6 Wellness Retreats in Australia for A Better You

Maybe you just concluded your Australian road trip and it’s time to properly unwind. Or maybe you are specifically travelling for a little TLC on your mind, body and soul! Whatever your reason, the stunning natural landscapes make an excellent backdrop for wellness retreats in Australia.

From one-day spa treatments, week-long retreats and even 10-day meditation programmes, here are the best health and wellness retreats in Australia!

Gaia Retreat & Spa

Standing majestically on the highest point in the Byron Shire, Gaia Retreat & Spa is a place to refocus, rebalance and truly restore. It even has a Hollywood connection – Olivia Newton-John is a co-founder here!

Gaia offers a selection of retreat packages which include accommodations, gourmet cuisines, activities, services and access to facilities. Whether you are seeking total timeout or an improvement in health and wellbeing, your Gaia journey is tailored especially for you. If you only have a day, Gaia also has a day spa which offers a traditional spa menu, as well as natural therapies and energetic healing.

Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat

Located in the beautiful Tallebudgera Valley in Queensland, Gwinganna is a wellness retreat in Australia to soothe your soul. A cocoon from external distractions and stress, Gwinganna invites guests to reevaluate their lifestyle habits. No cigarettes, drugs, outside food, caffeinated drinks and alcohol are allowed here.

Gwinganna offers a diverse range of packages including several specialty options. The introductory two-night weekend stay is ideal for busy people, or those trying a retreat for the first time. For the best results, go for the five or seven-day packages. Gwinganna also offers retreats with different themes throughout the year, so guests can try something different each time they visit. 

Injidup Spa Retreat

Standing on a secluded beach in the heart of the Yallingup, Injidup Spa Retreat features 10 luxurious adult-only villas, each with a private plunge pool and stunning ocean views. It is impossible not to relax here, with their wide range of massages and body treatments.

It’ll be hard to leave your luxurious room, but when you do, enjoy world-class spa treatments from eco-luxe spa group, Bodhi J. While you’re here, schedule a private yoga class, or take a long nature walk on the renowned Cape to Cape Track the resort is on!

Daintree Ecolodge

Daintree Ecolodge is the perfect destination to reconnect with nature and the people you love. Set within the wilderness of the oldest tropical lowland rainforest on earth, this rainforest retreat boasts 15 eco-friendly ‘bayans’ (treehouses); a locally sourced, seasonal and sustainable culinary menu; a private waterfall and an extensive spa menu.

Daintree Ecolodge offers a variety of retreats. From a three-day wellness package to cultural tours, wilderness explorations and even an elopement package, Daintree Ecolodge is the ideal place to rejuvenate and connect with the ancient tropical wilderness.

Happy Buddha Retreats

If you’re looking for a yoga retreat, look no further than Happy Buddha Retreats. Hidden in the Blue Mountains, 90 minutes from Sydney, in just a short two or three days you can reboot your physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

Inner Joy Retreat is the signature program at Happy Buddha Retreats and it’s for everyone. Whether you’re seasoned yogi or a complete beginner, you’ll feel totally welcome, guided and supported. Apart from using yoga and meditation to stretch the body and mind, this retreat will also allow you to see yourself and others in a different light. 

Vipassana Centre Queensland

For a complete holistic mindfulness experience, Vipassana Meditation Centre in Queensland is one of the wellness retreats in Australia that focuses on meditation. The centre offers a 10-day silent retreat which challenges guests to take their meditation practice to new heights. 

Throughout the 10 days, students will refrain from speech and actions that are harmful to self and others. For the first three days you will practice Anapana, the observation of the breath, to help calm down the mind. From day four onward, you will practice Vipassana, the meditation of mental purification by insight. Finally on day 10 you will learn the meditation of Mettā, loving kindness, and the rule of silence will end. 

There are also no charges for the course – not even to cover the cost of food and accommodation! All expenses come from donations from people who, having completed a course and experienced the benefits of Vipassana, wish to give others the opportunity to also benefit. So make sure to pay it forward!