An approximately ninety-minute drive from the city of Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula takes you into a coastal oasis of well-being and rejuvenation. With multiple thermal springs and bathing experiences nestled amidst this picturesque coastal escape, Mornington Peninsula is an ideal weekend gateway if disconnecting with the hustle of city life is your definition of relaxation. The Shire of Mornington Peninsula, located to the south of Melbourne city, is Victoria’s major attraction thanks to its wellness offerings, sprawling vineyards, colourful towns and surf-friendly beaches. The area has become increasingly popular for its mineral and geothermal hot springs.
Relax, Rejuvenate & Rewind
For thousands of years, bathing has been an indulgent ritual in several cultures. From the Turkish hammam experience to the Dead Sea dip in Israel, mineral bathing is known for its healing and relaxing benefits. The new and modern thermal spring properties in Victoria, however, offer a luxurious, oneof-a-kind experience. “Victoria’s wellness space has always been popular. However, it has picked up like never before in the past decade as people seem to need more downtime now,” shares Nadine Thorburn, Spa Director at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa. You can experience Victoria’s thermal springs at two of its luxury spa properties– Aurora Spa & Bathhouse at the state-of-the-art the InterContinental in Sorrento and Alba Thermal Springs and Spa. While the former is an indoor facility, the latter is a sprawling 35-acre property with over 30 outdoor pools overlooking rolling hills.
It rests well at the widely popular hotel property, InterContinental, located in the beautiful town of Sorrento, bordered by beaches and known for its limestone buildings. Aurora, on the inside, takes inspiration from Australia’s coastline and European bathing rituals, becoming a sought-after site to escape into tranquillity. It features four mineral salt hydro-therapy pools, eight treatment rooms, and a magnesium float room, each known to work distinctively on calming chronic pains, improving insomnia, bettering breathing, and lowering the levels of stress and anxiety. While the magnesium-rich salt pools are warm and work on relaxing muscles and ease stress, following it up with a minute-long dip in the cold plunge pool helps stimulate the immune system and boost circulation. A regular package lets you stay inside for an hour and 30 minutes, which also includes access to its treatment rooms. From aroma steam, glacial mist and halotherapy to sensory showers and Nordic saunas – the treatment rooms are built to deliver on specific healing requirements.
Alba Thermal Springs & Spa
If you are looking to soak in the best views that Victoria has to offer while experiencing its geothermal springs, Alba Thermal Springs & Spa has to be the first spot onyour list. Built on an undulating landscape, its open-air bathing pools range from intimate to large geothermal, cold-plunge and herb-infused pools. The property overlooks lush green trees, hills and dunes. Complete the experience with a meditation session and herbal tea to absorb the goodness of minerals. Alba, which opened towards the end of 2022, is a meticulously curated bathing and spa complex with an extensive treatment menu. “We have private bathing, hammam treatments, Vichy showers and wet-and-dry treatments,” says Nadine. She further explains that these thermal springs encourage people to take a break from their demanding routines with curated bespoke experiences that help them disconnect and destress.
A Day At The Thermal Springs
If you plan to include wellness experiences in your itinerary, make sure to check the weather before making the booking. While the indoor bathing spaces are always operational, some of the open-air pools may shut down in extreme weather conditions. Most of these thermal springs in Mornington Peninsula offer boutique experiences that start from $85 and can go up to a few thousand dollars depending on the number of treatments, days, and services you choose from the menu. Another thing to keep in mind while booking these experiences is that not all properties offer lodging facilities, so you may need to book your stay at a nearby hotel and make a day trip to the springs. Lastly, do not forget to pack your bathing suit. One should be enough, as each property is equipped with a swimsuit dryer that literally does the job in under five minutes. Happy bathing!
