My name is Eliza, I am the founder of Feel Good Flows, an offering that has been here for you consistently for four years as a response to the mental health crisis that we endured during isolation in lock down.

I am thrilled to see the growth of our community. Since day one I enquired and paid the council for permission to use this land to offer the community wellness by donation for those who can, free for those who can’t. I need your help to protect it.

We have now gathered on St Kilda Beach for four years peacefully to pause, be still, reset, meditate, breathe, & move under the open skies, by the sea. We then stay to connect and chat over chais and fruits… all sourced locally and prepared for the community to enjoy complimentary.

Now the council wants to restrict Feel Good Flows to just 15 people per gathering on the public beach under the current permit fees I have been paying for four years OR have me pay an event fee of $400+ every single time we gather.

We have no infrastructure, no signage, no microphones, no litter, nothing… just a  group of people peacefully gathering in nature.

We are an all-welcoming weekly wellness gathering offered by donation, and you don’t have funds to pay a donation, don't worry just come.

Restricting numbers, means telling people that they are not welcome to join, that they “can’t sit with us” that they need to leave this public beach and do what… move 1.5m away from the rest of the group? Go home? 

Imagining the impact of this on an individual who has maybe taken a bit of courage and effort to show up alone to a community gathering only to be turned away… is honestly heart breaking.

So now paying the council $400+ per event is the only option, but that puts us at a significant loss and our “honest donation” foundation model would need to change… which it never will. This is an exorbitant amount for a gathering of just one hour on public beaches - especially where we leave the area better than how we found it by cleaning regularly.

Furthermore the council has suggested the frequency of the events may be impacted and we are not guaranteed permission at all.

These suggestions would mean the cancellation of Feel Good Flows St Kilda Sundays… as well as our recently launched Elwood Sunrises.

We are gathered on public land, we have no loud branding, flags, or even microphones, we welcome all walking by pedestrians to join us, there is no membership, no branded hoodies, no merch, nothing to buy, there are no questions asked, just come as you are and connect with the community.

Im usually good at doing it all on my own… but we are a community and I need your help to communicate this message to the council and to come to a fair and sustainable solution for Feel Good Flows moving forward.

I am meeting with the mayor next week… who important to note has said she loves what we are doing and is hoping she can help.

Thanking you in advance for your support of our weekly wellness ritual.