STAND for Mental Health
Strategies for Translating Accessible Nature-based Solutions into Mental Healthcare Delivery
Partner with Us to Transform Mental Health Care in Australia
NatureFix is a leading specialist in nature-based health solutions, driving a national movement to embed nature-based interventions into everyday mental health care. Underpinned in science, proven in practice, and powered by a growing alliance of health and cultural leaders - we're ready to scale and make nature part of the care system.
This APP is just a gem
it completely changed my life!
We're inviting funders, partners, and supporters to help us deliver a groundbreaking, community-powered solution that addresses a critical and often overlooked gap in care.
With mental health challenges rising across Australia - especially in regional, remote, and marginalised communities - the need for innovative, scalable, and culturally relevant approaches has never been more urgent.
A Nation-Wide Collaboration Already Underway
This is not just a vision. It’s already in motion.
We have delivery partners in place, spanning Indigenous health services, public hospitals, allied health providers, education, and land care organisations- across both government and non-government sectors. From urban centres to regional and remote communities, our work is guided by collaboration, cultural respect, and a commitment to meeting community needs.
I have to be honest, the idea of having Elders involved in making recordings as a way to share story of significance and connection to Country, raises the hair on the back of my neck, so exciting!
Nigel Smith, MHDA Services Coordinator for Aboriginal Peoples
With Groundbreaking Research Partnerships
Working in partnership with the Rural Health Research Institute at Charles Sturt University, led by Professor Julaine Allan, and leading researchers from six national universities, we are building a strong evidence base for the integration of structured nature-based solutions across clinical and community settings. This research seeks to:
Evaluate the real-world effectiveness of nature-based programs and infrastructure
Identify scalable models for integration into mental health systems
Inform national policy and practice in preventative mental health care
Prof. Julaine Allan
Charles Sturt University
Dr Nicole Snowden
Charles Sturt University
Assoc. Prof. Alfred Wong
Charles Sturt University
Dr Hazel Dalton
Charles Sturt University
Assoc. Prof. Ali Chauvenet
Griffith University
Prof. Kate Lloyd
Macquarie University
Dr Kath McLachlan
Macquarie University
Assoc. Prof. Eric Brymer
Southern Cross University
Dr Leah Sharman
University of Queensland
Dr Katarzyna Olcon
University of Wollongong
With Jim Burt
Executive Director Strategy
Why NatureFix?
NatureFix reconnects people with nature using simple, science-backed techniques that reduces stress and anxiety, regulates the nervous system, and builds emotional resilience.
At the heart of our program is the NatureFix 5 Steps to Connect Delivery Model - a trauma-informed, research-backed framework that guides people through meaningful, sensory-rich experiences in nature. This approach makes nature-based interventions more predictable, accessible, and effective, while also strengthening people’s relationship with the natural world. When people feel more connected to nature, they are more likely to care for it – choosing behaviours that protect, restore, and sustain the natural world.
This means NatureFix has a dual impact: it improves health for individuals while also supporting health for the planet. By helping people build a personal bond with nature, the program naturally encourages pro-environmental actions – from small daily choices that reduce impact, to community-level efforts in stewardship and conservation. In this way, NatureFix contributes not only to personal resilience, but also to the resilience of ecosystems and the broader climate challenge.
Importantly, the 5-Step Framework is designed to integrate seamlessly into mental health, primary care, and allied health services. It equips practitioners with a structured tool to confidently guide a nature engagement program as part of a holistic care plan – recognising that human wellbeing and planetary wellbeing are deeply interconnected.
We thank our
supporters
Costa Georgiadis
Gardening Australia
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Costa Georgiadis is a landscape architect who has an all-consuming passion for plants and people, and takes great pleasure in bringing the two together. Costa believes in embracing and celebrating mother nature's cycles and seasons - inspiring communities to reconnect with nature, live more sustainably, and cultivate deeper wellbeing through everyday acts of care and connection.
Gina Chick
we are the stars
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Gina Chick is an Australian adventurer, writer, and rewilding facilitator, best known for winning the inaugural season of Alone Australia in 2023. Gina survived 67 days alone in the Tasmanian wilderness. She continues to inspire many through her storytelling, workshops, and public speaking engagements, emphasising resilience, authenticity, and a deep connection to nature.
Lesley Hughes
Professor Emerita
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Lesley Hughes is Professor Emerita in Biology at Macquarie University. Her principal research interests have been the impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems and the implications for conservation. She is a former Lead Author for the IPCC’s 4th and 5th Assessment Report, a former federal Climate Commissioner, a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, a Councillor with the Biodiversity Council of Australia, a Director of the Environmental Defenders Office, a member of the Climate Change Authority, and a Councillor and Director of the Climate Council of Australia.
Dr Jenny Brockis
MB ChB (Brist) FASLM
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Dr. Jenny Brockis is a former GP and a Board-Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician, as well as an award-winning speaker and best-selling author of five books, including The Natural Advantage. Drawing on over 30 years of clinical experience, she is passionate about helping people thrive through science-backed, practical strategies that promote lasting health and wellbeing.
Can you help us
bridge the gap?
We’re actively seeking support - from philanthropic, government, corporate, and community partners - to help bring this important vision to life. With robust research, committed delivery partners, and strong cultural leadership already in place, the foundations are set.
Together, we can create a future where access and meaningful connection with nature is no longer a luxury, but a recognised and essential part of mental health and planetary health care.
NatureFix has taken my anxiety away and calmed my soul. Everyone should have access to these benefits. I now have the tools to motivate myself towards my own self-care, to which I have such gratitude.
Six week program participant