hero media

Australia’s first sauna festival is coming to the Blue Mountains

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
A steamy new festival is bringing the heat this August.

As wellness tourism continues to boom, Aussies have been treated to a wave of feel-good experiences, from bougie bathhouses and spa retreats to Scandi-chic saunas and community cold plunges.

The latest addition? Australia’s first-ever sauna festival, launched by the newly formed Australian Sauna Association (ASA). Aptly titled The Big Sweat, the two-day event is inviting both seasoned sauna-goers and curious newcomers to crank up the heat.

What is the Big Sweat?

The Big Sweat Sauna Festival, Leura NSW
Embrace the heat at Australia’s first sauna festival this August. (Credit: Declan Blackall Photography)

Taking place at the Blue Mountains Sauna in Leura from 22–23 August, The Big Sweat is the first festival of its kind in Australia. Rather than focusing on individual wellness, it embraces the communal nature of sauna culture as a shared social experience.

The two-day event marks a major milestone for the Australian Sauna Association, which officially launched in July of this year. The not-for-profit is Australia’s first national body dedicated to developing and supporting communal sauna culture Down Under, which has long gone without a unified voice.

The Big Sweat Sauna Festival, Leura NSW
At its core, sauna culture is all about slowing down and connecting with others.

But it’s not just about empowering existing operators, practitioners and enthusiasts. As part of its mission, the volunteer-led association is committed to education, accessibility and advocacy for all. Whether you’ve embraced the sauna life or barely dipped your toes in, you’re invited to be part of the movement – and there’s no better place to start than The Big Sweat.

A look at the program

As the Australian Sauna Association’s flagship event, The Big Sweat is a celebration of sauna culture and the community behind it. Naturally, the debut festival is centred around communal sauna experiences, using both outdoor woodfired saunas and indoor facilities at Leura’s Blue Mountains Sauna.

The Big Sweat Sauna Festival, Leura NSW
The Blue Mountains Sauna in Leura will act as the festival’s hub. (Credit: Declan Blackall Photography)

To add to the excitement, the wellness centre is set to unveil its new Savu smoke sauna, a traditional Finnish-style design often only found in the northern hemisphere.

Beyond the steam, visitors can explore everything from live music gigs and movement workshops to yoga classes and cold plunges, as well as food trucks, market stalls and expert-led panel talks.

The Big Sweat Sauna Festival, Leura NSW
Take part in everything from sauna sessions to cold plunges. (Credit: Declan Blackall Photography)

But arguably the program’s biggest highlight is its Aufguss ceremonies, considered one of sauna’s most celebrated rituals. The multi-sensory experience is performed by a trained master, who pours water (often infused with essential oils) over heated stones. Choreographed towel movements then circulate the steam throughout the space, resulting in a deeply restorative environment believed to release mental and physical tension.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

The details

The Big Sweat will take place from 22–23 August at Leura’s Blue Mountains Sauna, which can easily be reached via public transport. Train services run daily between Sydney’s Central and Leura stations, just an eight-minute walk from the festival venue.

The Big Sweat Sauna Festival, Leura NSW
The Big Sweat will run across two days at Leura’s Blue Mountains Sauna.

If you’re driving, the journey takes around 90 minutes from Sydney. While onsite parking is limited, the surrounding streets and nearby Woolworths have plenty of spots.

Tickets for The Big Sweat are on sale now, with single-day passes priced at $80 for adults and $40 for children. Weekend passes are also available for $150 and $70 respectively, providing the perfect excuse to book a cosy Blue Mountains cabin and turn it into a mini escape.

Want to see more stories from Australian Traveller in your Google search results?

  1. Click here to set Australian Traveller as a preferred source.
  2. Tick the box next to "Australian Traveller". That's it.
Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to check out places like Scotland and North America, her favourite place to explore will always be her homeland.
View profile and articles
mt kanimbla valley
Blue Mountains

Saunas, pastries and lookouts: a restorative Blue Mountains weekend itinerary

Balancing adrenaline highs with cortisol lows, we’ve found the perfect recipe for a Blue Mountains weekend escape.

Read more
Gleebooks Blackheath
Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains Bookshop Trail is a bibliophile’s dream come true

You won’t need your hiking boots for this Blue Mountains trail.

Read more
Mt Kanimbla Retreats bathtub
Blue Mountains

This Blue Mountains cabin might have Australia’s best bathtub view

At this timber-clad couples' haven, roaming ponies, a crackling fireplace and sweeping valley views all come standard. But the real pleasure is the privacy. 

Read more
Pulpit Rock Lookout near Govetts Leap, Blue Mountains National Park
Blue Mountains

6 years after Black Summer, this popular Blue Mountains lookout is back

Fire took everything at Pulpit Rock near Blackheath. Now, it has reopened, rebuilt in stone.

Read more
hero media

This surprising regional town is making its mark on the culinary world

(Image: Visit Griffith)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
    Continue
    With more than 60 nationalities calling it home and a century of Italian influence shaping its paddocks and plates, Griffith is a regional Australian town with serious culinary cred.

    It might feel surprising to learn that Griffith is one of Australia’s leading food destinations. In-the-know Italians have understood this for generations, drawn to the Riverina region’s fertile soils that reminded them of the terrain they’d left behind more than a century ago. These days, Griffith supplies much of the nation’s pantry: 95 per cent of Australia’s prunes come from the region, it’s the country’s largest citrus-growing area, and it’s a leading producer of almonds and walnuts. Even the pickles in every McDonald’s burger nationwide are produced in Griffith. This is not just a farming town; the Griffith food scene is leading the way.

