We acknowledge that Silver Wattle is on Ngambari/ Ngunnawal Country and that sovereignty was never ceded. You can read about our policy in relation to First Nations People here.
Silver Wattle aims to be a safe place for people of all ages, and upholds the Quakers Australian Child Protection Policy and National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
Our Purpose
Silver Wattle is a Quaker Centre promoting social and religious education, and preparation for witness and service. Our mission is to bring healing & inspiration into this difficult & precious world by sharing Quaker tradition, contemplative practices & supporting prophetic witness in seekers of all faiths & none.
Silver Wattle offers:
a refuge from a busy and troubled world
a peaceful 1000 hectare property overlooking Weerewa (Lake George) close to Canberra, accessible by train from Sydney & beyond.
an ideal venue for small courses & conferences, groups or personal retreats with meeting facilities, individual rooms & camping options
a large reference library with Quaker writings and an eclectic selection of books from a range of faith and cultural traditions
a safe location for confidential meetings
a warm & welcoming space for people of all faiths & none
a place of natural beauty offering extensive walks, a labyrinth, sacred fire circle & other dedicated areas for reflection
a contemplative environment, with an opportunity of a daily rhythm
somewhere to listen to ourselves, others & the wisdom of the land.
For more information Contact us
A place for rest and contemplation
“True godliness doesn’t turn men out of the world,
but enables them to live better in it,
and excites their endeavours to mend it.”
What we do
Learning
Courses. Our weekend and week-long courses combine the spiritual and the secular, and are offered throughout the year. Click here for the current offerings.
Library. Our reference library has an extensive collection of historic and contemporary Quaker writings, as well as an eclectic selection of books from a range of faith and cultural traditions
Community living. Our visitors are welcome to participate in Silver Wattle's daily worship and work routine. This might include learning new skills by accompanying those who work with land care, animals and food production, or assisting with food harvesting and preservation in the garden and kitchen.
Personal or Group Retreats
We offer space for:
self-managed reflection, silence and conversation in community
facilitated group-retreats of discussion, conversation and silence
seekers of solitude. Our simple caravan is set apart from (but is very much part of) the community
Healing
Silver Wattle offers visitors the opportunity for individual (re)connection with country and with self.
We invite you to slow down, take time and make time to watch wildlife and landscape; to eat good fresh food to fuel bushwalks on tracks and trails and the lakeside labyrinth; to write, paint, sew, sculpt; to restore, renew and refresh.
A Brief History of Silver Wattle
Silver Wattle was established as a sheep grazing property in the late 1800s. In 1995 it was sold, and a small conference centre established to provide outdoor activities and team-building exercises for community and corporate groups. The property then became the home of St Joseph House of Prayer, a Catholic community.
In 2009, Australia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (we're better known by our less formal names - Quakers or Friends) leased the property for a trial two years to offer courses and retreats. By mid-2010, it was clear to many Friends not only that such a centre was needed for Quakers and others, but there was also a strong leading that Silver Wattle was the right place.
A new company, Silver Wattle Quaker Centre Ltd., was formed in 2010 to purchase the property and operate the centre, and funds were raised by an appeal for donations and loans among Quakers. Silver Wattle came into our hands and under our care on 30 September 2011.