Victoria’s famous bathhouse reinvigorated, thanks to The Block

You’d be forgiven for thinking therapeutic bathing is a contemporary phenomenon in Australia, such is the recent proliferation of bathhouses and spring water spa complexes. It seems like we’re embracing this wellness trend like never before.

Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa has had a facelift.

But of course, the Romans, Ancient Greeks and Japanese as far back as the eighth century were making a communal splash as part of everyday life. And long before even classical antiquity began to build bathhouses, the traditional owners of the Central Highlands of Victoria knew the healing power of water.

For many thousands of years, the Dja Dja Wurrung people had been aware of the potency of the waterways of Djandak Country, well before the gold miners discovered the mineral springs there and the Hepburn Springs and Daylesford regions began attracting recreation seekers.

Take a soak in the renovated Hepburn Springs bathhouse.

In the mid-1800s, Hepburn Springs became Australia’s first spa reserve, and now, the Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa is celebrating its 130th anniversary by reopening after renovations, some of the work carried out by contestants on the 2025 series of The Block (airing on Nine, the publisher of this masthead) which is centred around properties in nearby Daylesford.

Original elements of the bathhouse were retained in the renovations.

Five new private bathing areas were created by the contestants and now host bespoke experiences for spa guests.

The $1.7 million renovation sees Hepburn Bathhouse offer a new apothecary area where guests blend their own body scrub. There have been upgrades to the property’s change rooms, new tiling, lighting, fittings and fixtures installed, restoration of the ceiling, a new audio system fitted, renovations to the aromatherapy steam room carried out and a refresh of the reception area.

There’s also a new spa menu in partnership with Australian spa brand Waterlily, as well as global skincare brand Elemis.

A range of spa treatments are on offer in private suites.

Other Victorian bathing destinations aren’t standing still, either. The two Mornington Peninsula hot springs properties – Peninsula Hot Springs and Alba Thermal Springs & Spa – have recently opened villa accommodation onsite (Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa has had luxury villas on offer since 2019).

Meanwhile, smaller soaking options are spouting up around the country.

The latest is in Queensland’s Gold Coast Hinterland, where Sol Elements Bathhouse seemingly floats on a lake at Mount Tamborine.

Soothing springs are popping up around the country.

It features three outdoor magnesium thermal pools heated to 38 degrees, two 12-degree cold pools, a sauna, steam room and a Himalayan salt cave as well as two magnesium float “caves”.

Sol Elements also invites guests into the Earth Lab where, like at Hepburn, they can create their own scrub.

There are also two private suites, each featuring a mineral bath, infrared sauna and ice bath, with a range of spa treatments.

Other new facilities include Soak Bathhouse which opened in Sydney’s Alexandria and Melbourne’s South Yarra this year. It’s in the same family as Soak on the Gold Coast, which opened in 2020. Soon to come to Sydney as well is Sense of Self in Surry Hills, a sister property to the popular bathhouse of the same name in Melbourne.

See hepburnbathhouse.com

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