Experience ‘Old Way, New Way’ By Marc Bright and Milly Hine

At Serpentine Ridge Mountain Retreat, we are so passionate about “media with messages” that we recently created our own “Bush Mountain Cinema” space to hold Conscious Movie Nights. We’ve rebooted our short movie making, filming, and production skills team and together (Soul Soil & Social consciousness Film Group – that’s us !!) -created our first in-house movie to be screened on Saturday, March 14th, a Gala fun film, and Bush Mountain Cinema Grand Opening Event.

The film is titled “Old Way New Way” and is sponsored by the Gympie Regional Arts Development Fund & Queensland Government. (see below for event booking details) “Old Way New Way” features eight local and international traditional elders & wisdom holders of knowledge – sharing their wisdom, set in beautiful, regional iconic settings.

The filming was undertaken at various locations during Serpentine Ridge 2025 events for families & community, in the Widgee Mountain district along the creeks and waterways of the Mighty Mary River & to the Mangrove and the incredible tidal beach places along Cooloola Coast/Rainbow Beach areas.

The soundtrack was created by Musician Jay Leon, featuring the Yidaki, aka Didgeridoo, and the key lyrics lines echo “ The Earth Holds Ancient Truths” – alongside the messages brought by the Elders, carry weight & meaning felt on many deeper levels!!

Images & videos were filmed from our Serpentine Ridge 2025 Spring Equinox Event – a full 2-day event including Walk & Talk with Uncle Eugene Bargo ( a beautiful ending on the second day of our event, where Uncle made bunches of flowers for each of the participants while talking about how the flowers relate to birds and animals, and times to hunt and gather).

Acknowledgement to country is with Uncle Alan Parsons, and he talks about the Rainbow Serpent creation story and the creation story of the amazing rainbow serpent painting he had painted, making natural twine from Cabbage Tree Palm leaves with young mother & Cultural Artist Jade Lovejoy.

There are Bush Tucker Tastings featuring Lemon Myrtle Cheesecake, Drum Making with Lakota Trained, Gympie local, Trevor O’ Sulliuvan, Sunrise Movement, Sound & Cacao with blessings for the Grandmother Grass Tree, with Paty WalLiz ( Mayan Elder), Bunya Tree Planting, Bark Painting with Artist Uncle Alan Parsons, Artist Milly Hine & Law Man Uncle Eugene Bargo. Sunset Meditation & Prayer Flag Blessings Day with Khandro Thrinlay Chodon & Sey Jigme.

Included is a Home Schooler Tree Planting Camping event, with a Walk & Talk led by Uncle Eugene about Bush tucker, Bush Foristry, Rainforest Trees, and Medicine Plant Identification, featuring the relationships with people and wildlife, & shared meal, food and fire.

Young mother Jade (with her 12-month-old Kirra) talks candidly and excitedly about her vision for a bright future that includes her own soul development, a deep personal connection to Country, and the knowledge she can pass on to her daughter Kirra, bringing us all a positive message to carry with us!!

Our continuing journey with documenting media amongst the participants in this Old Way New Way Project has brought a surprising renewed interest to continue in this direction with ongoing episodes.. (watch this space) 3 key life choice takeaways we can share..

1. Personal soul growth development naturally helps bring a sense of peace to every undertaking.

2. It’s a good idea to make a strong connection with the natural world and with cultural knowledge.

3. Developing a personal sense of social consciousness, having fun together and sharing these experiences with a whole rainbow of people works wonders! To us, the three S’s – Soul, Soil & Social Consciousness seem to represent a very grounded, well-rounded & Spiritual approach to navigating the challenges for the year ahead of us.

It would seem that the ‘fast-paced’ Fire Horse energies of the new Chinese year are already taking hold and moving us forward, whether we live in the fast-paced cities or the slower coastal or country communities!!

FYI- here are the details about our Gala Grand Opening of the Bush Mountain Cinema at Serpentine Ridge on the 14th of March 2026, with the premiere screening of the Short Film “Old Way New Way”.

4 pm -7.30 pm @ 578 Upper Widgee Rd, Widgee $20 pp

Includes Tree Planting, Bush Tucker Tastings, Lemon Myrtle popcorn, Bowl of Dahl & Rice or Pumpkin Soup, Lemon Myrtle Cheese cake, Chai tea, coffee & punch, with a CELEBRATION of FIRE afterwards.

For bookings and other information, Call Marc on 0402447 317 or Milly on 0484002771.

Email: serpentineridge@gmail.com Keep an eye out on our Facebook page for the Facebook event (you will be able to book on Humanitix there as well )