Alba Thermal Springs: The newest stop in Mornington Peninsula

Diving into Alba Thermal Springs

From the outside, Alba’s sleek, slightly futuristic structure lends itself to being anything from a contemporary art gallery to the headquarters of a tech company. Entering the imposing building, I’m immediately enveloped in a wave of calm as I’m led to the changerooms equipped with lockers, showers and Dyson hairdryers.

After changing into a bikini, I slip on a plush, white robe and venture out into the open-air bathing area to begin the experience. There are only a few pools visible once I walk through the glass doors into the outdoor area but as the adage goes, looks can be deceiving. There are actually 31 therapeutic thermal springs and salt baths dispersed throughout the 15-hectare property’s sloping, landscaped native gardens.

Alba Thermal Springs The Falls pool at night

Day or night, The Falls is a stunning pool to relax in.

With a variety of pools heated to varying temperatures, I pool hop like goldilocks until I find the one that’s just right for me. At first, I join two women chilling out in The Falls, a showstopping pool surrounded by a halo of soft rain. I then wander up the path to try The Shell, a small, semi-enclosed cocoon-like pool with no one else in it. Further along, I find The Luna, a pretty, moon-shaped pool fringed by native bushland.

Alba Thermal Springs hemisphere the hide

Find cave-like pools to hide in.

Importantly, Alba is one of the few places where you can enjoy the freedom to relax in mobile phone-free peace. Prefer some privacy? There are also nine private pools you can book to bathe in seclusion, including an intimate rooftop salt pool for two and a spacious pool and deck perfect for small groups.

But it’s not all about bathing here. I love the endorphin boost that comes with getting hot and sweaty, so I make a beeline for The Hemisphere’s spacious sauna and steam rooms. After melting my muscles in the sauna, I follow up with a cleansing chaser of steam that leaves me with a rosy glow. On the way out, I sidestep a cold plunge pool with just one brave bather in it. One day I’ll work up the courage to try hot/cold immersion therapy, but that day is not today.

woman getting into a pool at Alba Thermal Springs

Choose from 31 therapeutic thermal springs and salt baths.

Thyme restaurant

Feeling peckish, the thought of leaving to find something to eat is unbearable. Thankfully, there’s no need to change back into the jeans and shirt I arrived in. At Thyme restaurant, wearing a robe and slippers is not only acceptable, it’s encouraged.

The all-day menu (created by award-winning Melbourne chef Karen Martini) features dishes that strike the perfect balance between nutritious and delicious. There’s a focus on light, fresh fare, with menu items like a humble chicken schnitzel sandwich elevated by clever ingredients like seeded panko, slaw, carrot zuni pickle and green chilli mayo.

Sure, you could order a salad or seasonal greens if you’re focused on clean eating, but there are also classic comfort foods like potato frites and gelato (and an impressive wine list of local drops) too. A coconut jelly and crème dessert with salted mango and zesty lime pearls is a real standout in a sea of winners – who knew spa dining could be this good?

Try the crab crumpet at Thyme.

Relaxing in Alba’s spa

From guided meditation to sauna infusion and qi gong, Alba has plenty of wellness activities on offer. For me, the ultimate wellbeing-booster is a post-lunch massage that’s so relaxing I almost drop off to sleep. Located at the top of a dramatic, oversized spiral staircase, the spa is a haven of tranquillity where staff speaking in hushed tones greet guests with a warm pot of Alba’s signature herbal tea.

Including all-day access to the geothermal pools and a one-hour massage in the spa, the Alba Artisan experience hits the spot for me but there’s everything from vichy showers to cryo facials and deluxe pedicures to choose from. Want to shed your old skin with some serious exfoliation? Try the Hammam Float experience. Feel like you need a total reset? Go all-in and book the Anahata Ritual to enjoy a body polish, clay wrap, scalp treatment, hydrating massage and facial, as well as all-day access to the pools. You won’t know yourself afterwards.

Emerging from the spa, I float downstairs without a care in the world. Turns out, stress doesn’t stand a chance against the rare combination of hot springs, good food and a spa session at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa.

spiral staircase at Alba Thermal Springs

Head up the staircase for the ultimate spa experience.

Video credit: Tourism Australia

From coast to mountains, hiking in Gippsland offers a stunning array of landscapes, with trails that take you deep into the region’s heritage.

