Dear friends of Sanctuary

Welcome to another irregular Sanctuary nEwsletter

Our excuse for being so (so, so) irregular had been that so little seemed to be changing we didn’t feel there was a newsworthy story…not that we were looking for adventure …..but, it found us anyway!!!

It is now  the anniversary of Cyclone Larry (20th of March) and we are ready to tell our story of this incredible natural event and  the wondrous displays of human kindness that followed .                    

It has been an amazing year !

The timeless serenity of Sanctuary and the rainforest was punctuated last year by the irresistible force of nature. As you may have heard, a tropical cyclone visited in the early hours of the 20th of March 2006 with thankfully and remarkably, no loss of life or serious injury.

Sanctuary was in prime coastal location to experience the full force of the 300km per hour winds of Tropical Cyclone Larry. As dawn shed light on the bending trees, the cyclone crossed the coast and travelled inland.

The wake of the storm revealed a denuded forest with not a leaf in sight……and so began our adventures.

Sanctuary was found with few roofs left intact and a huge volume of water and leaf litter inside the buildings … miraculously, six months later, the repairs were complete and the final touches finished with new colours complementing the rapid (did I say astonishing!) rejuvenation of the forest.

Help arrived immediately......in the wake of the Cyclone.

People - some we knew, but most we didn't - walked up the hill to lend a hand. We had guests due to stay at the Sanctuary sleep elsewhere and spend their days with us. We received hundreds of call and emails lending support , encouragement and  places to sleep. Intrepid Travel group immediately offered financial support, and Eve and Zoë's lost library was replaced within weeks by generous Sydneysiders who rallied together and sent boxes of books....... and so it goes on, our hearts swelling with such incredible support.

Many of you will remember Stu our friendly bar man, he flew back from England,to do handstands on the beach! and to put his versatility behind the seemingly infinite variety of tasks ahead.

Sarah the Intrepid tour leader wandered up the hill, Claire our friend and woofer from last year came and Ted and Jan drove their caravan all the way from Tweed heads.....we were thrilled !

The reconstruction phase was a wonderful social time just like we have all come to expect from the Sanctuary - great food, amazing views, just not a lot of walls!! And without some of the details - which in some cases meant electricity and flushing toilets.

So we laughed a lot....and together the pieces found their form.

Thank you, Jen and Steve for housing us through the storm, and thank you to our families and to all the volunteers that shared their time with us.

Together we began the enormous process of restoring the Sanctuary to the beautiful place you remember.

Together .. we were witness to a phenomenal spectacle of growth.The rainforest showed us all just how resilient nature can be, from a surprisingly brown barren land grew beauty and green ……restoring hope and lifting our spirits.

We reopened on the 2nd of September to a full house of Yogis and nature lovers and we all breathed a sigh of relief !! Though a few things have changed, much has remained the same - great food, beautiful scenery, convivial company, unique accommodation, secluded Brooks Beach and peace and tranquillity. As you may expect, Sanctuary has continued to provide a haven for local’s and travellers to retreat from the rest of the world.

We have hosted five very successful Yoga retreats since September with participants coming from as far and wide as Berlin and New York. All of the Sanctuary’s Yoga retreats suit both experienced Yogis and enthusiastic beginners.

For regular updates see www.sanctuaryretreat.com.au/yogaretreats. Sanctuary is becoming a regular stop for Australian Yogis with many people returning again and again …… Our next Yoga retreat is with Susan and begins on the 21st of April.Book before the 1st of April to receive  your first massage on us. Email us to take up this offer seek@sanctuaryretreat.com.au

We are so happy to be back in the world where we can share this amazing piece of rainforest and critical cassowary habitat with you.

Thank you all again for your visits and for your recommendations .... we hope you remember your experience of Sanctuary fondly and allow it to remind you of the intrinsic importance of the rainforest to all living creatures...including human beings.

From all of us to all of you, we hope you have had a very merry Christmas and we wish you a wonderful 2007. We are not ashamed to admit that we are deliberately continuing to make Sanctuary an increasingly difficult place to leave and a wonderful place to return to again and again and again. We look forward to welcoming you to the Sanctuary again.

Warmest regards

Susan, Paul, Eve and Zoë,
Stu,Vicki and the Sanctuary team