My name is Katrina and at the beginning of 2024 I set up a not-for-profit Community Bush Playgroup at the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve. Since this time, we have grown to cater to over 80 families across Geelong and the Bellarine, and we continue to grow. We are called Wildflower Kids, registered with Playgroups Victoria and meet every Monday, Tuesday and Friday of the school term from 9:30am-11:00am at local bushland reserves. Additionally we have a fortnightly family explorer group on weekends. We are unique in that every session, whatever the weather, we meet outdoors in a beautiful nature space. Groups run regularly at local nature reserves as well as sessions at the beach, marine sanctuaries and Botanic Gardens. Playgroups are facilitated by volunteers, and overseen by a registered Inclusive Practice Primary School Teacher with a background in environmental research, while children are supervised by their families. We always begin with a Welcome Circle and Acknowledgement of Country. There is a theme and activity each week and children are encouraged to engage with this or choose their own free play. Free play resources available include muddy play, cubby/den building, sensory natural materials and plant and animal ID. We finish every session with a story and a snack. We are an inclusive playgroup organisation, and all families are welcome. Playgroups run in any weather except when a reserve is deemed unsafe. When required we have an indoor option available with our Auspice - Bellarine Community and Training Hub. There is an increasing body of evidence highlighting the value of child-led play particularly in the outdoors. There is also research on the benefits of nature-based playgroups for new parents, specifically their sense of wellbeing. Our playgroups address both these needs in our community through play-based activities, which incorporate life skills such as bush craft, fine and gross motor experiences, and observations of the world around us. We collaborate with other community groups. We link in with local Friends and Environment groups. We partner with Feed Me Bellarine, a charity which saves food waste from landfill and provides our fruit and snacks each week. All food scraps from our sessions are composted with Bellarine Scraps and Compost. As a not-for-profit with multiple groups, we rely on the generous donations of organisations in the community. At this point in time, we are looking to expand our offerings by becoming a registered not for profit and providing additional sessions to cater to a wider range of families with a greater diversity of programs.