Conservation Groups Sydney

Unhurried Conversations - Saturday

Bring yourself along, we explain how it works.

Bushcare at Bressington Park 🌳 - Human Hearted Sydney 🌻

Human Hearted Sydney is committed to contributing to our community. We are planning to participate in Strathfield Council’s Bushcare program, which involves volunteers helping with bushland maintenance and restoration, or simply focusing on rubbish removal in public parks. Details at [https://www.strathfield.nsw.gov.au/Participate/Bushcare](https://www.strathfield.nsw.gov.au/Participate/Bushcare) The next event in this program is on Saturday September 5 from 9:00am to 12 midday at Bressington Park. Volunteers meet at the Bressington Park car park. The registration page is at [https://events.humanitix.com/2026-strathfield-council-bushcare-program](https://events.humanitix.com/2026-strathfield-council-bushcare-program) Some of us will be volunteering that day, and we warmly invite others to volunteer with us. If you’d like to join us on this activity please register through the registration page at the url above, RSVP for this meetup and then post a comment here that you have registered. Then we’ll know who is coming and how many people to look out for. (Note - We don't know how many places are left for Saturday September 5 so register soon if you can) We hope to see you there.

The Righteous Mind

Paul Dale will be presenting on 'The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion' by Jonathan Haidt. The evening will include Q&A and open discussion as always. How does a conservative or a libertarian see the world differently to a leftist? And why are the political divisions becoming more intractable? In *The Righteous Mind. Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion,* moral psychologist Jonathan Haidt explains our the range of 'moral foundations' that all humans possess and how different combinations of these moral foundations create different perceptions of the world and each other. Haidt himself explains how, starting out as a left-liberal, he gradually came to understand the conservative mindset better through his research and to appreciate its viewpoints. He argues that through understanding the varieties of moral perception and how we naturally judge one another we can avoid the polarisation we now see growing and reach 'across the isle' to those we strongly disagree with. In doing so he also gives us a tour of the science of human nature, especially our moral dimensions. Join us for a talk and discussion afterward.

Capertee Campground Capertee National Park Car Camping

Unhurried Conversations - Sunday

Bring yourself, we will go over how Unhurried Conversations works.

South Head Walk 🚶‍♀️ - Human Hearted Sydney 🌻

**Event Summary:** Our monthly social event is going to be a walk around Watson’s Bay and the South Head Heritage trail. Interested in meeting new people ? Or refreshing existing friendships with members of our human hearted Sydney community? Or curious about what it means to be [Human Hearted](https://areomagazine.com/2022/05/05/a-human-hearted-modernity/)? Then why not come along and join us. This month we're planning a gentle scenic walk around Watson’s Bay and and along the South Head heritage trail as our our social event. The total distance shouldn't be more than about five kilometres and we'll be going at a gentle pace. The walk will include some great harbour views and pass by a lighthouse. Our goal is to enjoy the walk and the view, and socialise as we walk. **Connecting to our values:** This event is part of living out Human Hearted Sydney's values of positive social connection and building community in Sydney. So lets meet and connect with those we already know, and those we haven't met before. All are welcome to socialise, meet new people, and build friendships. **Meeting Point:** We'll meet at the land end of the Ferry Wharf at Watson's Bay, near the fish and chip shop there. The plan is to gather there at 11:00 and then do the walk. The walk should take about an hour and a half, and bring us back to our starting point. After the walk we'll look for a place for lunch. People are welcome to do the walk only, or also join us for lunch.

Data Centers, Technofeudalism & The Rise of the Surveillance State

**"Amazon is not a market; it's a fiefdom."** — Yanis Varoufakis **"AI is now infrastructure, just like electricity."** — Jensen Huang Massive data centers are spreading across the globe, consuming enormous amounts of energy while storing the information of billions. Who owns them?, who profits from them? and who benefits? Are they the infrastructure of progress or the foundations of a new **"Technofeudal"** order where privacy is extinct and surveillance is everywhere? **Join the discussion on our community** Discord [https://discord.gg/QSwa3PMzHy](https://discord.gg/QSwa3PMzHy)

