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This new bathhouse in Melbourne feels like stepping into a rainforest

Rachael Thompson Rachael Thompson
Inner Studio has brought its popular wellness studio to South Yarra.

Incorporating wellness activities into our daily lives has gone from being the ultimate luxury to the new norm. Cold plunges, breathwork and sauna sessions were once buzzwords, but are now as routine as going to the gym. A host of stylish wellness spaces in Melbourne, including Inner Studio’s dreamy Collingwood venue, are contributing to making self-care more accessible and desirable than ever. And they’ve opened up a new hotspot to nourish your body and relax your mind when visiting Melbourne or enjoying a staycation.

People sitting in a bath at Inner Studio South Yarra
Inner Studio have expanded to South Yarra.

Following the success of their Collingwood outpost, Inner Studio has opened doors to a lush two-storey venue in South Yarra. The studio was founded by brothers and former AFL players Will Slade and Ben Sinclair, who unsurprisingly have a strong understanding of the importance of stress resilience and recovery. Rather than a traditional day spa, the space invites wellness enthusiasts to partake in the practices that they feel helped them perform at their best. 

A large timber sauna
Unwind in the 40-person sauna.

Downstairs, there are two curved concrete magnesium pools – a hot pool (38 degrees) and a cold pool (between 5 and 8 degrees), as well as the southern hemisphere’s largest sauna, fitting up to 40 people. Upstairs, an acoustically engineered studio hosts breathwork, yoga and mat Pilates classes. And to round out the offerings, a chill-out area with a fireplace and a tea station is designed to soothe the mind. 

Conceived in-house by Slade, both floors are designed to make you relax and linger. Lush greenery creates a rainforest-like feel while soft lighting keeps things instantly calming, and a materials palette of terrazzo tiles and concrete brings a bit of edge.

The adults-only space is open seven days a week, welcoming those keen to rest and recharge.

Details

Showers at Inner Studio South Yarra
Lush greenery contrasts with concrete and terrazzo.

Best for: Wellness enthusiasts and those in need of some recovery time

Address: 61-63 Commercial Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141

Pricing: From $30. Full pricing list here.

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 6am-9pm; Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 am-9pm

Age restrictions: 18+

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Rachael Thompson
Rachael Thompson is Australian Traveller's Evergreen Editor and Hotel Addict. She's responsible for the foundational content on AustralianTraveller.com, helping to manage and grow the brand’s destination guides. With a background in design and travel media, Rachael is dedicated to curating content that is as much informational as it is beautiful. She began her career at Belle magazine, before taking up editorial roles at Homes to Love and Bed Threads. When she's not writing, editing or optimising content, Rachael enjoys exploring the city's newest restaurants, bars and hotels. Next on her Aussie travel wish list is Lord Howe Island.
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How a $1 deal saved Bendigo’s historic tramways

    Megan Arkinstall Megan Arkinstall
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    The passionate community that saved Bendigo Tramways has kept the story of this city alive for generations.

    It was an absolute steal: a fleet of 23 trams for just $1. But such a fortunate purchase didn’t happen easily. It was 1972 when the Bendigo Trust handed over a single buck for the city’s historic collection of battery, steam and electric trams, which had transported locals since 1890.

    inside the historic Bendigo Tram
    Bendigo Tramways is a historic transport line turned tourist service. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

    The city’s tram network had been declared defunct since 1970 due to post-war shortages in materials to upkeep the trams and declining passenger numbers as motor vehicles were increasing. However, determined locals would not hear of their beloved trams being sold off around the world.

    The Bendigo Trust was enlisted to preserve this heritage, by converting the trams into a tourist service. The Victorian government approved a trial, however news spread that the Australian Electric Tramways Museum in Adelaide had acquired one of the streetcars for its collection.

    a tram heading to Quarry Hill in 1957
    A tram on its way to Quarry Hill in 1957. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

    An impassioned group rallied together to make this physically impossible. Breaking into the tram sheds, they welded iron pipes to the rails, removed carbon brushes from the motors, and formed a blockade at the depot. The community response was extraordinary, and a $1 deal was sealed.

    A new chapter for the city’s fleet

    the old Tramways Depot and Workshop
    The old Tramways Depot and Workshop is one of the stops on the hop-on, hop-off service. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Today, Bendigo Tramways welcomes some 40,000 passengers annually, operating as a hop-on, hop-off touring service aboard the restored trams. Fifteen of the now 45-strong fleet are dubbed ‘Talking Trams’ because of the taped commentary that is played along the route. The trams loop between Central Deborah Gold Mine and the Bendigo Joss House Temple, which has been a place of Chinese worship since 1871, via other sites including the old Tramways Depot and Workshop.

    a Gold Mine Bendigo Tram
    The fleet comprises 45 trams that have been restored. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

    Keeping things interesting, throughout the year visitors can step aboard different themed trams. Tram No. 302 becomes the Yarn Bomb Tram, decorated both inside and out with colourful crochet by an anonymous group of locals.

    During the festive season, Tram No. 15 operates as a tinsel-festooned Santa Tram, and the big man himself hides out somewhere along the route for excited children to find. And on selected dates, the adults-only Groove Tram runs nighttime tours of the city, accompanied by local musicians playing live tunes and a pop-up bar.

    the historic post office turned visitor centre in Bendigo
    Visitors can hop on and off to see the city’s sites such as the historic post office turned visitor centre. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    As well as preserving the city’s history, however, the continuation of the tram service has kept the skills of tram building and craftsmanship alive in a practical sense. Bendigo’s Heritage Rail Workshop is world-renowned for restoring heritage trams and repurposing vehicles in creative ways.

    Locally, for example, Tram No. 918 was transformed into the Dja Dja Wurrung Tram with original Aboriginal artworks by emerging artist Natasha Carter, with special commentary and music that shares the stories and traditions of Bendigo’s first people. You can’t put a price on preserving history. Nonetheless, it was a dollar very well spent.