run by writers, for writers
5% of all Olvar Wood profits are donated to the The Wilderness Society.
All other profits are invested back into the environment and the writing community through maintaining, improving and preserving the natural assets of Olvar Wood, and not-for-profit programs such as:
- The Olvar Wood Fellowship Award;
- The Perilous Adventures Short Story Competition;
- The Perilous Adventures writers newsletter;
- The Writers Book Club.
Olvar Wood is a Land For Wildlife property.
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT OLVAR?
Every writer needs time to refresh their passion for their work, to relax and let go of all the noise that gets in the way of writing. At Olvar Wood Writers Retreat, we provide you with the time, space and support you need to reinvigorate your writing.
We offer a range of retreats and courses run by writers, for writers, and designed to help you relax and enjoy your writing, to focus on your current project, and gain honest and supportive one-on-one feedback from professional, experienced writers and mentors.
*Olvar Wood Writers Retreat is a privately owned and operated business with a focus on providing high quality, personalised and ethically sound support for writers, designed and delivered by writers.
Perilous Adventures was founded in 2007 by Kris Olsson and nike bourke to provide personalised and meaningful support to writers, particularly through our unique mentorship and manuscript appraisal services.
In 2008, inga simpson became part of the Perilous Adventures team.
Olvar Wood Writers Retreat was established in 2008 by nike bourke and inga simpson to supplement the services offered by Perilous Adventures by offering residential retreats and courses.
In 2009, Perilous Adventures and Olvar Wood were merged into a single entity.
Inga and nike's goals in establishing Olvar Wood are:
- To establish and maintain an ethical, environmentally sustainable writing business that is efficient, flexible and human
- To nurture and support Australian, particularly Queensland, writers and writing
- To provide a peaceful, natural, creative environment for writers
- To develop a writers' retreat that is more than just a physical space: a retreat that is also a source of inspiration for the national and statewide community of writers
- To preserve, maintain, and improve the natural setting of Olvar Wood for future generations.
Why Olvar?
"But the Kelvar can flee or defend themselves, whereas the Olvar that grow cannot.
And among these I hold trees dear" (from Tolkein's Silmarillion)
Olvar is the elvish word for the plants and plant-life in Tolkein's Silmarillion. After Yavanna's husband Aule created the fathers of the dwarves, she became concerned for the fate of both the kelvar (animals) and olvar (plants). When she spoke of her fears to Manwe, he revealed that Eru intended that spirits should be sent to dwell among some of the olvar and protect them. These protective spirits were the ents.
We chose this name for our writers' retreat because we share Yavanna's concern for the living things that cannot protect themselves - both Olvar and Kelvar. One of our goals in establishing Olvar Wood Writers Retreat is to preserve the natural bushland and its inhabitants for future generations, while also providing a peaceful haven for those humans who write.
Olvar Wood Writers Retreat. Queensland, Australia