🌲Bundanoon Day Out @ Morton NP - Fairy Bower Falls & lookouts 🌿🐦‍⬛🧘🧘‍♀️

🚗 Let’s explore Bundanoon in the Southern Highlands and Morton National Park. 🏞️ ⚠️ FOR YOUR SAFETY & ENJOYMENT, PLEASE READ DESCRIPTION BELOW FULLY BEFORE YOU CLICK ‘Attend’! 🏨 You may stay at a hotel, motel, holiday park, Airbnb, camping, glamping or any accommodation you fancy for the weekend to explore Bowral, Berrima, Mittagong, Sutton Forest, Bundanoon, Moss Vale, Robertson etc. 🏡 ******************************************** 🗓 DATE: Saturday, 5 September 2026. ⏰ MEETING TIME: 9.45am. 🅿️ MEETING POINT: Santi Forest Monastery, 100 Coalmines Rd, BUNDANOON NSW 2578 ℹ Refer website for exact location & info: https://santifm.org/santi/ 🥾 DISTANCE: Easy short walk at the monastery. 📸 WHAT TO EXPECT: 🧘‍♀️ Let’s enjoy the serenity at this peaceful monastery. You do not need to be Buddhist to visit the monastery. 🧘 You may participate in the meditation and/or discussion with the monks. ☕️ There is a daily lunch time service that takes place at 10:45am which anyone can participate in. 🥪 Please BYO packed lunch and any food, snacks or cash donation if you wish. ℹ️ Frequently Asked Questions: https://santiforestmonastery.org/faq/ 🚗 After spending time at the monastery, we will continue our exciting adventure at: 🥾 Fairy Bower Falls Walk & Lookouts - 6km return loop. 🅿️ MEETING POINT: 📍GPS coordinates: -34.67955, 150.30309 🚗 About 15 minutes drive from Santi Monastery. Refer photo maps no. 3 for driving directions. 🥾 GRADE: Moderate/slightly Hard on a steady pace, not snail pace! 💪🏽 Reasonable fitness recommended due to uneven rocky surfaces, ups and down hills, steep stairs, creek crossings, rock scramblings and a bit of bush bashing at few overgrown sections. 💪🏽 Tracks expected to be wet, muddy and slippery at few sections. 🚗 We may visit another lookouts nearby once we finish this exhilarating walk. ⚠️ IMPORTANT INFORMATION ⚠️ 📝 TERMS & DISCLAIMER: ℹ️ Attending this event is voluntarily at your own risk. Organiser/s accepts no liability of any kind including injuries, accidents, misadventure etc during and after this event. ℹ️ For full disclosure on Public Waiver, please refer to Meetup Terms and Conditions and the front page of this group on ‘About Us’. ✅ You must assess your own fitness and ability before participating in this event. ✅ You are responsible for looking after your own health, safety and belongings. ✅ You must adhere and follow the instructions from your organiser/s at all times during this event. ✅ You must take personal accountability for your own choices, actions and/or misadventure. ❎ If you’re not sticking with the group or getting lost during the walk, you’re responsible for finding your own way out. The group DO NOT wait for you! ✅ You must also take care not to put other people at risk. ✅ Keep well back from cliff edges at all times, especially when taking photos. ❎ NO facilities or cafes on the trails, so please come well prepared. ❎ NO smoking of any kind on the walk including during photo stops and lunch break. ❎ If you do not wish to be photographed (randomly or group photos), please DO NOT join this event! ❎ NO pets including service dogs are permitted on my events. You may join pet friendly walking group instead. ✅ Please be mindful and respectful to members and guest/s from diverse backgrounds. This is not a dating event. ✅ If something’s come up, please Edit your RSVP to ‘Not Going’ asap at least by 7pm the day before. It’s only take a second!
❎ Late cancellation or No Show would not be tolerated. You will forfeit the opportunity to join my future events! 🎒WHAT TO BRING 🎒 👕 Comfortable outfit for the weather preferably hiking gear. Jeans or cotton t-shirt are not be suitable for this walk. 🥾 Waterproof hiking boots or good grip walking shoes highly recommended. 💦 At least 1.8L of water, Hydralyte or sports energy drinks. 🥪 Snacks and packed LUNCH. Also any food donations for the monastery if you wish. 🧢 Hat, sunscreen, insect repellent ie: Bushman or Aerogard and hand sanitiser. ⛑ Basic First Aid Kit - BandAids, bandages, antibacterial wipes etc. 🧥Light raincoat or a poncho just in case of wet weather. ******************************************** 💵 GRATUITY/CONTRIBUTION: 💰$10 CASH per person for this event to be collected upon arrival. ✅ Please bring correct change on the day to speed up the meet and greet. 📲 Or PayID to my mobile: 0405038557. Ref: (your Meetup name) & Bundanoon. ✅ Please get it done asap upon arrival and TEXT me receipt of payment. Thanks! ******************************************** 🚙 Drivers - please offer a lift from your closest train station with share costs. 🎒Passengers - please update on comments section for a carpool with share petrol. 🚗 Few of us including myself will be camping for the weekend at: 🏕️ Wingello State Forest Campground 🏕️ https://share.google/nmQ3BOkGOd1o1VQGW 🚗 ⛺️ You may like to try easy camping (next to your car). Refer separate camping event for further details. 📲 Any questions or concerns, please send me a TEXT message instead to avoid any confusion with unnecessary updates on comments section. ❗️NOTE - I do not answer calls or text messages after meeting time! 🌿 Let’s explore and enjoy the great outdoors! 🌿 Norra 😎 🧘‍♂️ 📱0405038557 (TEXT & PayID only)

