Courtney Prete
About Courtney
Courtney has been inspiring women to kickstart their journey into archery & the outdoors through her outdoor archery camps and retreats! Creating a safe place for women to learn and cultivate their archery and outdoor skills. With a passion for bringing women together, a vast knowledge of archery and the game rich environment of Australia, these retreats truly are a once in a lifetime experience. You can expect not only to leave years ahead in your journey to becoming a bow hunter, but with a sense of empowerment whilst gaining connections and forming friendships with other like minded women!
Retreat Experience
What to Expect
Transport once arrived in SYD
Lodging in our cozy mountain view cabin
All meals, coffee, and tea
Bow tuning and bow knowledge shared courtesy of Bowhunting Only
Archery fundamentals to help increase your archery skills
Group hunts with multiple shot opportunities on goats and boars
Butchery and break down of animals
Caping demonstration
Personal growth and journaling workbook
An in town beach/jetty fishing day followed by collective dinner outing
Take home swag bag
Location
The hunting property is located approximately 3.5 hours from Sydney (International / Domestic Airport) with hunts being conducted on a free ranging cattle station. The station spreads across 4000 acres in the midst of the picturesque Liverpool Mountain range. Due to proper land management the area is a game rich environment. There will be no shortage of kangaroo sightings, wombats roaming about, and if you are lucky the sighting of one of the most iconic and underrated Australian animals; the Echidna. You may even get a visit from the resident Goanna. You will be lodging in a cozy two bedroom cabin overlooking the mountain range. The wrap around porch is favorited by many to sit and have a morning coffee. Hammocks are spread around for those who want a place of solitude to rest, meditate, or even keep a journal about your many adventures shared during your stay.
Hunting Experience
For the women archer ready to take there skill to the next level, to the already established bow hunter ready to gain more experience, this retreat is sure to provide you with a wealth of knowledge and adventure. For those of you new to hunting we will take the time to walk you through the step by step process so you can confidently send your first arrow towards your target animal. For the more seasoned hunters; repetition is key to becoming a proficient hunter. Gaining more experience and skill by doing, this retreat provides you with the daily opportunity to learn and grow. Walk into this experience with the basic knowledge of archery and walk out as a bowhunter with skills and confidence for life!@
Growth and Connection:
This retreat is not only to help women grow their passions of bowhunting and the outdoors, but to bring women together, making lasting connections & friendships. Through the week our goal is for you to grow in self confidence, and rediscover a strength inside of you that promotes growth in all areas of your life. Finding a tribe of women who will walk with you and encourage you in and out of this experience.
Karla Pound
About Karla
Karla’s passion for outback Australia has taken her on some wild adventures throughout her career as a Naturalist and has lead her to a love of primitive living. Working closely with indigenous mobs in the Northern Territory and the Kimberley she specialises in bush tucker and medicine. Karla is currently working abroad as an Expedition Leader with National Geographic in New Zealand, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Antarctica. Karla’s mission is to reconnect people with nature through her love of flora and fauna and the outdoors
If you are interested in re-wilding and getting back to your ancestral roots. To reconnect with nature and to live off the land. All while helping eradicate invasive species here in Australia. A safe space for women to come together in nature, to learn primitive skills and put them into action all while being supported and encouraged by like minded women, then this retreat is for you!
Retreat Experience
What to Expect
-Transport once arrived in Merriwa NSW
-Lodging in our cozy mountain view cabin
-All Meals, coffee, and tea
-Bow tuning and bow knowledge shared by the owners of Bowhunting Only
-Archery fundamentals to help increase your archery skills
-For those who are ready, group hunts with multiple shot opportunities on goats and boars
-Survival skills
-Butchery and break down of animals
-Caping demonstration
Survival Skills
-Fire by friction
-Wild bush foods
-Bush Medicine
-How to find water
-Make string/bush twine from bark
-How to tell compass direction without a compass
-Navigation using the night sky
-Snake bite first aid
The Property
The hunting property is located approximately 3.5 hours from Sydney (International / Domestic Airport) our hunts are conducted on a free ranging cattle station. The ranch spreads across 4000 acres in the midst of a picturesque mountain range. Due to proper land management the land is filled with a game rich environment. There will be no shortage of kangaroo sightings, Wombats roaming about, and if you are lucky the sighting of one of the most iconic and underrated Australian animals ; the Echidna. You may even get a visit from the resident Goanna. You will be lodging in a cozy two bedroom cabin overlooking the mountain range. The wrap around porch is favorited by many to sit and have their morning coffee. Hammocks are spread around for those who want a place of solitude to rest, meditate, or even keep a journal about your many adventures shared during your stay.
The Hunting Experience
Please note that after target practice, it will be at the guide’s discretion of when they feel you are ready to hunt. The guides may have you tag along with others that are more experienced to observe before hunting yourself. The welfare of the animals and safety of all people involved is our priority. Please respect the guides decision as it is in the best interest of all. It is our aim to have you trained, competent and have a successful hunt by the end of the retreat. However, everyone learns at their own pace so please bear that in mind. We encourage you to practice shooting targets before the retreat to advance your progress. This can be done at at local archery range close to your home. Or you can purchase a bow kit before hand and practice leading up to the retreat.