In Australia’s arid land, where kangaroos lick their forearms to beat the heat and rabbit-like bilbys get most of their hydration from food, a hidden wet world lies deep within the earth. Hot springs produced by volcanic activity are rich in minerals such as potassium, boron, calcium, and magnesium, and flow through the continent. The Great Artesian Basin, a huge groundwater resource that covers more than a fifth of the country and which in some areas drops to nearly 10,000 feet, emphasizes this paradoxical richness.
For more than 40,000 years, Indigenous Australians have worshiped and bathed in therapeutic waters such as Widjira-Dalhousie Hot Springs in South Australia, Tararoo Hot Springs in Queensland, and Chewarin (Douglas) Hot Springs in the Northern Territory. However, many of these natural wonders remained largely untouched by European settlers until the 20th century.
Currently, the southern Australian state of Victoria is aiming to become part of Australia’s spa culture. The recently launched Great Victoria Bus Trail is a 550-mile route across the state that aims to combine Indigenous experiences with nature walks, local cuisine and mindfulness practices. “The pursuit of health is built into the fabric of our daily lives and is rapidly becoming an integral part of our cultural landscape,” says Australia’s largest commercial bathing center, an hour’s drive away. Charles Davidson, co-founder of Peninsula Hot Springs. South of Melbourne.
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Inspired by similar ventures such as Colorado’s Historic Hot Springs Loop and New Zealand’s Thermal Explorer Highway, the trail takes you through the numerous hot springs that dot the southern coastline from Portland to Victoria and New South Wales. It’s tied. From steaming pools to bubbling springs, here are four of the best geothermal waters to try along your new bathing trail.
Hepburn Baths
Enjoy a dip in Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa’s cold plunge pool. Photo by Nicole Ramsey
Part of a network of more than 60 natural hot springs surrounding the towns of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, Hepburn Bathhouse is one of Australia’s oldest mineral baths.
“These are not underground lakes,” says Graham Beardsmore, a senior research fellow in the University of Melbourne’s School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. “They are widespread formations of porous rocks; [aquifers] They are buried deep enough that heat from within the Earth warms the water stored in the rocks. ”
The original bathhouse, established by Swiss and Italian settlers during the Victorian Gold Rush in 1895, has two bathing areas.
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As an upgrade, visitors can explore the Sanctuary, an elevated spa experience with salt and magnesium soaks, hammam, and refreshingly cool plunges. But the real draw is the outdoor pool, located along Spring Creek, where the mineral-rich waters offer respite amid a chorus of native birds.
peninsula hot springs
“Hot spring bathing is the perfect addition to any activity,” says Davidson, and at Peninsula Hot Springs, teeth activity. This 42-acre property is located next to the Tootgarok Wetland, which was once a favorite hunting ground for the indigenous Bunurong people.
Visitors can soak in the outdoor Jacuzzi, swim in the mineral-rich underground pool, or get their blood flowing with the “Fire and Ice” experience (a long sauna followed by a cold water soak and an icy plunge). I can. There are also bathing ditches, hilltop tubs and heated pools next to natural watering holes reserved for wildlife. Still, nothing compares to the moonlit hot tubs and pools available to guests at the Spa Dreaming Center. Earplugs are provided, but Tootgarookwhich means “croaking frog” in the Bunurong language.
(Effects of a cold plunge on the body. )
alba hot springs
The 37-acre property was once “just a bunch of blackberry bushes and rabbits and was in really bad shape,” said Kadi Morrison, director of sales and marketing for Alva Thermal Springs. With great care, we replanted native plants such as she oak, pine cushion hakea, and banksia. Now, visitors can enjoy one of his 22 geothermal and herb-infused pools and witness kangaroos, echidnas and long-tailed eagles soaring above.
The private outdoor pool and enclosed bath on the roof of the main building contain nutrient-rich salts known for their ability to heal spasms, pain and stiff joints.
Metun hot springs
Visitors can take in picturesque views over the cliffs of King Lake during a barrel bathing experience at Metun Hot Springs. Photo courtesy of Metun Hot Springs
A century ago, miners drilling for oil near Gippsland Lakes, a 230-square-mile network of inland lagoons, lakes, and islands, discovered another type of liquid gold: hot springs. After the original bathhouse closed in the 1990s, Charles Davidson of Peninsula Hot Springs unveiled Metun in his late 2022 year.
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Now, travelers can enjoy the water in hilltop pools, geothermal showers, and outdoor bathing barrels. If you choose to spend the night in your glamping accommodation, you can enjoy some private moonlight soaking in individual barrels.
