There's a spa – and then there's a spa destination. While hopping into the spa at your local pool is all well and good, heading to one of our state's spa destinations for a range of wellness treatments - whether north, south, east, west, or smack in the middle of town - for a day of indulgence in scenic surrounds is simply sublime.
Perhaps our most renowned healing waters lie in Hepburn Springs in Victoria's Spa Country, which comprises Australia's largest concentration of mineral springs. While there are several destinations to choose from, the relatively newly-refurbished
Hepburn Spa Bathhouse and Wellness Retreat is pretty special, and even more so given you can taste the different mineral water formulations at old-fashioned pumps and pipes in the surrounding reserve, which also makes for some excellent bushwalking and wildlife spotting. Here's a
map.
If you prefer to head south, it's the
Peninsula Hot Springs in Rye on the Mornington Peninsula for you. Also, recently refurbished, this lovely place comprises indoor and outdoor thermal pools of varying temperatures in peaceful, leafy surrounds. A range of treatments will have you feeling heavenly. It gets very busy on Sundays, so make sure you ring ahead and check out availability. Here's a
map.
Chuan Spa, located in the luxurious
Langham Hotel in Southbank (look for the big, yellow 'L'), is the ideal place for some inner-city pampering with million dollar views. It's not at all exclusive, but very welcoming.
Want more spas? You might also like to peruse the endless spa offerings at this excellent day spa, massage and spa resort guide
DaySpaGuide.com.au.
Be sure to pre-book your visit and particular treatments at any of the spa destinations to ensure a soothing day of smooth sailing.
