Brolga Healing Journeys

Welcome to our website.  Our names are Peter Hammond and Nirbeeja Saraswati.  In July 2007, after years of dreaming and planning, we set off from Canberra to explore Australia.  We hoped to travel for one year but it soon became five.  In 2012 we discovered our new home – a beautiful property on the wild western end of South Australia’s Kangaroo Island.  We are now based here, and you will notice that many recent posts have a ‘KI flavour’.  But our desire to explore Australia at large is far from satisfied, and we will catch the ferry across to the mainland when the mood takes us, to embark upon further adventures.

During most of those adventures we camp in the Australian bush, usually in National Parks.  We are passionate about the Australian bush and its flora and fauna, and also have a deep interest in the history and culture of Australia – both of its original inhabitants and its European explorers and settlers.

Through this website we will share with you some of our adventures around Australia.  We will also provide information, photos and recordings of all aspects of the Australia that we so deeply love.

As you will see from the information below, we both have other skills and experiences to draw on, and these too will be presented on this site.

We hope you enjoy our website!

Nirbeeja Saraswati, originally a Queensland girl, was trained and lived within yoga schools in several areas of Australia for 15 years. She was manager of a Canberra – based yoga school from 1988 until 1996, when she decided to live and teach within the community. She has been an instructor of yoga for 35 years and a practitioner of yoga for 40 years. In Canberra, Nirbeeja taught in many organisations including the ANU, the National Library, the Engineers of Australia, the Finance and Treasury Departments and Community Centres.

Nirbeeja was a wildlife carer for 9 years and worked as a casual employee at the RSPCA Wildlife Shelter in Weston Creek, A.C.T.

Her deep love of and connection with nature has enhanced her teaching skills and understanding of human nature and one of her deepest desires is to share the balance offered by yoga with all who wish to take it into their lives.

Nirbeeja holds a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, and also holds a current Senior Certificate in First Aid.

Peter Hammond grew up in Canberra and developed his love of the bush in the countryside surrounding the ‘bush capital’.   He now spends as much time as possible out in the bush, camping, walking, exploring and photographing.

As a herbalist and homeopath, he has a real passion for treating people from all walks of life and age groups. He aims to bring people to optimal health and wellbeing, allowing them to reach their full potential in life. He especially enjoys treating families, helping them to understand patterns in their health and the dynamics between family members, and has a particular interest in using iridology to assess individual and family health issues. He also enjoys treating animals, having been inspired by his partner Nirbeeja’s love for them.

Peter sees his Tai Chi and Kung Fu practice and teaching as complementing this work, by assisting people to better understand the connection between body and mind, at the same time strengthening their health in a relaxed, holistic way.

Before embarking on his travels, Peter taught for 7 years with the Tai Chi Academy in Canberra. He teaches Hun Yuan Tai Chi forms, Qigong, silk reeling and deep relaxtion practices, as well as Wu Dao Gong (Natural Style) Kung Fu.

Prior to commencing work as a herbalist and homeopath, Peter worked for many years as an economist with the Commonwealth Treasury.  Since leaving, he has kept his hand in that line of work through bookkeeping, and is proficient in the use of MYOB and Excel-based bookkeeping systems.

Peter’s  passions include music, photography, Australia’s plants, wildlife and natural environment, and Aboriginal art, especially rock art.  He has visited over 50 different rock art sites around Australia and has extensively photographed each one.   With Nirbeeja, Peter is living his dream of exploring the Australian wilderness and sharing their life-enhancing practices with the communities they encounter on their travels.

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