Slow the flow of modern-day life in Australia’s magical spa country with a stay at the new Hepburn Bathhouse.
Sunlight spills across a large wooden table lined with a curious collection of essences, extracts, and pastel-hued powders in glass jars, each with a handwritten label. I pause at each of the small brown bottles, drawing their pipettes to compare the heady scents. Meanwhile, a spa therapist assuming the role of fragrance sommelier explains the formula for a perfectly scented soak: an uplifting citrus top note, a relaxing floral middle note, and a grounding, rich and heavy base note. I squeeze drops of bergamot, lavender, and a dash of frankincense into my bowl, stirring them with a scattering of rose petals, some pink Himalayan rock salt, and a sprinkle of ashwagandha in a small pot with a wooden spoon: it’s all a little bit meditative, ASMR and aesthetically pleasing.
Dip into magic. Hepburn Bathhouse has reopened bigger and better – think private mineral baths, custom apothecary soaks and rooms that range from pink-tiled bliss to slate-minimal zen.
Custom ‘apothecary’ experience
Each guest who opts for a private ‘Alchemist Mineral Bath’ at Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa is invited to make their own custom concoction. As my bath is drawn, I laze in the adjacent sunken timber lounge, sipping on an organic, herbal house-made tea that features some of the very same botanicals as the essential oils on the table (calendula, licorice root and spearmint, to name a few). Snug in slippers and a white waffle robe, I unfurl one of the curled blankets across my lap as melodic spa music echoes, and succumb to the serenity that permeates the spa’s every corner.
Guests can now customise their own Apothecary concoction when booking a private bathing experience. (Image: Supplied)
The marble private bathing room is one of five new designs. (Image: Supplied)
The new Apothecary experience is for guests who opt for the private bathing rooms. (Image: Supplied)
Another version of the new private bathing rooms. (Image: Supplied)
Pink subway tiles create a soothing space to bathe. (Image: Supplied)
Private mineral baths updated
This hands-on ‘apothecary’ experience is one of the newest additions to Australia’s oldest spa (est. 1895), which reopened in August 2025 after a multimillion-dollar facelift. The entire space has undergone a refresh, from new tiling and lighting to refurbished changing rooms. But chief among the updates are the private mineral baths themselves, five of which were overhauled by contestants from the 21st season of The Block, each offering a wholly different vibe. One is vibrant and uplifting, plastered with pink subway tiles; another is awash with slate and captures a meditative minimalism; while a third is a riot of patterns, decked in veined marble, chevron-tiled floors, and an embossed copper-look ceiling.
A soothing soak in the mineral waters of Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa. (Image: Supplied)
The therapeutic powers of mineral bathing
A 45-minute soak in a private bath might feel like an eternity of solitude in an age defined by overscheduling, digital addiction, restlessness and hustle culture, yet the time slips by surprisingly quickly and proves unexpectedly restorative. There’s a sudden rosy glow on my long anaemic-looking cheeks, a softness to my skin, and, just maybe, a slower pace to my thoughts. The therapeutic powers of mineral bathing have, of course, been lauded for centuries: even the ancient Greeks and Egyptians extolled the virtues of mineral bathing for its relaxation properties and supposed ability to treat ailments. The warm, spring-fed waters here at Hepburn Bathhouse are rich in magnesium, calcium, silica and sulphur, helping to ease muscle tension and support skin health. But there’s a mindfulness element too.
The benefits of bathing have long been praised. (Image: Supplied)
In the main bathhouse, couples, friends, and mums and daughters all take to the waters, chatting, relaxing and generally enjoying each other’s company. Across history and cultures, bathhouses have acted as social hubs and anchors for local communities, and it feels profoundly refreshing to see people carve out time together, not a screen in sight; almost as if stepping into a time warp. Solo bathers find serenity here, too. Some resting their cheek on the pool’s edge and closing their eyes as their bodies float, others gazing straight out through the floor-to-ceiling windows to gorge on the abundant greenery beyond, and the occasional swamp wallaby.
From bathing to dining
With only a small cafe onsite, those coming to (rightly) make a weekend of it must venture beyond the bathhouse for dinner. Lucky then that noteworthy cafes and restaurants are in strong supply in Australia’s Spa Capital, with Lake House Restaurant , Bar Merenda and The Surly Goat among the region’s frontrunners. Few local restaurants promise a dining experience as mindful and holistically considered as Kadota , however.
A kaiseki-style restaurant, Kadota invites diners to slow down and savour each elaborately plated morsel by honouring seasonality and exalting the provenance of every ingredient, all with typical Japanese modesty. Come winter, that might mean a pair of small, sweet mousse-like ‘pies’ made of slippery jack mushrooms, white chocolate and pine nuts, and moulded to resemble pumpkins that sit atop a dried oak leaf. Or a fermented kohlrabi and chive sauce that’s poured by teapot, tableside, onto local brassicas — the dish brightened by a cluster of cured salmon roe pearls and butterflies fashioned from daikon. Equal thought and care has been showered upon the dining room, which is a talking point in itself: light shades crafted by a local artist to mimic a lotus root; a feature wall of Daylesford pinewood, blackened using the traditional Japanese wood preservation method of yaki-matsu; hand-scribed scrolls made by co-owner Risa Kadota’s grandfather; and lemon balm stalks strung up along the wall to air-dry for tea.
