Wanderlust Festival: The Ultimate Mindful Living Festival Downunder This Summer
Two huge celebrations at breath-taking venues will offer unforgettable yoga, awesome music, intriguing speakers,
delicious organics, eco-living, outdoor adventure and more:
Wanderlust Great Lake Taupo
Wairakei Resort, Taupo, New Zealand
Thursday January 29th – Sunday February 1st
Wanderlust Cockatoo Island
Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour, NSW Australia
Friday February 20th – Sunday February 22nd
Wanderlust Festival, the fast-growing global yoga lifestyle event, follows-up its hugely successful 2014 downunder launch series in
Melbourne, Auckland and Sydney with multi-day summer festivals to be held in two of Australasia’s most stunning and
unique resorts.
These one-of-a-kind getaways will be held in the height of the 2015 southern hemisphere summer and are expected to
attract over 10,000 attendees who will experience transformative yoga, adventurous outdoor activities, organic dining by
renowned chefs and sustainable brands, local wines, craft beers, family fun, art, live music and a thought-provoking
speakeasy series.
The Wanderlust series begins in Great Lake Taupo, New Zealand (Jan 29 – Feb 1), at the iconic Wairakei Thermal Resort – luxuriously set amidst soaring volcanic peaks, healing geothermals, bush-clad
hills, the country’s best hiking and mountain bike trails, the dramatic Huka Falls and Australasia’s largest fresh water
lake.
Three weeks later the series concludes on Cockatoo Island Sydney, NSW Australia (Feb 20 – 22). Situated on the world famous Sydney Harbour, this heritage listed island steeped in Aussie history is newly gentrified
and the perfect spot for an innovative festival. An island oasis amidst Australia’s biggest city, Cockatoo Island is the
ideal place to “find your true north” with Wanderlust.
Wanderlust Downunder festival director Jonnie Halstead says Wanderlust is very excited and proud to partner with these
amazing venues for the festival.
“The Taupo District Council and Wairakei Resort in New Zealand, plus the truly unique Cockatoo Island managed by the
Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, now join a glamorous list of some of the world’s most renowned resorts that have hosted
Wanderlust including places like Aspen, Whistler and O’ahu,” Halstead says.
“Wanderlust is an opportunity to grow the mindful living community and to help the like-minded connect with nature and
each other,” he says. “The magical places where Wanderlust is held have inspired us to continually innovate in terms of
how people can work harmoniously with nature in these spaces.
“We look forward to bringing people together to celebrate, exchange ideas and experience the best things in life."
The multi-day retreats will gather together yoga enthusiasts, families, foodies and mindful adventurers for an
unforgettable getaway. Wanderlusters can stay onsite either in four-star hotel accommodation, “glamping” tents or they
can choose to stay with the plethora of accommodation offerings just a short shuttle bus [in Taupo] or ferry ride [in
Sydney] away.
Attendees can practice yoga from renowned instructors, take in live music from some of today’s best conscious artists,
attend inspiring lectures, venture into outdoor activities such as hiking, paddle-boarding, mountain biking, and indulge
in organic delicacies. An impressive line-up of both local and international talent will bring together the conscious
community in one life-changing celebration.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Festival highlights:
YOGA—Hit the mat with world-renowned yoga instructors encompassing a vast variety of yoga styles and personal tastes.
The New Zealand line-up features big international names such as: Ana Forest, Eoin Finn, Kerri Kelly, Suzanne Sterling, Tiffany Cruikshank and Cameron Shayne join Australasia’s ownDuncan Peak, Claudine & Honza Lafond, Mark Whitwell, Nikki Ralston, Kara-Leah Grant and more. Sydney’s full announcement will follow shortly, there is some exciting talent coming on-board with the finer
details being confirmed as we send this.
Dedicated yogis right through to beginners have three options for tickets: full festival ‘Sage’ passes, 3 day ‘Seeker’
passes or chose any combination of single-days with a ‘Pilgrim’ pass. These will go on-sale via wanderlust.com in late August – early September once the full event schedule is released. These tickets provide full access across the
entire schedule of events (accommodation, food and beverage, and third party adventure activities are additional).
MUSIC – Jam out with conscious artists like Xavier Rudd, Nahko & Medicine for the People, Nightmares on Wax (DJset), The Twoks and the yoga disco beats of DJ HyFi. Local support includes big names like Sola Rosa, DJ Spragga, Dick Johnson, Aroha, Anna Coddington and Esther Stephens to name a few. Sydney’s full announcement will follow shortly, with some amazing surprises in store for the Aussie
crowds.
NATURE - Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages will delight in the full range of adventurous activities, which offer spectacular
views such as explorative hikes, adventure runs, and destination biking, SUP yoga and even meditative rafting.
TALKS - Attendees will be inspired by the Speakeasy series, a lecture programme featuring today's most mindful business and
spiritual thought leaders: Dr Libby, former lululemon Atheltica Australasia head-honcho Alexie O’Brien, vanguard artist Matteo Charles, global photographer Pete Longworth and internationally recognised meditation teacher Swami Govindananda and many more.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS - A collection of imaginative activities like AcroYoga, hooping, suspension yoga, and slacklining will be available. Daily
family yoga classes will be offered, allowing kids of all ages to learn and practice yoga alongside their parents.
For more information and tickets please visit: www.wanderlustfestival.com.
Meet the Festival Directors
Wanderlust partner Yoga Events Australia New Zealand LTD is the events company of NZ-born Jonnie Halstead who has an
extensive background in large-scale events and music festivals, while his wife Jacque Halstead is a yoga teacher of
eight years who hails from the United States’ Pacific Northwest.
After hearing about and taking part in a Wanderlust Festival overseas, the couple was inspired to bring the festival
down under. Now Jacque and Jonnie’s two worlds truly marry with the fusion of yoga and music events.
The pair also have backgrounds in the hospitality and tourism industries. As nature lovers, greenies at heart and
parents of a young family, this empowered couple sees Wanderlust Downunder becoming an event series that attracts yogis,
music lovers, eco warriors and families alike.
About Wanderlust
Wanderlust Festival, LLC is a producer of large-scale lifestyle festival events focusing on yoga, music and wellness.
Its flagship festival, Wanderlust, was first launched in Squaw Valley, California in 2009 and hasalready become the
largest multi-day yoga event in the world as well as a significant player in the larger US festival market. The company
was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between Velour Music Group,an artist management company and event producer based
in New York City, C3 Presents and Starr Hill Presents, event producers responsible for the top music festival brands in
the country, including AustinCity Limits Festival, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and Outside Lands. For more information,
please visit www.wanderlustfestival.com.
FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/WanderlustFestivalAustralia or http://www.facebook..com/WanderlustFestivalNZ
ENDS