A word from Birdwings: We are the first 100% outdoor Forest School on the Gold Coast offering mobile kindy, playgroups and a school aged nature connection program. We are all …

A word from Birdwings:
We are the first 100% outdoor Forest School on the Gold Coast offering mobile kindy, playgroups and a school aged nature connection program. We are all about childhood play, and learner-led curriculum. Birdwings is offered by Jennifer McCormack and Narell Neville, two educators who thrive when surrounded by nature. We are both artists, storytellers, educators and experienced nature play facilitators and have pioneered the nature play movement on the Gold Coast with our independent programs, Greystone Farm Nature Play and Numala Kinder Nature Play.
We know that the inner work that happens in nature is integrative, powerful and transforming and it is our pleasure to help others experience this too. Birdwings offers nature immersion programs for children, creative play for adults and outdoor learning professional development for early childhood and early primary.

Birdwings has been nominated as finalists in the QORF Outdoors Qld awards in two categories for our education and community work. Our website is here.

Narell Neville
Birdwings began with Narell Neville visiting the rainforest in Guanaba for all-day plays with children on Fridays. As a local community member, Narell visited the creek and local nature space often. In these early days Narell and the Bush Club children identified the Richmond Birdwing butterflies, and through discussion with the children, the Birdwing Butterfly conservation project was born, planting and monitoring native pararistolochia vines, the only vine that supports the life cycle for this species. Narell and the children continue this conservation work weekly to preserve the natural habitat. Her wide work experiences and skills have emerged from many interests and positions: including hotel management, beauty therapy, foster caring and running a farm. Narell is botanical artist, storyteller and passionate conservationist.

Jennifer McCormack (Geira Jen)
The name “Geira” means Sulphur Crested Cockatoo in the Yugambeh language, a bird that Jennifer has had a lifelong special connection with. The name Geira invites us to be playful and protective, confident and connected, qualities Jennifer believes are important for any person who works with children. Jennifer is an early childhood teacher who has worked in many settings from playgroups to primary school. She keeps circling back to nature work and has found her voice in helping children tell their stories of wisdom and belonging in connection with their natural world. Jennifer is an artist with an interest in creative arts practice and therapy.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY: Birdwings borrows a name from the Richmond Birdwing Butterflies the children saw, counted, and now work to protect. This butterfly is native to the area and belongs here and we use its name as promise we have made to the land. We acknowledge this is Kombumerri land and offer our deep gratitude to the Ngarang-Wal Gold Coast Aboriginal Association Incorporated for their generosity in sharing this special, beautiful and significant place. We celebrate this land, this culture. We acknowledge the wisdom and experience of the elders of the past, present and emerging and promise to respectfully take care of the land, to constantly learn as much as we can about local indigenous knowledge, both cultural and environmental, and to share what we have learned.