We’ve combined our areas of expertise to bring you a unique retreat experience.
meet the team
Edward Fernon
Owner
- CEO of Belong Capital & Freedom Development Group.
- 2 x Olympian in the Modern Pentathlon (London 2012, Tokyo 2020)
- Winner of the World’s Longest Horse Race (Mongol Derby, 2017)
- Summited Aconcagua the highest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere (2016)
- Completed a 5-week 1000km horse ride from Braidwood to Melbourne as an ambassador for the Black Dog Institute (2012).
- Bachelor of Commerce (Finance & Economics)- Sydney University
- Master of Commerce – Sydney University
Ed
Craig
Craig Schuetrumpf
CEO and Retreat Director
- IT specialist with expertise in R&D, software/hardware and service development
- Has developed graphics technology for Commodore, Atari, Polaroid, Pixar and Apple
- A founder of Quickcut that later became Adstream – a broadcast delivery business that spans 33 counties and employs over 500 people
- Active in capital raising and development of successful teams – responsible for several successful technology business acquisitions and mergers both in the APAC region as well as in the USA and UK/Europe
- Involved in several successful SAS start-ups and established businesses in the Creative Services, Recruitment, and people HR spaces
- Actively sat on several IT business boards ensuring successful R&D programs, service responsibility and governance
- CEO of Snaphop, a leader in HR and Recruitment careers automation in the APAC region
- A practicing Buddhist, and for many years Director of a Meditation and Retreat Centre
Melissa Parker
Retreat Manager
Melissa has lived and worked locally in the Blue Mountains for most of her life.
An accomplished horse trainer, rider and instructor, she has worked in many of the popular tourist destinations including the Kanimbla and Megalong Valley.
Offering comprehensive riding retreats with visiting teachers and accomodation, she has coordinated everything from complex event schedules through to catering and all activities.
She has an ability to ensure that any event runs well and every participant has an unforgettable experience – her attention to detail and ability to coordinate all logistics ensures events run perfectly to plan.
She creates ‘experiences’ and looks forward to working with you and your group to ensure your visit to Brightlands is a happy and unforgettable one.
Mel
Julie
Julie
Spa Consultant
Julie is an internationally CIDESCO trained beauty therapist.
She has 12 yrs in the beauty industry building her career in all aspects of beauty & advanced skin treatments.
Throughout her career she continually updates her education & skills to keep on top of an ever changing industry.
Julie’s acute skills & professionalism are evident through years of experience working in both 5 star resorts in Noosa to Sydney medispa’s specialising in advanced skin treatments.
Her extremely high customer service & organisational skills ensures clients receive professional, quality treatments in in tranquil , relaxed environment.
Charlotte
Naturopath and Healer
Charlotte is a Naturopath BHSc , Death Doula and a Shamanic Practitioner. Since her twenties, Charlotte has travelled the world and sat with various teachers. She has studied and practises hands on healing, Ayurvedic Medicine, Counselling, Naturopathy, Sound Healing, Death Literacy and Shamanic Energy Medicine. Charlotte has been initiated into the Inkan lore of Shamanic Energy Medicine via the Four Winds Society, and is continuing her learning of this scared wisdoms as she continues to sit with Altomesayoqs, descendants of the Inka Shamans, of the Andes. Charlotte comes from a matriarchal ancestry of ancient Norse shamanism, both Swedish and Finnish, and whilst her own mother was not able to teach her particular practises, her mother set the framework for Animism and Mythological perception in Charlotte’s upbringing. As such, Charlotte is able with the framework of Inkan lore, to weave in aspects of Norse shamanism in her practices as well.
Charlotte’s natural lenience is towards shadow work, she uses her experience and knowledge to guide persons, who come and see her, in their own internal landscape. Charlotte is a mythological map reader, and whilst she may have the tools and wisdom to locate and unravel blockages that are causing imbalances in a person, her methods support the person to be the hero of their own journey. She may point the way, but it is the individual who is accountable for the work, and who alchemises their own wisdom and medicine from their own trauma and or shadow side. Charlotte complements her practises with Herbal Medicine, Bush Flower Essences and dietary advice. She understands that in order to upgrade one’s consciousness, one needs to ensure good physical foundations for the ‘work’ to take place.
Charlotte
Ally
Ally Mosher
Design Coordinator
Ally is a born and bred Blue Mountains girl, growing up just ‘down the hill’ from where Brightlands Retreat now sits.
After completing a Certificate III Commercial Arts (Graphic Design) with CATC (now part of Billy Blue) and a Diploma of Interactive Digital Media with Qantm College, Ally began work as a graphic and web designer. In 2015, after five years as a full time designer, Ally began a freelance career.
Career highlights have included designing collateral for the Public Health Palliative Care conference in Brighton, UK, the Happiness and its Causes conference in Darling Harbour (which had the honour of hosting the Dalai Lama), ongoing work for luxury timepiece designer and manufacturer Christian Paul, and work for various non-profits and community organisations including animal rescues and disability services providers.
Working with Brightlands Retreat has combined many of Ally’s loves: design, self-improvement, relaxation and, of course, the beautiful Blue Mountains.
visiting teachers
Geshe Ngawang Tsundu
At the age of 13 he ordained as a monk and studied Tibetan language, prayer memorisation and ritual practices.
At the age of 24 he took the Getsul (Sramanera) vow and at the age of 25 the Gelong (Bikshu) vow. He holds the status of a fully ordained monk.
He studied and completed the 3 year Dura (Elementary of logics) level, the 7 year Pharchin (Prajnaparamita) level, the 4 year Uma (Madhyamika) level, and reached the Dulwa-nyingpa (Vinaya III) level.
He was awarded the esteemed Geshe degree (Phd in Buddhist studies) after 27 years of monastic study.
He has qualified knowledge and extensive experience on many Gelug tradition Rituals/Puja ceremonies. He has studied and teaches sand Mandala designing and construction. He served as Sera Jey’s monasteries Ritual trumpeter for many years.
He has studied and traveled extensively through the Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia. He settled in Australia in 2018 and is now a permanent resident.
We are so fortunate to have Geshe Tsundu in the Blue Mountains – he is much respected and loved by the Tibetan and local community.
We pray that Geshela live long and make heartfelt requests that he continues to teach us.
Geshe Tsundu
Venerable Paldrön
Venerable Thubten Paldrön
Venerable Paldrön brings her experience of Buddhist Dharma practice which began in the mid 1970s at a Thai Forest monastery in NSW, Wat Buddha Dhamma.
Venerable Paldrön was ordained in the Mahayana tradition in 1999 and has spent time in communities in Italy, Queensland and Mexico, teaching and expanding her knowledge and practice.
We are very fortunate that she has been teaching in the Blue Mountains for some years now, integrating many years of Dharma teachings & practice with an emphasis on developing clarity & awareness.
