The Marquee Program
Expand your mind with our full-day speaker program in The Marquee featuring conversations, teachings and lived wisdom from practitioners, healers, researchers and community leaders. Gather in to hear stories that illuminate and inspire and panel discussions that challenge and question. From ancient healing traditions to modern wellbeing science, each speaker brings a unique lens on how we care for ourselves and each other.
Plant Medicine
Marye O'Brien (convenor), Rytasha Samson,
Dr Steph Luxton and Lisa Joy Stewart
10.30am - 11.15am, free entry
Convened by Marye O’Brien of Maiaveda in Kyneton, this panel brings together four practitioners whose work is deeply rooted in the healing intelligence of plants and the traditions that have stewarded this knowledge across generations. Marye will guide a rich and grounded conversation with Rytasha Samson of Ahikāroa Māori Healing, Dr Steph Luxton of Luna Health, and Lisa Joy Stewart Naturopathy, exploring the diverse ways plant medicine supports wellbeing across body, mind, spirit and connection to place.
Drawing from naturopathy, Chinese herbal medicine, Ayurveda, Māori healing traditions and integrative clinical practice, the panel will explore how plants have long been used not only to address illness, but to cultivate vitality, resilience and balance throughout all stages of life. From traditional herbal formulations and therapeutic remedies to seasonal living, nutrition, energetics and preventative healthcare, the conversation will illuminate the many pathways through which plant-based healing can support individual and community wellbeing.
This discussion celebrates the instinctive, ancestral and scientific dimensions of plant medicine, examining the relationship between people, plants and the living world. From herbal preparation and prescribing to energetic healing, embodied practice and land-based traditions, the panel invites audiences into a deeper appreciation of how nature continues to guide healing, restore balance and nurture connection in contemporary life.
(clockwise below) Marye O’Brien, Dr Steph Luxton, Lisa Joy Stewart, Rytasha Samson
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Marye O’Brien is the founder of Maiaveda, a pioneering Ayurvedic wellness spa and retreat centre established in Kyneton in 2011. For 15 years, Marye has created transformative spaces for healing, connection and self-discovery, introducing countless people to the wisdom of Ayurveda and holistic wellbeing.
Through Maiaveda’s retreats, treatments, workshops and community offerings, Marye’s work has helped make embodied, preventative and nature-based wellness more accessible, inspiring people to live with greater balance, vitality and intention.
Marye’s gifts extend beyond her work as a practitioner, she is a spiritual teacher and guide who listens with empathy and leads with wisdom. Marye’s approach is deeply rooted in ancient wisdom, she offers personalised care that transcends conventional therapy, touching lives through her profound insights and nurturing presence.
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My name is Stephanie Luxton, I am a Doctor of Chinese Medicine and the founder of Luna Health. I created this site with the intention of providing where we can explore the dimensions of health, our surrounding environments and the wider philosophies of life.
At the age of 4, I was brought by my Mum to see Dr. Douglas Davies, of Professor Wong lineage. After a few short months of herbal treatment, I no longer suffered the symptoms or required medication. Since this time my family has utilised Chinese Medicine in a multitude of ways to support our health and wellbeing over the past 30 years. Through many years of work experience and mentorship, learning from and being supported this ancient and magical Medicine lit a fire inside of me to follow this path.
The diversity of this medicine inspires my treatments, which are tailored to each patients unique health needs, and always see the person as a whole. Other things I love: family, friends that are like family, dancing to daggy music, food, being in nature, creativity, open mindedness and opp shopping.
Luna Health is a platform for growth & change, a refuge for people wanting to explore the many fields of being. We welcome all beings into Luna Health, any cultural, age, gender, this world is meant for all. I look forward to travelling through space with you. -
Rytasha Samson is the founder of Ahikāroa Māori Healing, a Melbourne-based collective dedicated to holistic wellbeing through traditional Māori healing practices. Drawing on her whakapapa, wairuatanga (spirituality), and the wisdom of her tūpuna, Rytasha offers Mirimiri, Romiromi, Karakia, and intuitive guidance to support healing, reconnection, and personal transformation.
Since founding Ahikāroa in 2019, she has created sacred spaces where individuals and whānau can deepen their connection to themselves, their ancestors, and their life purpose through Indigenous knowledge and practice
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For Lisa naturopathy is more than a profession - it is a life long passion and an integral part of how she lives, supports and connects with others.
Lisa uses both her professional and personal experience to support clients in managing their own health.
Through patient empowerment and the development of highly-individualised treatment plans we will endeavour to achieve the best possible health outcome for you.
