After Living in Grace in Australia, one of the first events of Australia’s Conference was an excursion. Plan A was to be a trip to a local look out called Moonlight Crag, but the roads were mostly washed out and precarious to travel. The trip to Luke’s Farm was Plan B.

Luke’s Farm was established in 1911, when Luke O’Reilly, along with his two brothers and five cousins came to Queensland from the Blue Mountain area in New South Wales. They took up their Government land selections on Roberts Plateau, high in the steep rain forest covered ranges now known as Lamington National Park. After years of struggle, they established small farms. Today, Luke’s family’s property covers 125 hectares and is situated next to world heritage listed rain forest. It runs beef cattle and is used as mountain retreat for nature lovers.

We were transported from O’Reilly’s in several vans. After driving a while through the sub-topical rainforest we emerged out on to Roberts Plateau. Stunning views of the Great Dividing Range surrounded us everywhere: the valley below was framed by ranges of purple-hued mountains marching back towards the horizon and several long and delicate waterfalls sliced their triumphant way through the exquisite scenery. There was so much to look at, even up in the bright sunny sky amazing white clouds formed, reformed and striated along high altitude winds.
After disembarking, one was compelled to look out and take in the magnificence of this ancient land. People gravitated towards the edges of the plateau, some pondering the age, history and all that had come before us. And some were contemplating the next meal.

The meal served for supper at Luke’s Farm was Damper accompanied with butter and honey and cups of billy tea. Damper is simple bread made from flour and water baked on a campfire’s ashes and billy tea is black tea brewed over a campfire in a metal tin. This tradition started well over a century ago by Australian drovers or stockmen and is enjoyed by locals and tourists on special occasions.

The consumption of warm sweet food brought about a festive atmosphere. The spell-binding trance created by the purple hued mountains was temporarily broken as conversation and laughter picked up. It was then that I realised new people had come to join us for Conference, after LIG. I also realised that this communal feeding with the Traveler was providing us with another form of sustenance.
After supper, everyone had the opportunity to drift back in to their sylph-like trance offered by the environment or commune with each other. Spirit was present in the form of joy, beauty, peace and the Mystical Traveler. Several people, including myself, took the opportunity to do s.e’s.

After being photographed by David Sand, John Morton did a live Moment of Peace. Soon after, as the daylight started to fade, someone asked John to plant a Light column. He agreed. We then gathered as a group of Lightbearers with our backs to the sunset as John anchored a powerful and glorious Light column with a blessing that extends throughout all time and universes. It was a grand closure to an excursion full of grace and majesty.