When the doors of a unique rural retreat offering bereaved parents a sanctuary in Naringal opened, those behind it never imagined it could be so popular.
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After 18 months, the Forever Held Foundation has just clocked over its 100th stay with people coming from all over Australia.
That's 250 across 300 nights, foundation director Jacinta Lenehan said.
"It's just absolutely outstanding," she said.
"When we opened 18 months ago we didn't know if it was going to be something that people wanted and now we've had 100 different stays."
Ms Lenehan said the retreat was booked almost constantly and there was a wait list.
"It's exciting and devastating at the same time because it just highlights how common pregnancy and infant loss and child loss is and how needed a space is to grieve and retreat and just rest," she said.
Ms Lenehan said there was nothing like it anywhere else, although there was a similar model for people experiencing breast cancer.
"That was the only other thing in Australia that existed similar to this," she said.
"People are willing to travel to this tiny little cabin in Naringal in the middle of a paddock because nothing exists like it. It's pretty amazing.
"There's a real escape from reality."
The retreat was set up with grieving families in mind with shared journals for people to write their stories in, and read those of others.
"You don't feel so alone in what's happening. There's a total disconnect from the world. There's no Wi-Fi, there's no TV, you're surrounded by nature, there's no cafe within a couple of minutes walk," Ms Lenehan said.
"When you're experiencing something as profound as a miscarriage or baby loss, one of the hardest things is this idea that the world just continues around you and yet you are experiencing this thing that has shocked you to the core and changed you forever."
Ms Lenahan said being able to retreat and connect as a couple or a family - sharing a space that other families who experienced the same thing had shared was really powerful.
She said the not-for-profit organisation had received a lot of support from the south-west community.
"We have such generous donations. People donate products for the retreat. We had the King's College year nines out doing gardening. It's been beautiful and overwhelming the way the community has just wrapped around us," she said.
People can stay two to four nights at the retreat, at no cost to the parents, and can opt to have meals provided.
"People will often donate a stay after they've stayed," she said.
She said an employer organised a stay for an employee who had suffered a miscarriage.
"He then made a corporate donation on behalf of their workplace," she said.
"It's one of those things that doesn't discriminate. So many people can relate to losing a pregnancy or losing a child."
Katrina Lovell
Katrina Lovell is a senior journalist at The Standard who covers council news and human interest stories.
Katrina Lovell is a senior journalist at The Standard who covers council news and human interest stories.
