Manshine 2023

All our weekend gatherings are able to cater for vegetarian and vegan diets as well as diets that must avoid dairy and/or gluten. You will be asked for your diet in the booking process.

Alcohol and any recreational drugs including cannabis are not permitted. You must leave these at home. We further encourage you to leave your mobile phone at home, or at least locked in your car for the weekend! There will be a designated area for tobacco smoking but we encourage you to cut back or go without for the weekend.

We offer a car pooling service as part of your registration. As a driver or passenger you will be matched to another attendee from nearby the weekend before the gathering and put in touch by email. (Passengers from more remote locations face the chance we won't be able to offer a driver sharing their route and should bear this in mind when booking.)

Men under the age of 18 (and over the age of 16) may attend our weekend gatherings if accompanied by their father or adult male guardian. Please contact our office to understand these additional conditions and book.

Mens Wellbeing Inc is a not-for-profit Association incorporated in Queensland. About Us

From the south side of Brisbane:

1. Leave Brisbane via Ipswich Road;
2. Take the Toowoomba exit on the left;
3. Take the Esk turnoff to the right;
4. Turn right into Wivenhoe–Somerset Road (signposted Somerset Dam via Splityard Creek Dam, Mount Glorious, & Brisbane Forest Park);
5. Turn right into Stanley Pocket Road;
6. Turn right into gate for Camp Somerset.

From the north side of Brisbane:

1. Take the Kilcoy/Caboolture exit off the Bruce Highway and join the D'Aguilar Highway to Woodford and Kilcoy;
2. On reaching Kilcoy follow the main road through town. Just past Kilcoy turn left into Esk–Kilcoy Road;
3. Just past Somerset Dam township turn left into Wivenhoe–Somerset Road;
4. Turn left into Stanley Pocket Road;
5. 6. Turn right into gate for Camp Somerset.

The majority of work for volunteers is on Friday before the event opens as we are setting up the venue for over 100 men! There are further tasks throughout the weekend but these would take less than 2 hours out of your day. Volunteers can apply for a reduced-price ticket by calling 07 3067 3449. Places are limited, so apply early!

We appreciate you arriving between 4PM and 6PM. Check in with the registration crew when you arrive for directions. Our first activity is dinner at 6PM!

Accommodation is in shared dormitories or you can bring your own tent and camp. Indicate your choice when booking.

A men's gatherings is a place for men from every background, religious, political and sexual persuasion to meet in a spirit of honesty and trust and openness. We encourage men to feel free and be real with themselves and others in a supportive environment. Expect a warm welcome and plentiful conversation and laughter, with many opportunities to get to know yourself and others in a strongly grounded space of respect, growth and trust. We run workshops, exercise activities, and small conversation groups over the course of the weekend. We come together for healthy meals cooked by our experienced kitchen crew. All activities, food and accommodation are included in your single ticket price. Your weekend can be busy with workshops or quiet with relaxation. The choice is totally up to you.

Our standard cancellation policy is published at Terms and Conditions and has has been updated in light of Covid19. If you experience Covid19 symptoms or learn you have been in contact with a known case you must not attend our gatherings. You will not need a medical certificate to obtain a refund. All cancellations relating to Covid19 will be refunded in full without question. We will follow all Qld Health guidelines in force at the time of the Gathering.

Not at all. Many men come along to our gatherings simply to relax, network with other men and enjoy a light-hearted “men‘s space” of camaraderie and like minds. Men can either attend workshops they feel drawn to, or not. Our Common Ground Men’s Groups are a space of supported growth for going deeper into life’s issues, in a place of respect and without pressure.

You do not need fixing. You are the captain of your ship and it is you who will navigate your own course. We are here to encourage and support whatever your choices are. Our programs offer you opportunities to learn new skills and enjoy experiences that can change the way you look at your life and relationships.

Absolutely! Rollicking belly laughs are part and parcel of the our men’s gathering experience. We all have been boys once and having fun is part of our birthright!

Our community has many valuable members including some men who are same-sex oriented. They are no more or less in number than in general life and many of our members don’t actually know or even ask these questions because it simply doesn’t matter. You will find our community more interested in ‘who you are’ more than your job or who you share your bed with.

The inner judge is the worst kind! This is the judge you will have your biggest wrestle with as Mens Wellbeing understands the need for honesty and respect and these values are woven through everything we do. Our programs are not a test you must pass, they are an opportunity to look at yourself and your life, as you choose to, and make your own decisions about what your next step is.

We reserve a small number of half-price tickets for men in financial need. To apply, please call 07 3067 3449.

Sorry, no pets are allowed.

Mens Wellbeing has no religious affiliation or bias. All men are welcome regardless of religious belief, nationality or sexual orientation. Our core values are honesty, respect and authenticity. There is no getting it right or wrong in our programs.

Our programs are tried and tested. You will be supported and you will not be judged. Our goal is to provide the place where you can challenge yourself to be your best without any pressure to do anything you don’t want to do.