Tiahni Adamson's happy place

After spending time in my happy place, I no longer feel separated from nature – this ‘other me’ that modern life builds up dissolves. I go back to being one with Country.

Located an hour south of Adelaide on the unceded lands of the Kaurna people, Onkaparinga National Park and its waterways is my happy place in the bush.

At Onkaparinga Gorge, I slow everything down. I sit by its still water and practise what my Aunties and Elders taught me, “You have to let the animals get comfortable with you first, rather than always moving, wait for them to come towards you.” After a period of stillness, birds, lizards, wallabies and, at the right time of year, Monarch Butterflies appear. I’m grateful for their soft and welcoming company, as I hope they are mine.

Where freshwater meets the sea, energy builds. The smell of salt dominates, darting gulls move in and out of my peripherals, and waves curl against the tide.

Now more than ever, people who care for Country and conservation are experiencing bouts of compassion fatigue and burnout. I combat this by spending time in my happy place, where I find connection, rest, reflection, rejuvenation and joy – restorative tools needed for the work to keep Country healthy and protected.

Then there’s the river. Watched by old River Red Gums, I glide along the freshwater on my stand-up paddle board. The speed of my thoughts reflects the intentional dipping of my oar. I catch flashes of my silhouette, mirrored by the murky water that eventually runs clear as I edge closer to the ocean.

Tiahni Adamson is a proud descendant of the Kaurareg Nations, a wildlife biologist, the 2024 Young South Australian of the Year, and has joined Bush Heritage as the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Manager. Keep your ears peeled for Tiahni as the host of our Big Sky Country podcast’s next chapter, to be released later this year.