Cooking from Scratch
Alex Perry (convenor), Mara Ripani and Yoko Nakazawa
11.30am - 12.15pm, free entry
Guided by Alex Perry, chef of the hatted Bar Midland, this panel brings together three remarkable voices who champion the art, intuition and wellbeing of cooking from first principles. Alex will lead a generous conversation with Mara Ripani of Orto Farm - The Village Dreaming, author of The Baker’s Percentage, and Yoko Nakazawa, of Cooking with Koji and author of Japanese Pickling and Fermenting.
Each panellist brings a profound relationship with ingredients, how they are grown, harvested, transformed and honoured. Together, they explore the beauty of seasonal work, the mindful act of observing and feeling the rhythms of nature, and the creativity that emerges when cooking becomes a dialogue with what the land offers.
This discussion celebrates the health and wellbeing benefits of cooking from scratch: nourishment for the body, grounding for the mind, and a sense of connection for the spirit. It also highlights their shared commitment to education - from cooking schools to garden tours and the joy of experimenting, fermenting, baking and seasoning with care.
A warm, insightful conversation about instinct, craft and the transformative pleasure of making food by hand.
(left to right below) Alex Perry, Mara Ripani, Yoko Nakazawa
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Cooking from Scratch convenor Alexander Perry was born and raised on Dja Dja Wurrung Country and is the co-owner and head chef of the hatted Bar Midland in Castlemaine, a restaurant dedicated exclusively to Victorian organic, biodynamic and regeneratively farmed produce and beverages.
With roots in a multi-generational farming family, Alexander grows up to 95% of the fruit and vegetables used at the restaurant in his market garden in nearby Chewton. His cooking is grounded in a strong sense of place, a commitment to leaving the land healthier than he found it, and a deep respect for the Traditional Owners of the Country where he farms, cooks and lives. Additionally, the restaurant exclusively serves invasive species rather than farmed animals.
Alongside his work in the kitchen, Alexander is a passionate local food educator and advocate for regenerative agriculture and regional food systems.
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Mara Ripani is a traditional food educator, sourdough baker and founder of Orto Cooking School at Village Dreaming in Blampied. She is also the author of The Baker’s Percentage, released in 2026, about how to make sourdough bread at home, and a culmination of over 15 years of home baking.
Italian born from Le Marche Region and rooted in her Italian heritage, Mara teaches the art of cooking from her principles of growing food, fermenting, preserving and baking with intuition.
For Mara, gardens and kitchens are living theatres: places of soil, colour, ritual and seasonal change. She believes cooking from scratch builds skills, stories and connection, beginning with healthy soil, thriving kitchen gardens and the wild fungi and mycelium that enrich her landscape.
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Yoko Nakazawa is a Japanese-born author, food educator and founder of Cooking with Koji. Her work explores Japanese food culture through fermentation, preservation. For Yoko, cooking is creative; it is not about perfection or complexity. It is about slowing down, working with good seasonal ingredients, and finding simple ways to make everyday meals more nourishing and enjoyable.
Through her cooking workshops, she shares the simple and mindful approach of cooking from scratch, making seasonings such as miso and other ferments, as well as tofu and pickles. Yoko also brings her 1 & 3 year-fermented organic miso pastes to farmers’ markets, sharing their depth of flavour and quality with local communities.
Her debut book, The Japanese Art of PICKLING & FERMENTING, released in 2026 explores traditional knowledge and techniques. The book won the prestigious James Beard Award and the Australian Best Designed Cookbook award.
Moving Towards Expansive Masculinity
Camilo Demarco (convenor), Dame Smith, Jamaal Cross and Jeremy Forbes.
12.30pm - 1.15pm, free entry
This panel discussion convened by Camilo Demarco, is a conversation with male practitioners working directly with men and teenage boys. Camilo will guide an open, honest conversation with Dame Smith, podcaster, builder, martial arts coach and Rites of Passage facilitator and podcaster, Jamaal Cross, Men’s Health Facilitator and Jeremy Forbes, founder of HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies). The panel will share some stories of hope and explore some programs that are redefining masculinity in our modern context.
Together, they question; How do we shift from a narrow model of masculinity that perpetuates gender stereotypes to one that supports men to be their most authentic self? How do we bring young men into the conversation without shaming and blaming and further perpetuating harmful views?
Expect a real and honest discussion that may open your eyes to new ways of thinking.
(clockwise below) Camilo Demarco, Dame Smith, Jamaal Cross, Jeremy Forbes
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Camilo Demarco is a Uruguayan man living on Djaara Country and has been working in the men’s wellbeing space for almost 15 years. He has worked across Men’s Health, Youth Justice, Drug and Alcohol and Family Violence sectors, using approaches that are culturally aware, gender sensitive, trauma-informed and strength-based.