Whale-Watch-Walk! Manly-Shelly-Beach-North-Head-Fairfax-Lookout-13km!

**WHALES & WHALES!** In July/August, thousands of humpback whales migrate north from Antarctica to the warm breeding waters of tropical Australia. **WHY WALK?** 1\. Would you like to live longer? Well guess what\, get out and keep on walking\. Yes\! Yes\! 2\. Walking increases blood flow to the brain\, improving memory almost instantly\! 3\. Healthy\, you bet yu\! and yes it makes you happy\, feeling good inside guaranteed\. **Best for visibility! yes! photos yes!** Manly to North Head high point viewing areas are Sydney's top classified list for whale watching. Mornings when winds are typically lighter, making the ocean smoother, sun directly overhead, reducing ocean glare and making it easier to spot spouts and splashes. **BEAUTIFUL WHALE WATCHING WALK:** 1\. Don't miss this interesting Whale Walk\, "Spot the Whale" stops at five clifftop lookouts\. 2\. Marine Parade at Cabbage Tree Bay to Shelly Beach Walking Track\, 1st Whale Lookout\. 3\. Spotting Whales here at about 10\.30\, perfect timing\, lets hope it's spot time\, hey\! 4\. Shelly Head Lookout\, next on the list\, I'm feeling good\. Who's first to SPOT one\! 5\. Shelly Headland Upper Lookout\, a longer distance better view\. \(10km out to sea\) 6\. Shelly Beach to Barracks Precinct Walk\, past Old Quarry Swamp\, fun uphill hike\. 7\. We walk the "Hanging Swamp" if not flooded\, past the Battery Observation Post\. 8\. Eventually reaching the Fairfax Walk Trail\, 2nd highest point\, "Yiningma Lookout"\. 9\. Fairfax Track\, again reaching Number one\! "Burragula Lookout"\. \(Fairfax Lookout\) 10\. Lunch/Snack break coming up at "North Head Scenic Drive Point"\. 11\. Quick visit\, "North Head Sanctuary"\, before heading to "Third Quarantine Cemetery"\. 12\. Zigzagging down to Manly for a refreshing drink/lunch at yes\! "Hotel Steyne" 13\. The Manly Markets are just in the perfect spot nearby\. **Meeting Point:** Manly Wharf Visitors Information Centre (near pedestrian crossing) **Distance:** 13km **Difficulty:** Moderate, steps and hills, classified moderate due to distance. **Walking Pace:** An easy steady pace at 4.25km-4.50 per hour. **What to Bring:** Comfortable outfit, a litre of water, snacks, hat, sunscreen, a raincoat just in case of wet weather. Bring your happy personality too! **Payment Please:** $10 cash or **PAY ID** 0435801602 name George Palasty. **Contact:** George 0435 801 602 if you have questions. (call or text)