Like Hepburn Bathhouse, Kadota possesses a special kind of alchemy that’s greater than the sum of its parts, affording guests a deeper connection with the present. Somehow, even the drive from Melbourne to Hepburn feels like part of the experience, as if the spa’s founders dreamed it up that way. The city’s grit, grey and congestion gradually recedes in the rearview mirror, giving way to bucolic scenes and quiet roads: woolly sheep grazing on golden fields, gently rolling hills, winding roads flanked by forest, horses in paddocks, and family-run farmgate stalls. The drive itself becomes part of the ritual, nudging visitors into a more mindful state before they’ve even dipped their toes in the town’s magical waters.
Weekly travel news, experiences insider tips, offers, and more.
Chloe Cann is an award-winning freelance travel and food writer, born in England, based in Melbourne and Roman by adoption. Since honing her skills at City St George's, University of London with a master's degree in journalism, she's been writing almost exclusively about travel for more than a decade, and has worked in-house at newspapers and travel magazines in London, Phnom Penh, Sydney and Melbourne. Through a mixture of work and pleasure, she's been fortunate enough to visit 80 countries to date, though there are many more that she is itching to reach. While the strength of a region's food scene tends to dictate the location of her next trip, she can be equally swayed by the promise of interesting landscapes and offbeat experiences. And with a small person now in tow, travel looks a little different these days, but it remains at the front of her mind.
The well-preserved Gold Rushtown where an idyllic country vibe meets the best of city living.
Cafe culture
‘Slow down’ is the mantra of Tortoise Espresso , and it’s apt for anyone visiting town. This local coffee hangout was the brainchild of Lloyd Meadows, who at 16 started it as a hole in the wall of an old pub. Five years on, it graces a fine shopfront with a menu of around 60 different coffees. Other one-off centrally located daytime cafes, such as Saffs, Togs, Saint Florian and Lazy Bones, are tucked into historic buildings and serve creative menus featuring local produce. A personal favourite is Origini, where chef Luca Sartori brings a taste of northern Italy to his rustic restaurant. For the best banh mi outside Vietnam head to Super Hero, and the pastries at Johnny Baker are legendary.
Saint Florian is one of many businesses tucked away in a historic building. (Image: Griffin Simm)
On the town’s fringe you’ll find some treasured cafes: Blackbird. Grist, Doveton Corner Store, and the cosy Aitken’s Corner. The Mill precinct also brings another dimension to Castlemaine. Located directly opposite the beautiful Botanical Gardens, this once-derelict woollen mill is a hive of creativity and collaboration. Retaining an industrial feel, it is home to a myriad of 44 unique businesses, galleries and studios that stretch over the three-hectare site.
Brilliant brews, bars and food
The Mill is home to many local businesses. (Image: Visit Victoria/Michelle Jarni)
The Mill is also home to one of Castlemaine’s bespoke breweries, Shedshaker Brewing Company and Taproom. Within the sensitively restored walls of the oldest part of the building (circa 1875), small-batch, handcrafted beer features alongside fine wholesome food and live music.
A more recent newcomer to the brewing scene is Love Shack . Starting small as a laneway pop-up in 2021, visionaries Conna Mallett and Harry Cox were armed with a Melbourne beer culture pedigree, which helped them create a great new ‘pub’ that feels as though it’s been there since the 1850s. Other atmospheric bars and restaurants are dotted around town – Grafting Cellars for local wines by the pour; buzzy Mostyn Street Cellars; Table Records plays vinyl on weekends; and the quirky Maurocco bar is not to be missed.
The nostalgic Love Shack Public Bar & Bistro serves comfort food. (Image: Visit Victoria)
For food you’ll write home about, the hatted Bar Midland serves exquisite dishes from Victorian-only produce. The freshly renovated Wild is located in the original firestation, Voor Ouker specialises in Indonesian/Dutch fusion, and the Railway Hotel oozes English pub charm.
Theatre Royal is the longest continually operating theatre on the mainland. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)
Much-loved Teatro Regio, found in the magnificent Theatre Royal , is the go-to for pizzas with a twist. As mainland Australia’s longest continually running theatre, this grand dame is also one of more than a dozen performance spaces that add to a rich and diverse entertainment and festival scene.
Dine before a show at Theatre Royal. (Image: Tourism Australia/Visit Victoria)
Quirky country stays
Quirky, authentic and perfectly located, the Midland Hotel is a private hotel that dates back to 1879. Each of the nine rooms at the Northern Arts Hotel is different and named in honour of an Australian artist. Castlemaine Boutique Accommodation also has a range of properties to suit all types of travellers.
