Across the globe, a quiet awakening in education is taking root – guiding our children back to nature. Since the 1980s, wilderness schools have flourished in countries like the UK, USA, Norway, Sweden, South Africa, New Zealand, and beyond. Now, the Sunshine Coast welcomes a new addition to this global movement—its first wilderness school grounded in the rewilding approach of Coyote Mentoring: Kookaburra Kulture Wilderness School.
Experienced outdoor educator and teacher Ian Hamilton from Bundjalung Country had been teaching for 20 years when he first experienced Coyote Mentoring.
“I was lucky enough to spend two years working at two Coyote Wilderness Schools in Connecticut USA,” Ian shares. “At that point, I’d already worked in a wide range of educational approaches—Steiner schools, Queensland government and Catholic schools, and numerous outdoor education centres. But this was different. It was the most transformational educational practice I’d ever witnessed—across any school, setting, or methodology. I knew then that I had to bring this back to Australia and the Sunshine Coast.”
What is Coyote Mentoring?
Coyote Mentoring is inspired by the timeless ways Indigenous cultures have guided their young ones through observation, curiosity, storytelling, and deep connection to land and community. Rather than delivering knowledge from the top down, mentors coax learning from within, honouring each child’s natural curiosity, awakening their senses and innate desire to explore and grow meaningful connections with the world around them.
“By fostering that special connection with nature, we help children fall in love with the Earth,” Ian explains. “From that place of love, they’ll naturally want to care for it. And in the process, they learn to care more deeply for themselves and others.”
Coyote Mentoring doesn’t rely on forced lessons or rigid outcomes. Instead, it taps into the child’s interests and gently stretches their edges through mindful questioning, nature play, and experiential learning. The result? A child who feels truly seen, connected, and alive.
A day in the life at Kookaburra Kulture Wilderness School, Sunshine Coast
The day begins with fresh air and freedom, not with bells and desks. Parents drop off at 8:45am, and by 9am, the air is filled with games and greetings, playing and vibrancy as the day begins. Then, the group finds a place on the land to circle and check in, to give gratitude, and set the tone for the day ahead.
Mornings are devoted to “the work of the day”, which might mean building a shelter, tracking animal signs, learning fire skills, engaging in water play, or any number of activities shaped by the children’s interests and the natural rhythm of the land. Afternoons bring a gentle winding down. Children are invited to find a quiet ‘Sit Spot’ in nature—just themselves and the Earth—for stillness, reflection, and quiet discovery. The group later regathers to share their insights, followed by a closing circle to tell the ‘Story of the Day’.Small Groups. Big Impact.
Each group includes no more than 12 children with two adult mentors, allowing for deep, personal connections. Like Montessori education, children are grouped in mixed-age brackets, encouraging peer learning and meeting children where they are.
“The 1:6 mentor-to-child ratio is critical,” Ian shares. “It creates the space for truly meaningful connection and care.”
Wilderness school is a great way to reconnect your kids with nature and gain essential life skills
A community for life
The transformation that unfolds in these sessions is profound. Children who arrive shy or disengaged leave with dirt under their nails, light in their eyes, and stories tumbling from their mouths. They develop confidence, self-awareness, resilience, empathy, and a grounded sense of place in the world—a community where they belong.
“The aim is to reconnect the full circle,” says Ian. “Teenagers grow into mentors themselves – guided by the same values and practices that once inspired them as children. In doing so, they give back to the next generation, becoming part of a living, evolving community.”
Elders also play a vital role. “There are incredible elders in our communities—full of wisdom, presence, and life experience—but that connection to the younger generation has been lost in many places. It’s a broken link,” says Ian. “We need to recreate that connection. Something magical happens when young children spend time with elders, and elders are welcomed into their world. There’s a mutual awakening—health, vibrancy, and deep purpose begin to flow both ways.”
In a world that moves fast, it’s a powerful pause and a gentle return. Because it’s not just another program. It’s a return to something essential, something our children (and us as parents) have been quietly craving.
About Kookaburra Kulture Wilderness School, Sunshine Coast
When: Term time and school holiday programs available
Where: Lake Weyba, Kabi Kabi Land, Sunshine Coast
Group size: Maximum of 12 children per group
Ages: Wild Ones: Ages 5- 7 years
Proud Pelicans: Ages 8- 12 years
Surfin Stingrays: Ages 13- 17 Years
For more details, contact Ian at 0429 625 809 or
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