To whom it concern,

In Feb 2023 I and 17 of my colleagues from Rebus Theatre stayed for a five day residency at Wattle Point Waterfront Retreat as part of Project Alchemy.

We came with significant dietary restrictions, artistic activities beyond the scale of most resorts, and big requests of Andrew like organising massages for participants and a walk on country and smoking ceremony.

Nothing was too hard for Andrew, the resort manager, to faciliate. The food we were provided was nourishing and unbelievably delicious. Andrew was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge. The location and accommodation were beautiful.

Myself and Rebus Artistic Director Robin Davidson decided to stay an additional night after the residency to debrief, which also happened to be my birthday.

Andrew provided room service, and a cake, which being away from home and after a week of hard work, was so above and beyond my expectations.

I would highly recommend Wattle Point and go out of my way to visit again. Even more highly would I recommend Andrew as a manager, organiser, cook and thoughtful and empathetic human.

I am happy to be contacted about the above.

Djirra has been delivering workshops for Aboriginal women at Waterfront Retreat for many years. The accommodation is comfortable and clean and the surroundings are so beautiful.

The sunrises from the Jetty are magnificent and I’ve captured some stunnings photos over the years. The kangaroos delight everyone who stays here, the outdoor spa is a very popular attraction after a long day and a swim in the pool is a delight on a hot day.

Whilst the venue is perfect, I do want to give a special mention to the care shown to our group by a Manager who is always willing to work with us to ensure our needs and the needs of the women we support at our workshops are always met. This includes the catering, our need for privacy at times as well as being friendly and respectful when interacting with our group.

In October 2022, I was honored to host an Aboriginal Elders Retreat for Gippsland.

Water Front Retreat, Wattle Point, was the preferred location, chosen by a number of Elders across Gippsland. The reason for this choice was the location and positive experiences of past events held there. The Elders love the Retreat for its peaceful location, modern yet comfortable accommodation and wonderful catering.

Andrew is a delightful host, for whom nothing is too much trouble. He is welcoming and friendly and really put the Elders at ease. He organized for a boat tour of the lakes, with which all who attended were thrilled.

Everyone loved the few days we were there, and unanimously agreed that a follow up event for 2023, again be held there.

Those who attended in 2022 will be back, and are looking forward to being ‘on Country’ in such a special place again.