Effective 4 September 2026 · Version 1.0
The Sacred Collective (ABN 53 728 774 165) is a community of holistic practitioners based in the Macedon Ranges, Victoria. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect your personal information.
We are committed to handling your information openly and respectfully, in line with the Australian Privacy Principles set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
By applying to become a Practitioner or using our website (thesacredcollective.com.au), you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.
1. Who we are
The Sacred Collective is operated by its three founders: J.P Honeycombe, S.J Katsavos, and K.A Ward.
You can contact us at:
- Email: connect@thesacredcollective.com.au
- Post: 32 Ashbourne Road, Woodend VIC 3442, Australia
2. Information we collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with us. We collect:
From practitioners applying to join the Sacred Collective:
- Name, email address, phone number
- Business or practice name
- A short biography and photograph
- Modalities you offer and practice categories
- Qualifications, professional associations and insurance details
- Service areas (suburbs) and offerings (in-person, online, travel)
- Website and social media links
- Booking system link
- Payment details, handled via our payment provider (Stripe)
From general visitors:
- Information you voluntarily provide via our contact form, event submission, or newsletter signup
- Basic technical information (browser type, device type, general location) from your visit to the website
3. How we collect information
We collect information directly from you when you:
- Apply to become a Practitioner via our application form
- Edit your practitioner profile
- Submit a public event
- Subscribe to a newsletter
- Send us an email or contact form message
- Visit our website (basic technical information via cookies)
4. Why we collect information
We collect and use your personal information to:
- Assess your suitability to become a Practitioner of The Sacred Collective
- Create and display your practitioner profile in our directory
- Communicate with you about your place in the Collective, applications, and events
- Process Annual Contributions
- Send newsletter and community updates (with your consent)
- Improve our website and services
- Comply with our legal obligations
5. How we share your information
Your practitioner profile — including your name, photo, business name, modalities, service areas, and contact information you choose to make public — is displayed on our website and visible to visitors.
We only share your personal information with third parties as necessary to provide our services. These include:
- WordPress.com (Automattic Inc.) — website hosting
- Ultimate Member — the plugin that runs Practitioner accounts and the directory (data stored on our website)
- Stripe — secure payment processing
- Microsoft 365 — email hosting for our administrative correspondence
- Mailchimp — newsletter platform (if you subscribe)
- Events Manager — event management plugin (data stored on our website)
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
We may disclose your information where required by law or to protect the rights, property, or safety of The Sacred Collective, our Practitioners, or others.
6. Where your data is stored
Your data is stored on servers managed by WordPress.com (Automattic Inc.), which may be located in Australia or overseas (primarily the United States). Where data is stored or processed outside Australia, we take reasonable steps to ensure it is protected in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.
7. How long we keep your information
- Active Practitioner data is retained for as long as your place in the Collective is active
- If you cancel your place in the Collective, we retain your data for 12 months, after which it is deleted or anonymised (except where retention is required by law, e.g. financial records may be kept for up to 7 years)
- Where a concern is raised about a Practitioner’s conduct, we keep a record of the concern, our correspondence and our decision for 7 years.
- Applicants who are not accepted as Practitioners have their information retained for 12 months, then deleted
- Newsletter subscribers can unsubscribe at any time; unsubscribed contacts are removed from active mailings and periodically purged
8. Cookies and website tracking
Our website uses cookies to remember your preferences, keep you logged in, and understand how visitors use the site. We may also use analytics tools to help us improve the site.
You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some website functionality (particularly the Practitioner Hub and other logged-in areas).
9. Marketing and newsletters
If you subscribe to our newsletter, we will send you occasional updates about The Sacred Collective, our Practitioners, upcoming events, and community happenings. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in the footer of any email.
We manage our newsletter through Mailchimp. When you subscribe, your email address is stored and processed by Mailchimp in accordance with their privacy policy.
10. Your rights
Under the Privacy Act 1988, you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request corrections to your personal information
- Request that we delete your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Withdraw consent for marketing communications
- Make a complaint if you believe we have mishandled your personal information
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at connect@thesacredcollective.com.au. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe (usually 30 days).
If you are unhappy with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at http://www.oaic.gov.au.
11. Security
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. These include:
- Secure encrypted connections (HTTPS) across the website
- Restricted admin access (only authorised administrators can view sensitive Practitioner data)
- Two-factor authentication on administrator accounts
- Regular backups and security monitoring
- Reputable third-party providers with strong security practices
While we take reasonable care, no online system is entirely immune to risk. If you become aware of a security concern, please contact us immediately.
12. Data breach notification
In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as required under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme (Part IIIC of the Privacy Act 1988).
13. Age restriction
Our services are intended for individuals aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18.
14. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Where changes are significant, we will notify Practitioners directly.
15. Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or about how we handle your personal information, please contact us:
Email: connect@thesacredcollective.com.au
Post: The Sacred Collective, 32 Ashbourne Road, Woodend VIC 3442