Affordable Wellness Retreats In Australia

If your mind, body and soul are in serious need of some TLC but so is your bank balance, check out these affordable wellness retreats around the country.

Relaxing, re-energising, and sometimes even emotional. Wellness retreats can be all of these things, but, let’s face it, they can also be expensive.

With that said, affordable retreats do in fact exist. There are retreats that, come bill-settling time, won’t see your newfound calm swept out the window. Even better, you can find them in Australia.
You just have to know where to look. Or, we can help you.

1. Happy Buddha Retreats, Wentworth Falls, NSW

A stay at Happy Buddha Retreats in the Blue Mountains will leave you with a whole new understanding of the word mindful. The retreat uses drumming circles, sharing circles, and meditation talks to teach you how to better get out of your head and into the present. Yoga classes and self-guided walks, including a stroll to a nearby waterfall, are of course on offer here too. As are homemade meals, each beginning with chef Khanh explaining her delicious creations in detail – an act that does wonders for mindful eating.

The cost: Prices start at $299 per person for two nights mid-week and include all meals, workshops and yoga classes.

Happy Buddha Retreat Pool

Relax by the pool at Happy Buddha Retreats.

Happy Buddha Retreat Waterfall Walk — Take a stroll to the nearby waterfall at Happy Buddha Retreat.

2. Kangaroo Island Health Retreat, Kangaroo Island, SA

They say it takes 21 days to break a bad habit, but at Kangaroo Island Health Retreat on Kangaroo Island, the aim is to have it reset in just seven days. Its Dynamic Detox program was designed for a complete lifestyle change, and sees you fed only tonic pastes and soup for its first four days before moving you onto whole foods. Rest assured, any memory of hunger pangs will be long forgotten when you bounce out the door, thoroughly cleansed.

The cost: Prices start at $2999 for a week-long retreat. Admittedly on the pricier end, but when you consider it includes nutrition and anatomy lectures, culinary lessons and Pilates classes and works out to just $428 a day, not so much.

3. Griffins Hill Yoga Retreat, near Dunkeld, VIC

With yoga classes led by a teacher who has over 40,000 hours of practice under his belt, you know you’re in good hands at Griffins Hill Yoga Retreat . Set on 2.5 hectares of garden, and nestled in the Southern Grampians three hours from Melbourne, the retreat runs three-, five- and six-day programs. The focus here is on Igengar yoga, a form of Hatha yoga that emphasises detail, precision and alignment. In between classes, lace up your boots for a mountain walk, book a massage or check out a nearby cafe or restaurant.

The cost: Prices start at $690 per person for the weekend for a twin-share room. If you aren’t with a friend or partner, the retreat will pair you with someone (private king rooms for one guest start from $990 for the weekend). The rate includes all meals and yoga classes.

4. Daintree Ecolodge, Daintree Rainforest, QLD

Daintree Ecolodge Rainforest Bayan — The rainforest-facing rooms at Daintree Ecolodge. Photo: Simon Shiff

While local culture, nature and indulgence-themed packages are on offer at Daintree Ecolodge , the hotel is, for the most part, more of a DIY-style retreat. Start by picking your room, choosing from lagoon, canopy or rainforest-facing options, before then moving on to your activities. And from cooking demonstrations and degustation dinners to 4WD tours and Daintree Rainforest adventures, you won’t be short on choice. Always a plus, the resort is incredibly sustainable so as you connect with nature, you can be sure you aren’t further damaging it.

The cost: Prices start at $380 a night for two people and include breakfast.

Even dining at the Daintree Ecolodge Restaurant is a soothing experience when surrounded by this picturesque scene. Photo: Simon Shiff

5. Island Indulgence Retreats, Hindmarsh Island, SA

Island Indulgence Retreats in South Australia’s Hindmarsh Island marina is the brainchild of a mother-daughter team of a naturopath and a masseuse. The combination of the two clearly making for a very blissful weekend. Its women-only programs will see you indulging in a facial treatment, hour-long massage and nutrition workshop, all set on a serene waterfront. Also on the agenda are yoga and meditation classes and self-guided kayak tours. Retreats are capped at just eight guests.

