The Bush Boardroom

16/01/2026

Very cool piece by RNZ featuring our Waitākere Bush Boardroom location at Velskov native forest farm.

This could be the location of your next team strategy day or leadership retreat!

26/12/2025

Need a natural fix for a chesty cough? Take a handful of kanuka, steep in boiling water for 5-10 mins and add a teaspoon of manuka honey 🌿

This power plant offers respiratory support, is anti-inflammatory, anti microbial, aids in digestion, relaxation and skin health!

21/12/2025

I think we had at least as much fun as PAUA Architects facilitating a bush shelter building activity the other week!

No time for designing as the teams were given a simple brief to create a waterproof shelter for 1 (with a time limit)

Good old fashioned fun 🌿👏

15/12/2025

Cheers to the team at PAUA Architects who chose The Bush Boardroom for their Christmas get together this year!

On Friday we hosted the team for a day in nature which involved a waterfall walk, some bush ‘architecture’ fun, an immersive feast and cocktail making using native ingredients.

The day started with cinnamon scrolls and ended with Pohutakawa gin cocktails, which the team aptly named the ‘Pohuta-Paua’ - love it!

We have a handful of companies lined up to come and experience the magic of a nature retreat for their 2026 planning…but there’s still some availability so we’d to hear from you!

04/12/2025

Check out this wee chap all puffed and proud at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari during a Bush Boardroom session. Turn up the volume and enjoy the bird song 🎵

04/12/2025

27/11/2025

This time last week I had the priviledge of spending two days Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari with the Maisey Harris & Co team, hosting them for their annual strategy planning retreat.

They told me afterwards that the fresh air, natural light and all the green made for a really creative and productive session. Usually, they would struggle in the afternoon with the slump, but there was a noticeable absence of that slump out in the forest.

Thanks for choosing the Bush Boardroom!

27/10/2025

Wow. What an incredible two days hosting Sentinel Homes Waikato once again for their team retreat at our Southern Coromandel Bush Boardroom.

Highlights were many, but hearing Abbas Nazzari speak was powerful and inspiring.

Great to have Josh Cox from Yellow Umbrella coaching back running through strengths with the crew.

And Cam from Elemental Coaching run through a breathwork session in the forest, followed by a waterfall cold plunge.

Always love having this crew of 18 out - it’s extra special since they built this majestic 5.5metre long Bush Boardroom table last October 🌿

Thanks for your support 🙏

14/10/2025

09/10/2025

Sometimes you hear a quote that so deeply distills into your being that it sticks.

A few years ago, I learned about a psychologist called Ram Dass, and I’m sharing his words for mental health awareness week, as they just seem so fitting.

“When you go out into the woods, and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever.

And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree.

The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying ‘You are too this, or I’m too this.’ That judgment mind comes in.

And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.” 🌿

29/09/2025

Steve Jobs was onto a lot of things, one of those things that I pricked my ears up was his walking meetings.

He knew that walking unlocks the brain.

Research shows walking increases creative output by 60%.

It's not just in the movement though. It's the change of environment.

When you move your meeting from four walls to the forest:

Cortisol (stress hormone) drops
BDNF or Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (brain fertiliser, basically) increases
Default mode network activates (divergent or creative thinking)

Our biggest challenges aren't boardroom problems. They're human problems. And humans think better in motion. Outside, preferably.

24/09/2025

Throwback and gratitude post all in one!

This one is for Sentinel Homes Waikato.

One of the most awesome teams I've had the privilege of spending time with in nature, and one of the first teams to come out to the very first Bush Boardroom at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.

Shout out to Nate Alley, who saw the potential and value in bringing his team out into nature - so much so that he offered his team to build us a bigger boardroom table in a new location, to accommodate his growing team!

Loved hosting this team (photo 1) at Maungatautari a few years ago, and again at the INCREDIBLE 5.5m long table they built that launched our Southern Coromandel venue (photo 2).

Can't wait to catch up with the team again when they come out to our newest venue (that they built) in October 🌿