Nikki’s wild journey from survival skills to bush school Dungog Shire Dungog Shire News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - February 20, 2025 Nikki Brown teaches bush skills. FOR Nikki Brown, a lifelong love of the outdoors has transformed into a thriving community initiative teaching kids the bush skills she has spent years mastering. Growing up, Nikki was always drawn to adventure. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au As a Venturer with Scouts, a keen cyclist, and an active member of the Mountaineering Club at Newcastle University, she found joy in nature and the challenges it presented. Her passion led her to pursue a degree in Environmental Science and a certificate in Bush Regeneration. Yet it was her discovery of survival skills that truly connected all the pieces. “Everything just clicked,” Nikki recalls. “It was an adventure, living in balance with nature, and understanding the bush as a home – one that can sustain us if we know it well enough.” Determined to learn, she sought out the best survival skills teachers from both Australia and the United States. She attended every bush tucker walk she could find, connected with Aboriginal knowledge-holders, and frequently travelled to a remote community in North-East Arnhem Land. She read extensively and, ultimately, put her knowledge to the test – spending a year living in the bush in a shelter she built herself, honing the skills she had worked so hard to acquire. This deep connection with nature led Nikki to co-found Wildcraft Australia with fellow Dungog local Sam New, which runs outdoor education programs along the east coast. In tandem with the rising popularity of the Dungog Common as a community hub, Nikki started a small bush school to engage local children in the wonders of the wild. “It’s been such a joy and a privilege to offer this program for the last four years,” Nikki says. Last week, her young adventurers practiced fox-walking, explored the creek, made rope from bark, and acted out a story about a lost child. “Sure, we get a bit dirty, maybe a few scratches, but the benefits are immeasurable. “Kids develop real-life skills, resilience, and confidence. “ “I’ve seen children and their parents grow stronger, fitter, and more capable. “They learn enough to teach others – maybe even enough to help themselves in a tough situation.” By Shannon BENTON Children learning ‘Wildcraft’.