The cost: Prices start at $595 per person for the weekend.

6. Billabong Retreat, Maralyla, NSW

Cabins of Billabong Retreat in Maralyla, NSW — The cabins of Billabong Retreat in Maralyla, NSW.

Join in on the yoga classes in the Billabong Retreat Treetop Yoga Room.

Nothing says relaxing retreat more than a bathtub on a balcony. At Billabong Retreat , just 45 minutes from Sydney (or a 10-minute drive from Vineyard train stop), deluxe cabin rooms come equipped with said tubs, perched over a very peaceful billabong. In between soaks, join in a yoga class, indulge in a spa treatment or simply curl up in the common area with a book and blanket. Meals here are served buffet-style and are all-natural and all-healthy.

The cost: Prices start at $250 a night for a bed in a dorm room, including all meals and yoga. Prices for the deluxe cabin room start at $500 per person a night, $700 for two people.

Billabong Retreat_Deluxe Cabin — Inside a Billabong Retreat Deluxe Cabin.

Billabong Retreat breakfast — The meals at Billabong Retreat are served buffet-style and are all-natural and all-healthy.

7. Ripple Retreats, East Fremantle, WA

Live in Perth or right near it, and only have a day to spare for some quality self-care? Book at Ripple Retreats. In a gorgeous garden in East Fremantle, you’ll learn how to properly breathe and relax, and how to harness the power of positive thinking. By the end of the day, expect to have peeled away at least some of those pesky stress layers, and further cultivated that deep sense of calm and inner peace.

The cost: Price for the day is $287 per person.

Hobart has quietly become our coolest capital, but the real wonder lies just beyond the city limits.

In the cool shade of Kunyani/ Mt Wellington, Hobart has earned a reputation. Home to culture-defining Dark MOFO, the city blends rugged, raw wilderness and rule-breaking galleries. But, step beyond the thrumming capital’s border and you’ll find a new perspective: historic towns, Jurassic-era cliffs and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. With ALL Accor as your home away from home, fill your days with epicurean odysseys and wild scenery on the best day trips from Hobart.

Where to stay

Behind every good road trip is the perfect home base. Somewhere central to review your camera roll, make the most of Hobart’s dining scene and relax before setting off again.

For modern, Tasmanian-inspired design, book a stay at the Movenpick Hotel Hobart . Standing at the Salamanca Markets, look to the Hobart skyline and the award-winning hotel will catch your eye. As the third-tallest building in the CBD, the views across the harbour toward Antarctica are totally unique to your room. Here, end each day at the daily free chocolate hour (plus a free Movenpick ice cream for the little ones).

For a more budget-conscious option, head to the picture book, sandstone buildings of Macquarie Street. Nestled along the buzzing, historic streetscape, you’ll find Tasmania’s biggest hotel: the Ibis Styles . Return home each day to defrost in one of the hotel’s two saunas. Make use of the proximity to MONA, or take an easy stroll to the candy-coloured cottages of Battery Point between your adventures.

A stylish, Tasmanian-inspired bedroom at Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, your perfect base for relaxing after the best day trips from Hobart. — Elevate your Hobart stay with sleek style at Mövenpick.

1. Bruny Island

Craggy cliffs and tropical-hued, white sand beaches signal your arrival to Bruny Island/ Lunawanna-Alonnah.

Start your day trip at the island’s most iconic spot, the Neck Game Reserve. Scale the Trunganini steps to gaze out over the teensy stretch of land that juts through the sea connecting the two ends of the island.

Catch a rare glimpse of the white furred wallabies that call Bruny Island home at Adventure Bay. Then, for ocean-fresh oysters, pull into the drive-thru window at Get Shucked . Sample Bruny Island cheese at the cellar door before catching the ferry home with an esky full of local produce.