LIFE, BE IN IT! A DISCUSSION

NSW HUMANISTS MEETUP's FACE-TO-FACE@HUMANIST HOUSE discussion event for 3-5PM this Sunday 23 August 2026 is themed LIFE, BE IN IT!, an will share thoughts on what makes daily life happy, tolerable, healthy, survivable, meaningful, or at least sustainable. We all have our ways. Exercising, smoking, conversation, drinking, working, bludging, leisure, romance, daydreaming, achieving. We're hoping we can share tales of redemption and survival, tips for health and happiness, dreams, blunders, good luck and bad luck. This is a BYO discussion we hope everyone can participate in. Our discussion events allow for people interested in learning and discussing humanism to meet in a dedicated space, in an atmosphere that allows time and space for good conversation on interesting topics. ABOUT HUMANISM Humanism is a flexible, open-minded life philosophy where we explore our common humanity in an awesome world without theism (religion) and other supernatural beliefs. There is no dogma but a shared reality and an appreciation of basic human values like compassion, reason, and fairness. Humanism can be seen in the best aspects of the modern Enlightenment - secularism, science, social democracy, human rights, and human flourishing. We have a concern for the biosphere, and a delight in the world as it is - and as it could be. Our discussions respect reason, respect one another, and reject all dogmatic thinking. NSW Humanist Meetup is sponsored by the Humanist Society of NSW. The HSNSW encourages honest, open conversations held in a respectful manner.

Stoics in the park: LAST at Centennial Park Sydney

Unlike other philosophies, Stoicism was named after a place not a person, making it accessible to ALL people. In ancient greco-roman times people would meet at the Stoa, where they would discuss Stoic Philosophy. We can meet in the park just as the stoic sages 1000s of years ago. Join us to read through and discuss Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. Google books has a FREE PDF you can download. No need to do any homework, we will read together and discuss. Am looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Event fee (optional) is $2, this goes to admin costs of running the group, please consider I am from Wollongong and wanted to keep this group when original organiser stepped down. I have significant travel expenses and am generally organising creative events that take resources. A gratuity would be a wonderful way to make me feel appreciated. Pay on the day, payID 0416147804, PayPal: paypal.me/jonnikaren or private message for direct deposit details. In lieu of event fee, you can buy me a coffee :)

The Death of Death: Should We Choose To Live Forever?