    Here, culinary confidence is rooted in migration. Italian families began arriving from 1913, with a second wave settling after the Second World War. Today, Griffith has the highest proportion of Italian ancestry of any Local Government Area in Australia. Add to that more than 60 nationalities represented across the community and you have a town where food is driven not by trends, but by tradition. Griffith’s motto, ‘Taste our culture’, isn’t marketing spin; it’s the reality.

    Where the vines tell a story

    A hand pouring wine into a glass, with a table filled with food.
    Uncover the stories behind every glass. (Image: Destination NSW)

    The Riverina has long been dubbed the food bowl of Australia, but it’s also a wine region that remains largely under the radar. What sets Griffith apart is that every one of its wineries is family-owned, many spanning generations.

    Calabria Family Wines is one of the region’s standard-bearers. The Calabria story began in 1945 when Francesco Calabria planted his first vines; today, the family continues to shape the region’s identity while also stewarding the historic McWilliam’s Wines brand. McWilliam’s was the first winery to plant vines in the area, and its barrel-shaped cellar door – complete with a soaring stained-glass window – remains one of the most distinctive in regional NSW.

    Yarran Wines, run by the Brewer family, showcases estate-grown fruit across Mediterranean varietals that thrive in the warm climate. Expect bold reds and textured whites that reflect both heritage and innovation.

    Set inside the old ambulance station, Harvest HQ is owned and operated by the Riverina Winemakers Association and pours a rotating selection of local wines under one roof. It also features spirits from The Aisling Distillery, reinforcing the region’s collaborative approach to craft.

    At the table

    A flat lay of a steak.
    Dine where tradition meets a bold new generation. (Image: Visit Griffith)

    If the vineyards tell one story, the dining rooms tell another. Griffith’s restaurants are where tradition and next-gen confidence meet.

    Zecca Handmade Italian occupies the former Rural Bank building, an imposing Art Deco landmark from the late 1930s. ‘Zecca’ means money print, and the name is a nod to the Zecca di Venezia in Venice. Here, find the Riverina’s only producer of dried artisan pasta and traditional Italian recipes. Importantly, the growers and producers supplying the kitchen are listed on the menu as a transparent expression of the region’s farm-to-table ethos.

    Established in 1977 and still run by the Vico family, La Scala puts authentic Italian cuisine on centre stage. Expect handmade pasta, traditional wood-fired pizzas, slow-cooked sauces and dishes that follow recipes guarded like family heirlooms. For something more contemporary, Bull & Bell in Gem Hotel is a shrine to the Euro-style steakhouse that works closely with local farmers and artisans to showcase Riverina produce.

    And then there are the institutions. Bertoldo’s Pasticceria, now in its third generation, draws locals daily for cannoli, biscotti, crostoli and house-made gelato, alongside classic sausage rolls and potato pies. La Piccola Grosseria feels like stepping into an Italian alimentari, its shelves lined with continental goods that wouldn’t feel out of place in Puglia.

    Meanwhile, Limone celebrates local and seasonal produce across breakfast and lunch menus, enriched by the produce and stories of Piccolo Family Farm. Find pastries and sourdough baked daily, and pop into the onsite retail pantry for products from regional producers – including the Piccolo family’s own wine range, Caro Piccolo.

    From the source

    A plated Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod dish.
    Taste world-renowned Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod, straight from its source. (Image: Visit Griffith)

    Behind every menu is a producer. Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod is perhaps Griffith’s most high-profile export; the brand’s Murray cod and Aquna Gold Murray Cod Caviar have achieved global recognition. In October 2024, Aquna presented its products to King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the NSW Premier’s Community BBQ in Parramatta. Impressed by the producer’s sustainable farming practices, the King requested the cod be sent to Buckingham Palace – not bad for a fish farm in regional NSW.

    Mandolé Orchard champions almonds grown on a family-run farm, transforming them into almond milk and value-added products. At Morella Grove, olives are pressed into premium olive oil and pantry staples that speak to Griffith’s Mediterranean heart. These producers are not peripheral; they are central to the town’s culinary ecosystem. Learn about local sustainable farming practices during a farm tour.

    Mark your calendar

    A woman walking past a food mural, something you can spot during A Taste of Italy Griffith.
    Plan your visit around A Taste of Italy Griffith. (Image: Visit Griffith)

    For a town that helps stock Australia’s supermarkets, Griffith has remained curiously absent from the national dining conversation. That’s beginning to change. If you’ve been searching for a regional food destination with substance, heritage and a clear sense of identity, you’ll find it here in the Riverina, right under your nose.

    Time your visit to the Riverina region to coincide with A Taste of Italy Griffith, held every August. This week-long celebration of Italian heritage and culture offers a wide range of Italian-inspired events and experiences to enjoy. Expect long-table lunches, wine tasting experiences, cooking classes and a Makers in the Piazza market. The headline event is a ticketed long lunch – Festa delle Salsicce (Salami Festival) – where winners of the best salami are announced.

    Start planning your foodie getaway at visitgriffith.com.au.

    The Big Sweat: Australia's first sauna festival is coming to the Blue Mountains