Lead Mentors at our Wild Village Family Camps, where he is well-loved for stories that spellbind child and adult alike.

Teacher Training Coach Lawrence Hill who has sparse blonde hair and a big smile.

  • Lawrence is a nature connection coach and facilitator. He has over 25 years of experience leading people on wild adventures, and is passionate about helping people to reconnect with and remember their birthright of wild awareness.

    Lawrence believes our bodies have been designed to connect with nature, and that that is where we can find belonging and purpose. He works to gently guide participants with wisdom and clarity in his support role in Nature Philosophy programs.

Bare Weaving Co-Founder Ingrid who has black and grey curly hair and a gentle face.

  • …as well as Soap Maker and Transpersonal Guide. Ingrid feels most at home barefoot in the forest.

    As co-founder of BARE Weaving she facilitate the weaving at Nature Philosophy programs. She is also currently a Vision Quest Protector where she brings her Transpersonal facilitation skills to support post Vision Quest integration.

Bare Weaving Instructor Nikki Penny who has blonde-brown long hair and a septum ring. She is siling.

  • Nikki started with us as a BARE Weaving Teacher Trainer and has since graduated to one of our regular instructors.

    Weaving is a way for her to connect to her Irish and West Indian bloodlines and their basketry mastery as well as honouring the Indigenous Australian partners ancestry through appreciation, respect and practice of the ancient art form of weaving.

    Her passion for life and weaving is contagious. We are so lucky to have her a part of our team.

A group of young men and women who are Wild Village family camp mentors. They are making silly faces and laughing.

Wild Village Mentors!

We welcome you to join our tribe!