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About

Enabling a life fully lived in Mallacoota

Founded in Mallacoota after the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, the Wilderness Collective emerged from the vision and dedication of five women. They aimed to foster long-term sustainability and community growth, transforming reliance on tourism into a culture of entrepreneurship and self-determination.

By creating a community hub, they provide opportunities for residents to work, build businesses, and learn essential skills. Their commitment to nurturing ideas across generations supports a vibrant future for Mallacoota and its inhabitants.

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The people behind the wilderness collective

Meet our team

We thank all founders, volunteers, staff, advisors and contractors for their valuable contributions to making The Wilderness Collective what it is today. 

Paris Brooke

co-Founder
EO
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Bel Temby

co-Founder
chair
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Bec Steenholdt

vice chair
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Meg Allan

co-Founder Treasurer
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Tricia Hiley

Co-Founder
sectretary
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Katie de Carteret

impact evaluation
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Mary O'Malley

co-Founder

Tash Rands

Administrator
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Gillian Dyer

volunteer host
Thank you to our Amazing Sponsors

Support Our Journey

We are a charity helping Mallacoota thrive. Your support empowers people, builds independence, and sustains our town’s future. Join us.

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Our Mission

At the Wilderness Collective, our mission is to revitalise Mallacoota through community-driven initiatives. We aim to empower local entrepreneurs by providing the resources, skills, and connections they need to thrive. By fostering an environment of creativity and support, we are building a resilient community that is well-equipped to face future challenges while celebrating its unique heritage.

Our Latest Annual Reports

We are enabling Mallacoota to thrive, through
building an entrepreneurial culture using the catalysts
of knowledge, enterprises and coworking
collaboration.

Download 2024

Download 2023

Multigenerational hub

We bring together people from various backgrounds and life stages, to not only strengthen community ties but also enhance the collective resilience, creating a rich environment for community engagement.

Provide a space as accessible as possible to all ages and abilities

Foster interaction, learning, and collaboration among individuals of all ages.

Sustainable Practices

Living and working closely with our environment, The Wilderness Collective is committed to sustainability and a net-zero energy future. We are integrating solar power, battery backups, and sustainable materials in every aspect of our work, transforming 56 Maurice Avenue into a self-sufficient community hub, harnessing opportunities for Mallacoota’s diverse generations.

13 kW/h

Tesla Battery 

8.5 kW

Solar panel system

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The Wilderness Collective
56 Maurice Avenue Mallacoota
0487 639 955

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Tash Rands

Administrator
Tash supports the day-to-day running of the Wilderness Collective in her role as Office Administrator. In her first formal administration position, she has developed her skills while assisting with business programs, supporting community members with IT and administrative assistance, and creating a welcoming and inclusive workspace for all. This year Tash also became the Place-Based Facilitator for ACRE’s Social Enterprise Schools program in Mallacoota. She has been working alongside students, teachers, and mentors to support practical, place-based learning. In addition, she provides gardening and social support to elderly community members and hosts the local youth group, creating connection across all generations. Tash has worked and lived overseas and has now returned to Mallacoota and is applying her experience in service of her local community.

Katie De Carteret

Board Member
Katie de Carteret is a global educator, consultant, and author with over 25 years of experience working alongside communities in Lao PDR, Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands, Brazil, Greece, South Korea, and Australia. With master’s degrees in Education Leadership and Management and Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development (Gender), she combines academic expertise with lived experience in grassroots development. With a career spanning international NGOs, schools, and government partnerships, she has designed and led projects in education, gender equity, and environmental sustainability—always centering local knowledge, self-determination, and community-led responses.
At the heart of her work is a belief that meaningful change begins with listening deeply and walking alongside communities. Guided by respect for culture, land, and tradition, Katie is committed to community-led solutions that honour local wisdom while building sustainable futures.

Bec Steenholdt

Board Member
Rebecca has extensive experience in event management, operations and logistics over nearly two decades. Since the Black Summer bushfires, Rebecca has pivoted into roles that represent the community, including coordinating the recovery hub for Bushfire Recovery Victoria and more recently as economic development coordinator for the East Gippsland Shire. Rebecca is experienced in program design and delivery, making her a valuable asset to Wilderness Collective’s programmatic aspirations. She is also skilled in business operations, agile leadership, stakeholder engagement, communications, and marketing.

Bel Temby

Co-Founder, treasurer
Bel is an experienced leader in community organisations with a passion for social justice. With 18 years of experience, she excels in strategic planning, project management, grant writing, and stakeholder engagement. Bel has served as an Executive Officer and Founder in multiple organisations, and has sat on numerous boards in executive roles, ranging from social services to asset management. Her extensive financial management skills make her well-suited for roles such as Treasurer at Wilderness Collective. Her expertise in Social Science, Business Management and Governance further supports her ability to lead and govern effectively.

Paris Brooke

Co-Founder, CEO
Paris Brooke, has over two decades of experience in integrating business strategy with communication and marketing. With a track record of managing global media relations and advising on policy at federal levels, Paris brings high-level governance skills and deep commercialisation expertise to help drive innovative ventures forward. Her management skills make her ideally suited to the Executive Officer role at Wilderness Collective, while her experience in enterprise development make her a valuable and trusted mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs that come through our programs.

Tricia Hiley

Co-Founder, Vice Chair
Dr. Tricia Hiley, an advocate for nurturing resilience, possesses a lifetime of experience in helping individuals and organisations create sustaining futures. As a co-founder of innovative learning initiatives and with extensive international experience, Tricia brings strategic thinking, profound learning and innovative approaches, and a keen focus on customer-centred solutions to the venture. Tricia has coached and mentored hundreds of professionals, making her a trusted advisor to many in the community.

Meg Allan

Co-Founder, Chair
Meg brings a decade of experience in community-facing roles and a deep understanding of sustainable regional development. With expertise in community building, sustainable practices, and systems thinking, Meg offers fresh perspectives and a commitment to meeting the needs of her community. Meg currently works with ACRE’s rejuvenation team, is on the Board of Gippsland Community Foundation and a Youth Advisory panel member for the Social Enterprise World Forum.