What I get up to in my ‘spare’ time

A patient recently asked me “what do you do when you’re not working”? So I thought I’d share some of what I told her here.

What ‘lights me up and turns me on’ is Nature’s brilliance

What I do in my work has sprung from curiosity and love of people and plants, fascination with herbal medicine, and enjoyment of the environment generally.

So when I’m not actively practicing naturopathy and herbal medicine, you can usually find me doing something else related to what I love.

I love exploring and photographing Australian plants and critters of various sorts.

I often participate in the Fraser Coast Council’s Community Education Programs, attending monthly Plant/Critter walks to help identify and record distribution and health of species and habitats in the area. I’ve become an ardent fan of the iNaturalist app since COVID. This app helps to identify all sorts of critters that then become part of a world wide database for general use. I feel like as a ‘citizen scientist’, I’m adding a bit of value to future generations (and educating myself in the meantime as well as meeting other knowledgeable enthusiasts).

Nature’s creations – micro and macro – are amazing. I love exploring them through a camera lens.

In addition to small critters and plants, I also love birds – especially our unique local beauties – and I often attend the Birdwatchers of Hervey Bay group.

However, taking a good bird photo is outside my current skill level, so I watch them – but leave the photos to fellow members who put a wide range up on our group’s Facebook page.

As a member of Wildlife Queensland, Fraser Coast Chapter, I also get to explore interesting nooks and crannies in the region through organised walks and talks. Then there’s a separate Sandbar beach Walk over the cooler months where, on the change of tides, we find strange and wonderful creatures like sea urchins and worms and starfish at the edges of their universe.

Somehow I also make time to sing in a local choir as well as keep up a reasonable exercise regime including walking, strength training and table tennis and some gardening. And yes, I do manage quiet time with regular arvo naps and recovery times from dental and medical procedures : )

Giving back is important (and fun)

Given my passion for indigenous plants and herbal medicine, you won’t be surprised to hear that I’m a member of the Indigenous Plants for Health Association. This came out of my long-time respect for co-founder Dr Andrew Pengelly and his work. (Though it took COVID and a fascinating range of online events to crystalise that awareness and join the Association.)

However, even I was surprised to find myself President of the IPHA two years ago – taking a leadership role in spreading awareness of just how amazing both Australian plants and indigenous knowledge of their properties are.

Right now, I’m facilitating an update for the IPHA website, as well as helping plan future Field days. Our wonderful Committee has organised the upcoming Somersby Field Day in April 5th, NSW (fortunately NOT cyclone-impacted.)

(What happens at an Indigenous Plants for Health (IPHA) Field Day? Here’s a summary of what went down last October on Quandamooka country outside Brisbane.) 

So that’s what I’m doing when I’m not “at work” in the consulting room or a training workshop.