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The Eco
Retreat
About The Eco Retreat
Founded in 2020, The Eco Retreat (TER) began as a search for a more nature-connected, sustainable and healthy way of life. In early 2026, that dream found its home on the Boonah farm. Here, amidst the misty foothills of the Otways, we are cultivating a retreat for nature-based living, contemplative and creative practice, organic farming, rewilding and community well-being.
Meet the Founders
We (Marion and Richard) are the founders of The Eco Retreat and the newest stewards of Boonah Farm, though since arriving, we often feel it is the land that is stewarding and shaping us.
Our roots trace back to regional farming communities in Tasmania and the Adelaide Hills. Yet despite those beginnings, life eventually accelerated into busy corporate careers in urban Melbourne. For over a decade, feeling burnt out and longing for the simplicity of a nature-based life, we quietly plotted our return to the land.
Marion is a qualified coach, ecotherapist, mindfulness teacher (MBSR), and studio artist. Through her work, she helps people reconnect with nature and remember that we are nature, to restore inner well-being and deepen our care for each other and the Earth. Her shift toward a land-based life began while rewilding their suburban backyard in Glen Iris and facilitating local nature workshops. Today, she manages the website and events for The Eco Retreat.
Richard is a leading sustainability technologist and SaaS co-founder helping the global built environment decarbonize. Deeply passionate about humanity’s shift toward sustainability, he brings mindfulness and compassion to everything he does. As he transitions away from corporate life, Richard focuses on supporting green investment, building out the retreat project, and diving into landcare, trail building, permaculture, and community life at Boonah Farm.
Our Vision
There is a growing need for climate resilience, localised systems, village-mindedness, human creative expression, and wise action. We are grateful to be alive at this pivotal moment in history, to co-create meaningful experiences with nature and ignite projects that connect us and future generations to real resilience, hope and a regenerative culture. Boonah Farm is a sanctuary to remember our place within the living web of nature. Here, we aim to foster community well-being and reciprocity in nature by offering space, support, and connection through immersive retreats, workshops, and collaborative projects.
The World Health Organisation has named climate change the single largest health threat of our time, and the accompanying mental health epidemic among young people is a clear signal that dominant cultural model and systems are failing us. Throughout history, during periods of profound cultural or ecological upheaval, much like the AI era we live in today, retreat locations have functioned as vital repositories of wisdom, keeping stories, arts, literacy, and spiritual insight alive when the outer world fractures. We aim to support individuals and communities with the skills for deep transformation and connection, helping build an adaptive, life-sustaining culture that genuinely cares for our Earth home.
A Shift Towards Reciprocal Relationships & Community
We believe that individual well-being cannot be separated from the health of our soil, rivers, communities or our culture. The earth and our bodies are one living organism and when we embody this reality we can listen more deeply to the signals necessary to respond wisely, for flourishing and growth. In a time of systemic breakdown, we choose to focus on localised community, support and hope. Our project is an invitation to move away from an ego-centric mindset toward one of reciprocity, organicity and mutuality. We aim to support a diverse, inclusive community by building caring relationships across generations—encouraging people to honour the ancient wisdom of ancestors and ancestral land on planet earth, while navigating modern climate and cultural challenges and with a deep respect to all first nations and the wider web of life.
This shift toward reciprocity is at the heart of the art of slow living—a commitment to re-evaluating our systems and moving toward interconnected, intergenerational and intersectional approaches that honour the diverse web of life. By slowing down and prioritising local food, presence, creativity, connection and community, we cultivate a nature-based belonging that fosters multi-cultural acceptance and care for both the young and the old, and the non-human world. We see this transformation as vital for navigating the challenges of our time, creating a sanctuary in the Boonah foothills where wisdom and compassion can ignite a sustainable, life-affirming, and inclusive future for the next generations.