Bruny Island Neck is an isthmus of land connecting north and south Bruny Island. — Begin your adventure with a climb and a view. (Image: Elise Weaver)

2. Mount Wellington

At 1271 metres, Mount Wellington watches protectively over Hobart. Follow the winding road to climb through alpine forest and tufts of snow to reach the summit. Gaze down over Hobart and out to sea, or over your shoulder to the southwestern wilderness.

Reset your adrenaline with a mountain bike ride back down. Or, make like the locals and head into the mountain on foot. Try the hike to the Jurassic-period Organ Pipes which slips under the mountain’s magnificent dolerite cliffs (perfect for families thanks to the trail’s minimal incline).

For a view of Mount Wellington itself, hike nearby Cathedral Rock.

No matter where you are in Hobart you are never far away from the City's beloved mountain, Kunanyi / Mount Wellington — Climb through alpine forest to the summit. (Image: Paul Flemming)

2. Port Arthur

Constructed entirely by convicts, the manicured gardens and penal buildings of Port Arthur offer a day trip that practically hums with history.

The rugged, seagirt location was chosen for its difficult escape conditions. Now, you can cruise the coast below the towering, jagged cliffs of the Tasman National Park or wander the sloping fields of fragrant lavender.

Tickets to Port Arthur include a walking tour and harbour cruise. See the Isle of the Dead where 1000 men are buried in marked and unmarked graves. And Point Puer, Britain’s first prison for children.

The Port Arthur Historic Site is one of Australia's most important heritage sites and tourist destinations. Located on the scenic Turrakana / Tasman Peninsula in the south east of Tasmania, it offers a unique and essential experience for all visitors to the area. — Wander convict-built grounds and gardens. (Image: Dearna Bond)

3. Launceston

You’ll find Launceston at the confluence of three rivers after an easy 2.5-hour drive from Hobart. Launceston is a patchwork of old and new. Here, heritage streetscapes meet modern architecture.

Visit Cataract Gorge, the green, sun-dappled heart of the town and sacred meeting point for Tasmania’s indigenous communities. Pull up at roadside produce stalls that dot the Tamar Valley, or dine out. Launceston is, after all, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

Should the local wine scene persuade you, simply extend your time in Launceston at Peppers Silo (but definitely at least stop by the onsite restaurant, Grain of the Silo , for a farm fresh menu) or Mercure Launceston before heading back to Hobart.

Walk the sunlit paths of Cataract Gorge. (Image: Nick H Visuals)

4. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Take a 35-minute drive from your hotel and you’ll find Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary . This social enterprise is run by a team of extremely passionate Tasmanians with a mission to look after critically endangered species who have found sanctuary here after facing extinction on the mainland.

Choose to wander the sanctuary at your own pace or join a guided tour (free with your ticket) to come face to face with Tassie’s most iconic species. Tasmanian Devils, wombats and echidnas are part of the free tour. You can book up close encounters with your favourite animals, too.

Bonorong is a Sanctuary for wildlife run by a passionate team of like-minded people. We're a social enterprise: a little business with a big heart. — Snap a cuddle-worthy encounter. (Image: Tourism Australia)

5. Richmond Village & Coal River Valley

Richmond is a town that belongs in a snow globe. Fifty colonial-era, Georgian buildings have been painstakingly restored and turned into cafes, cosy restaurants and galleries. Visit Richmond Gaol , said to be the home of a prisoner so vile he inspired Charles Dickens to pen Oliver Twist’s Fagin.

Then, follow the Coal River as it flows past grassy, duckling-dotted knolls and under the iconic Richmond Bridge, the oldest bridge in Australia. From the crest of the bridge, see the oldest Catholic Church in Australia. The river crawls past many cellar doors, perfect for a day of wine tasting.

Richmond is a picture-perfect town in the Coal River Valley wine region, offering a glimpse into early colonial life, one of the best day trips from Hobart. — Trace the river through history and wine country. (Image: Fin Matson)

Plan your trip to Hobart and beyond with ALL Accor at All.com .

Australia’s best value wellness retreats