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Spa experiences in Daylesford
ADVERTORIAL FEATURE - For those seeking to 'take the waters', there are riches to be had in the Daylesford hills. Mining may have been the making of the region back in the gold rush era, but it’s the mineral springs that have since held sway.
The ancient Greeks and Romans of course knew a thing or two about the value of bathing, but it was the 19th-century Victorians who rediscovered its recreational pleasures. It's perhaps appropriate, then, that Australia's spa capital is found in their namesake state, with some 80 per cent of Australia’s natural mineral springs located in the Daylesford area. This slice of north-western Victoria was long held sacred by indigenous peoples, but it was the Swiss-Italian pioneers of the region who established the traditions of famous European spa towns such as Vichy, Baden Baden and Bath.
And so it continues. Take the temple to H2O that is the benchmark-setting Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa. Built in 1895 at the edge of Hepburn Springs, the historic site was totally overhauled in 2008 to a breathtaking modern design that somehow simultaneously respects and recaptures its original Edwardian glory. All the pools are fed by springs which bubble up on the property, with the building itself divided into two main sections: The Spa, for private pampering, and The Bathhouse and Sanctuary, comprising a communal area with spa pool and couches, aroma steam room and salt therapy pool. Here, mineral water hydro massages and steam sessions are aimed at easing all manner of ailments, from muscle strains to respiratory problems and also just for pure rejuvenation. The full range of treatments in The Spa, meanwhile, includes hydrating, mineral-based facials using Thalgo, Eminence and LaGaia products, body scrubs and massages, and peaceful soaks in mineral water baths.
Not far from Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa is the Mineral Spa, housed within the glamorous Peppers Mineral Springs Retreat. It boasts an indoor/outdoor area with steam room, lavender sauna, detox box, two outdoor mineral spas and plunge pool overlooking beautifully maintained Italianate gardens. Other highlights at the Mineral Spa include Soft Pack waterbeds that give you the feeling of zero gravity and 180-jet spa baths.
There are other options for combining a spa excursion with a night or two away. A visit to Salus Spa at Lake House gives you the chance to combine the best of both worlds – five-star treatments using Elemis products with some of the country’s best regional food. The treetop cedar cabins in particular are spectacular – here you can soak in a private geisha tub while listening to the soothing sounds of surrounding waterfall-fed streams. This being Lake House, top-notch spa cuisine is dished up alongside the full range of face and body treatments.
To spa in Daylesford doesn't require such full immersion, however. Drop into Endota Spa, which offers spa baths, couples treatments and speciality massages such as the Hawaiian lomi lomi as well as signature therapies utilising local minerals and waters. Or perhaps head to the heritage building that houses Daylesford Day Spa, where, depending on the time of year, you can cosy up a roaring fire after your Jurlique facial, or find a cooling sanctuary from the summer heat.
For those looking for a spa that takes them away in mind as much as body there's Shizuka Ryokan. The Japanese have made an art out of achieving serenity, and the shiatsu, reflexology and relaxation massages on offer here are aimed at restoring inner peace as much as outer beauty. With just six traditional guestrooms and an authentic low-key restaurant, expect the sense of peace to continue post-treatment.
Whether you find yourself in a state-of-the-art bathhouse or traditional Japanese retreat, possibly the only thing better than the range of spa experiences in Daylesford is the feeling of wellbeing you'll walk away with.
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Win a luxury spa break for two in Daylesford
You and a friend could enjoy an indulgent two-night break thanks to Hepburn at Hepburn Villas and Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa.
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Daylesford Gourmet Delights Package
Enjoy a rejuvenating getaway at the beautiful Peppers Mineral Springs Retreat, only an hour's drive from Melbourne Airport. Just $255 per couple.
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