Making the most of lockdown

Helen Zee in the labyrinth she''s creating. 208895 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Romy Stephens

Being out of work due to Covid-19 has allowed Helen Zee to start something that’s been on her mind for the past decade – building a labyrinth.

Ms Zee is a relationship and fertility coach who also does fitness training and yoga coaching at her property in Ferny Creek.

She said over the past couple of months, Covid-19 restrictions have brought her work to almost a complete standstill.

“My work is face-to-face contact, touch and running classes so I’ve had little to zero work,” Ms Zee said.

But rather than putting her life on hold as well, Ms Zee decided to fulfill her dream of building a labyrinth that she hopes to one day open to the public.

Ms Zee’s desire to build a labyrinth was initiated many years ago.

“I’ve been on a bit of a soulful quest for a lot of my life and about 10 years ago I remember reading a book on the seven sacred sites,” she said.

“This is what I wanted to do in ten years, visit these sacred sites.”

But because Ms Zee was unable to visit all the sites she desired over the years, she instead decided a labyrinth could make up for it, by being her own sacred place.

“A labyrinth is a circular structure with one path in and one path out. It’s not a maze where you get lost, you are walked and guided in,” Ms Zee explained.

“When you’re ready, you walk out and trace the exact same steps.”

Ms Zee said that when she moved into her Ferny Creek property 15 months ago, she knew the location would be ideal.

Since being in lockdown due to Covid-19, Ms Zee has completed the main structure of the labyrinth with the help of some friends.

She said she hoped to one day also add Indigenous and medicinal herbs before opening it up to the public so they can learn and benefit from what the entire space has to offer.

“I want to open it to the public for people to just come and sit and be in a respectful place of private property,” she said.

“I’ve created it because it’s been something that I knew I wanted to do for people’s health and wellbeing.”

Ms Zee constructed her Labyrinth with Forest Edge Design, which is a landscape company that focuses on water harvesting, soil rehabilitation and vegetation establishment.