What if ageing were optional? A small, extraordinarily wealthy group of people — Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, Peter Thiel among them — are betting billions that it could become so within our lifetimes. They are funding gene therapies, plasma clinics, AI drug discovery programmes, and private city-states designed to sit beyond the reach of ordinary regulation, all pointed at a single goal: the abolition of death. Some of this is serious science. Some of it is alchemy with a better press team. But before the science catches up with the ambition — if it ever does — the personal, social, and political questions are already here. Would you choose five centuries of life, or even to live indefinitely — more time to love, to learn, to taste everything the world has to offer? Or would you find, on reflection, that something essential about a human life depends on it being finite? What happens to marriage when it lasts for centuries? To democracy when the same people hold power for hundreds of years? To inheritance (that might never arrive!), to ambition ('I can always do it later'), to the feeling that today is precious rather than just one more day in an endless supply? So join us as we pull apart this fascinating and unsettling territory, where Silicon Valley hubris meets some of the oldest questions in philosophy. **Book: *The Immortalists: The Death of Death and the Race for Eternal Life* (2025) by Aleks Krotoski** **Companion reading:** ***[A Guide to the Personal, Social, and Political Questions of Radical Life Extension](https://1drv.ms/b/c/adb4f7488b2eef0a/IQDyh0ZXuhOXSY1hShIPivrVAb994lzRy8NuznN6KIb52lM?e=heHTTk)***[ ](https://1drv.ms/b/c/adb4f7488b2eef0a/IQDyh0ZXuhOXSY1hShIPivrVAb994lzRy8NuznN6KIb52lM?e=heHTTk) (prepared for this meetup) *The Immortalists* is a sharp investigation into the people, science, money, and politics behind Silicon Valley’s war on death. Krotoski — a psychologist, BBC broadcaster, and veteran technology reporter — takes us from immortality cults in the Arizona desert and biohacking clinics in Los Angeles to the corridors of Washington and a private city in Honduras where unapproved gene therapies are on the menu. Along the way, she meets the geroscientists doing genuinely important work on the biology of ageing, the billionaire investors pouring huge sums into longevity start-ups, the lobbyists rewriting FDA regulations in their own interests, and the true believers who have concluded that death is not a fact of life but a failure of engineering. The result is gripping reported journalism, a sober account of what the science has actually established, and a serious political warning about what happens when the people trying to live forever start writing the rules for everyone else. In addition, we’ve prepared a 35-page companion document that draws out the personal, social, and political questions raised by radical life extension. The Krotoski book spends considerable time on the science and on the people pursuing it, but our discussion is likely to centre on the human consequences: whether we would actually want vastly longer lives; what they would do to relationships, work, inequality, democracy, and meaning; and who would benefit if the technology ever became real. The companion document is intended to give us a shared map of these issues, so the conversation can move beyond the biology and into the questions most likely to matter around the table. As always, we strongly encourage you to do the reading before you attend; it will enrich both your own experience and the discussion as a whole. We’ve also included some further resources below for anyone who wants to go deeper. We’ll meet for a drink — and an optional meal — at 6:30pm on Monday, 7 September, on the second floor of the Keg & Brew Hotel in Surry Hills. The venue is close to Central Station and the light rail. We look forward to seeing you there! P.S. If you RSVP yes and later find you can’t make it, please update your RSVP so someone else can take the spot if there’s a waitlist. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- These are just optional links to consider to supplement the reading of the book and document. Feel free to pass on other useful links in the discussion section. **Videos** * Interviews and Podcasts with Aleks Krotoski: [Intelligence Squared – Could Billionaires Cure Ageing (1 hr)](https://open.spotify.com/episode/7DgTxyg8YezFkX391FNOmX) [BBC Radio 4 World at One (18 mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTQ-tZfRFW8) * A collection of 15 min BBC Podcasts by Aleks Krotoski: [The Immortals Podcast](https://www.bbc.com/audio/brand/p0hl8knd) * Venki Ramakrishnan on the biology of death and aging and why the immortalists' timeline is wildly optimistic: [Sean Carroll's Mindscape with Venki Ramakrishnan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNqwamgxNiU) * Four Corners (ABC iview) *The Race to Reverse Ageing* (July 2026) * Science documentary: *[Longevity Hackers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PV0X5U4smY)*[ (2024)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PV0X5U4smY) This is a mostly enthusiastic doco about the possibility of radical life extension; not a rigorous investigation but provides a useful sense of the different areas of research. * Netflix documentary: *Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever* (2025). A documentary on the daily routines, family plasma exchange, and the "Don't Die" philosophy of tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, who appears prominently in the book. * An explainer video on the science and ethics of radical life extension: [Billionaires Trying to Live Forever - Honest Truth](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5kMFzndPiM) **Written** * Articles on radical life extension: [The Ethics of Radical Life Extension](https://www.scu.edu/ethics/all-about-ethics/radical-life-extension/) [Three arguments against extending the human lifespan](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2652797/) * Reviews of *The Immortalists*: [The Guardian - The Immortalists](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/23/the-immortalists-by-aleks-krotoski-review-the-downsides-of-cheating-death) * An article version on the ABC Four Corners episode on biohacking and anti-aging science: [ABC - The Race to Reverse Ageing](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-19/biohacking-anti-aging-science-promise-to-extend-human-lifespan/106923024) * An unfortunate update on biohacker Bryan Johnson (from Netflix series above): [A recent health update on Bryan Johnson](https://futurism.com/health-medicine/bryan-johnson-autoimmune-disease) * Two other relevant books for those wanting to dig deeper into this topic: *\- Morbid: Debunking Modern Longevity Science* (2026) by Saul Newman. To be released in August, the author uses dark humour and rigorous evidence to expose the systemic data errors and corporate grifting behind popular anti-aging trends like "Blue Zones" and youth-blood transfusions. *\- Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality* (2024) by Venki Ramakrishnan. This book provides a lucid and authoritative look at the biological mechanisms of cellular degeneration, balancing the realistic limits of our current biotechnology against the hyped promises of the immortality movement.