Friendly Beaches Family Ties
Over the past four seasons, Joan has been delighted to welcome her grandson, Isaac, into the fold! We sat down with Isaac to chat about family, Friendly Beaches and a shared love of swimming.
Film photography taken by Isaac on his first trip guiding with the Freycinet Experience Walk!
What does it mean to you, to be sharing the Freycinet Experience with others?
I have a very personal connection to the Freycinet Peninsula. Because Joan, my grandmother, has been operating there for almost thirty years. I've been visiting my entire life and have developed a real connection to the land and the property.
Since I began guiding, I've developed a deeper understanding of how the place and project came to be, and what it stands for. Because of my time at the Friendly Beaches Lodge and the stories that I've heard over the years from Joan, I feel like I have a unique perspective and understanding. Sharing that perspective feels like I am sharing something very personal about my grandmother and her history, and I'm always amazed by how interested and receptive our guests are. That interest highlights to me what a beautiful and unique place Friendly Beaches is and deepens my respect for Joan and her journey to make it become what it is.
Do you have any special memories of your time on the Peninsula?
For me, every moment on Friendly Beaches is special.
The moments seem to blur all into one big memory, but when I think of the beach, I think of days spent basking in the sun. Cool windy days walking with guests to the Friendly Beaches Lodge spotting hooded plovers with their funny walk; or the last stretch of the Bluestone Bay Day when your legs in a rhythm from three days of walking, you've just swam at the southern end of Friendly Beaches and the sun is warming your shoulders as you walk barefooted home, knowing that your lodge hosts have something special waiting for you when you arrive.
The cold water and the white sand is ingrained in my memory and something I really look forward to experiencing again and again.
Tell us what if feels like to take some time at the Friendly Beaches Lodge!
Being at the Friendly Beaches Lodge feels like an oasis from the real world.
Joan definitely holds a presence there with her amazing array of art which we've been jokingly instructed to salvage in case of a bushfire! But what really makes the place feel like an oasis is the wonderful staff who work there. Having staff members who are so passionate about what they do is infectious and when you are in the lodge, you can't help but embrace those passions.
You feel apart from the modern world, removed from your day to day concerns and focused and immersed in the natural world around you. The outstanding architecture emphasizes your proximity to nature through tin roofs and open windows. There's not a room in the lodge where you can't see or hear nature and that feels embedded in the staff's and company's ideology. There's no traffic and electricity humming. You walk into the cool shade of the kunzea and you can rest for a moment before continuing on you way.
What is your favourite thing to do on the Peninsula?
My favourite thing to do on the Freycinet Peninsula is to swim. My second favourite thing to do is to encourage others to take a dip! The water is so cold and so fresh it's like a blast to the senses. I know I'm not selling it very well now (and it's my job to do so) but a swim on the Freycinet Peninsula is like 4 shots of coffee. You feel awake and reborn as you walk out of the surf and collapse for a moment in the Tasmanian sun. It's also amazing to see how people confront the water; some slowly and dignified and some with sprints and yelps!
We only have one rule on the Freycinet Peninsula and that is that to call it a swim you must dunk your head underwater three times. Sometimes (but not often!) it can be harder than you think but after the third, you get the full Freycinet Experience. And, you never regret a swim!
How do you see Joan's vision for the project operating today?
Not much has changed in the past thirty years on the Freycinet Peninsula and as such Joan's vision has stayed very much on track. This has been done through her and our manager's commitments to hiring staff that align with her vision; staff that are passionate and knowledgeable about Tasmania, its flora and fauna and what it has to offer. The Lodge hasn't changed nor has Joan's commitment to making you feel at home away from home while showing you the beauty that our little corner of the globe has to offer.
What does the Freycinet Experience Family look like to you?
At Freycinet Experience, we extend the notion of family to both our team and guests. We all have a shared commitment to Joan’s values and vision and it’s really great to see how our guests join us in our enthusiasm for the place as well! As a guide, there’s something quite special about watching a group form and bond. Our small groups of guests, from all walks of life, meet in Hobart as strangers, and by the end of their four-day experience, we all leave as friends.
When you go on a walking trip with a group of strangers you can feel all kinds of things, and as a guide, I've seen some of those emotions in guests. Be it nerves at the prospect of trying something different or shyness around a group of strangers. But being outdoors together on this beautiful Peninsula, sitting around a candlelit dinner for a spectacular meal, the conversations by the fire or a late night games of cards, fosters a real and deep connection. The Friendly Beaches Lodge is an escape where you leave all your problems in Hobart and come to your senses, making friendships and connections along the way.
Anything else you would like to share with our community?
Freycinet Experience Walk is a truly unique experience and I can't wait to share it with you. If you would like to hear more about it and our wonderful team, feel free to give me a call on +61 3 6223 7565*.
*You can find Isaac both in the office and on the track!
Film photography taken by Isaac on his first trip guiding with the Freycinet Experience Walk!
