September update
Lo! The day is nigh-upon us. Time to secure thy attendance via the magic button below (or via this link here).
It’s important you acquire a ticket. This effectively covers your dinner at the end of the walk, and lets you alert us to any dietary requirements. It also gives us your phone number so that we can invite you into a special private “whatsapp” group a week before the event.
If you have any questions, simply email kim@drjasonfox.com and we’ll get back to you.
August update
Ahoy friends. If you’re seeing this it’s because Michael Bungay Stanier and I have invited you to join us in a very special wizardly river walk experience.
I’d just like to take this moment to say that we are so excited by the prospect of extended time with you and the good company we have gathered. Kindred spirits, all.
We’ll share a little more about the walk, in time, but I just thought it might be prudent to discuss logistics, given that we have folks joining us from interstate. So: here are the essentials.
The prelude
On Sunday 14th of September 2025 we shall meet at The Marquis of Lorne (411 George St, Fitzroy) from 4:30–6:30pm for an early dinner. This is a lovely pub with a very friendly vibe, and we’ll be on level two.
This will be a chance to get to know each other a little beforehand. Everyone will cover their own drinks and meal (the menu has good range). We’ll also all stay on our best behaviour, so that we sleep well for our big day.
Guests from afar: you might like to book accommodation in Collingwood, Fitzroy, or Abbotsford for the nights of the 14th and 15th. Veriu Collingwood could be a good option for you.
The ꧁ wizardly river walk ꧂
WE BEGIN... with coffee. We shall meet at Everyday Collingwood (36–38 Sackville St) for coffee (and, if you want, breakfast) between 8:30–9:30am.
From there we walk 11 minutes to catch the #905 bus from Johnston St/Hoddle St to the beginnings of our hike. Yes, a bus! We shall be one of the peoples.[^ If you don’t have one, you will want to grab a Myki card from a 7-Eleven.]
A 23-minute bus ride will take us to Lower Plenty, and the beginning of our walk.
The path looks like this.
This will be a big day of walking. Twenty kilometres (20km) is not nothing.
You’ll want to bring:
- ~2 litres of water (there will be opportunities to top up)
- Snacks and something to eat for lunch
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
- Tissues and sanitiser (we’ll be visiting public toilets along the way, best to be prepared)[^ On that note: there are limited public toilet stops along the way. Managing the delicate balance between staying hydrated and needing to pee will be one of the tensions to enjoy and master.]
- Comfortable shoes you don’t mind getting a bit muddy
- Any other comforts, medications
- Optional: hiking poles
The path itself is relatively easy: pretty much no steep ascents or descents, and we’ll have the Birrarung (‘the river of mists’ aka The Yarra) keep us company for most of the walk. The key challenge is the length of this walk.
This is an ‘urban forest walk’. There’s one patch that will be alongside a road, unfortunately.[^ It makes for good contrast.] But for the most part the it’ll only be the occasional golf course we need to contend with. The rest will be quite lush.
There will be public toilets soon after we get off the bus. Once everyone is ready, we will head to a special area near the beginning of the walk to set intentions and to begin to weave the enchantments for the day. Some poetry may be recited.
Here’s a sense of the area from when Kim and I went.
In theory, our walk should commence at ~10am. It took Kim and I just over 4 hours to do, walking almost non-stop.
This time, however, we will be taking regular pauses—for contemplation, solace, provocation, and nourishment. Thus I anticipate our walk together will take us 6–7 hours.
This will have us arrive in at The Abbotsford Convent at around 5pm—an hour before sunset.
We’ll have a semi-private dining room at Cam’s Kiosk ready for us, where we shall enjoy a sumptuous meal[^ Cam’s makes some of the best tiramisu in Australia, btw.] together, along with a nice glass of wine or two. Or something non-alcoholic. If you have any dietary requirements, just let me know and Cam’s will cater.[^ Note: I’ll set up a simple ‘ticket’ situation so as to collect equal contributions for the meal and wine we share at Cam’s. It’ll be something like $100 to $150 aud.]
The dinner goes on into the night. You relish in the conviviality, and marvel at how so many things have subtly shifted into better perspective. More so, in brief moments you allow yourself to attune to subtle yet significant shifts in your own disposition. Things become a little clearer. The path to your own calling—that so often alludes you—might just feel a little closer to you.
But! This is a page on the logistics of our walk. I shall leave the mythopoetics and subtle magics aside for now. Some things are best viewed askance, anyhow.
Once again, thank you for joining us. MBS and I suspect that this could one day be something we offer to groups, and this is a profound excuse to spend some extended time in nature with wonderful people we love... disguised as an experiment.[^ We’ve been inspired by walks offered by David Whyte and also Craig Mod, and we also know that good people + time + nature + movement is a very generative formula.]
Warmth,
Jason