His close work and collaboration with senior Djaara Elder Uncle Rick Nelson began in 2017 with the creation of Merrijig Mooroopook (Healthy Spirits), an Aboriginal men’s healing program held on Country. This collaboration continues today with them working side by side running a men’s yarning group in Middleton Prison and through various other projects including Waaman Tours.
He was a founding member of the Bendigo Aboriginal Men’s Shed and was awarded lifetime membership in 2023 for his central role in the shed's inception.
Camilo has also played an important role in creating, facilitating and supporting men’s circles for almost 20 years. He has been part of the facilitating team at Castlemaine Rites of Passage since 2014 and more recently with the ManKind Project (MKP).
Camilo is a recognised We-Al-li facilitator in training based on a Culturally Informed Trauma Integrated Healing Approach (CITIHA). https://www.wealli.com.au/
Camilo is passionate about people, their journeys and connection. He believes in showing up with integrity, humour, and openness - whether facilitating a circle, travelling for work, or just sharing a yarn.
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Dame Smith has a background as a builder, a martial artist, a father and a practitioner of teenage and adult men’s initiation. He invites listeners to join him and his guests as they explore the many ‘hero’s journey’ that men, women, boys and girls, take as we all experience ourselves on this planet.
Dame’s podcast ‘What is a Rite of Passage?’ is dedicated to the exploration, awareness and proliferation of contemporary initiation in our modern culture.
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Jamaal, originally from Mooroopna, Victoria - has now been living, studying and working on Djaara country for the last thirteen years. Jamaal, or "Mali", is a Yorta Yorta man who holds a Bachelor of Human Services and a Masters of Social Work from La Trobe University and has spent the last decade working with and serving the local First Nations community, most of which through several roles at Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-Operative - where he still works today.
Jamaal is particularly experienced in Men's Healing spaces and other therapeutic interventions for Men - both as a practitioner and as a participant.
Jamaal, like many others, has had a complex journey within his own wellbeing and is passionate about helping others through whatever means necessary.
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Jeremy Forbes is the co-founder and spokesperson for HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies), an Australian charity dedicated to breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide prevention. A former painter and decorator from Castlemaine, Victoria, Jeremy founded HALT in 2013 following a series of suicides within his local community.
Through engaging presentations, community events, and his widely viewed TED Talk, he has helped thousands of tradies, apprentices, students, and community members develop the confidence to start conversations about mental health and seek support when needed
Ritual and Transcendence
Alison Lasek (convenor), Achintya Das and Paul Mattei
1.30pm - 2.15pm, free entry
Convened by Alison Lasek, this panel gathers three practitioners whose work explores the edges of consciousness and embodied ritual. Alison will guide a spacious, evocative conversation with Achintya Das of Secret States and Paul Mattei of Suestro Cacao, inviting participants into the world of ritual water fasting practice, altered states and cacao ceremony as pathways to connection and health transformation.
Together, they bring a rich tapestry of experience from Achintya’s work with water fasting, to Paul’s deep relationship with ceremonial cacao and its capacity to open the heart, to Alison’s grounding in somatic ritual and community‑centred practice. This conversation explores how ritual practices can anchor us, expand us and help us cross thresholds within ourselves.
The panel will reflect on the role of intention, presence and sensory experience in creating moments of transcendence, and how these practices support emotional, spiritual and creative wellbeing. A compelling, atmospheric dialogue for those curious about the meeting place between body, spirit and the unseen.
(left to right below) Alison Lasek, Paul Mattei, Achintya Das
Closing Ceremony Kirtan
Sun Hyland, Amla, Andre Macky, Sarah Hines and Gavin Simpson
3pm - 4pm, free entry
Come together as the tents close to join in a huge community mantra chanting Kirtan session was part of our festival Closing Ceremony.
Kirtanist, songwriter and guitarist Sun Hyland combines a heartfelt devotion to yogic practice with Sarah Hines to form a powerful and sweet voice, creating a wonderful healing sound experience. For the last 15 years Sun has been leading soulful and uplifting musical mantra and meditation sessions at festivals and yoga centres around Australia and beyond.
Sun will be joined by accomplished Kirtan musicians from Castlemaine surrounds and Melbourne; Sarah Hines (voice & harmonium), Gavin Simpson (percussion), Andre Macky (bass) and Amla Periakarpan (flute and violin).
(left to right below) Sun Hyland, Amla, Andre Macky, Sarah Hines, Gavin Simpson