I step out onto the sand and it cries out underfoot. Kweek! I take another step and there’s another little yelp. Screet! Picking up the pace, the sounds follow me like my shadow, all the way down to the water. It’s obvious how this spot got its name – Squeaky Beach – from the rounded grains of quartz that make the distinctive sounds under pressure.

For many, Wilsons Promontory National Park is the gateway to Gippsland , and the best way to explore it is by walking its network of hiking trails, from coastal gems such as Squeaky Beach through to the bushland, among the wildlife. But it’s still just a taste of what you’ll find on foot in the region.

Venture a bit further into Gippsland and you’ll discover the lakes, the rainforest, and the alpine peaks, each changing with the season and offering summer strolls or winter walks. Just like that squeaky sand, each step along these trails has something to tell you: perhaps a story about an ancient spirit or a pioneering search for fortune.

The best coastal hikes in Gippsland

sunset at Wilsons Promontory National Park — Wilsons Promontory National Park is a sprawling wilderness with many coastal bushland trails. (Image: Mark Watson)

Wilsons Promontory National Park (or ‘The Prom’, as you’ll end up calling it) is an easy three-hour drive from Melbourne, but you might ditch the car when you arrive, with much of the park’s 50,000 hectares accessible only by foot. From the inky water of Tidal River (dyed dark purple by abundant tea trees), I like the easy walks along the coast, among lichen-laden granite boulders, to golden beaches and bays.

a couple on Mount Oberon — Panoramic views from the summit of Mount Oberon. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

The trail to the panoramic views at the summit of Mount Oberon is a bit harder, up steep timber and granite steps, but it’s a popular 6.8-kilometre return. The more remote hikes are found through the open banksia and stringybark woodland of the park’s north, or along the multi-day Southern Circuit , which ranges from about 35 to 52 kilometres, with sunrises and sunsets, kangaroos and cockatoos, and maybe even whales.

a golden sand beach at Wilsons Promontory National Park — Walk ‘The Prom’s’ golden sand beaches. (Image: Tourism Australia/Time Out Australia)

You might also see whales on the George Bass Coastal Walk , even closer to Melbourne on the western edge of Gippsland. This dramatic seven-kilometre trail along the clifftops takes in sweeping views of the wild ocean, occasionally dipping down from grassy green hills to coastal gullies and a secluded beach. It also now links into the Bass Coast Rail Trail for an extra 14 kilometres.

Over at the eastern edge of Gippsland, in Croajingolong National Park, you can wander along the lakeshores beneath koalas and around goannas (I keep my distance since one chased me here!). For those who are even more adventurous, the park is also the starting point for the 100-kilometre Wilderness Coast Walk , usually done over seven days.

the Croajingolong National Park, Gippsland — Wander along the lakeshores in Croajingolong National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The best bush hikes in Gippsland

the Baw Baw National Park — The alpine heath of Baw Baw National Park. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

Deep in the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine at Walhalla, mining guide Richard tells me how this small town in the mountains east of Melbourne boomed when prospectors found gold here in 1862. These days, you’ll find most of the town’s treasure – its heritage – above ground, with the Walhalla Tramline Walk a wonderful way to explore it.

Just seven kilometres long, the walk takes you through decades of Gold Rush history, following the original rail trail from lush bushland to the mining sites, and through the charming village of just 20 residents with its wooden cottages and old shopfronts adorned with turn-of-the-century advertising posters. Blazing a trail where trailblazers once opened up the region, this is also the starting point for the 650-kilometre Australian Alps Walking Track.

Nearby, Baw Baw National Park has walks through gnarled snow gums and alpine heaths that show off the colourful wildflowers in summer and the pristine carpet of white in winter. Several trails are perfect for snowshoes, including a 45-minute route from St Gwinear up to vast views across the Latrobe Valley.

Further up into the mountains, the Toorongo and Amphitheatre Falls Loop Walk is an easy 2.2-kilometre path that serenades you with the sound of flowing water as you pass mossy rocks and tree ferns en route to two sets of waterfalls cascading over boulders in the remote wilderness.

The best cultural hikes in Gippsland

the Mitchell River National Park, Gippsland — Hike the Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

Across a pool in a natural sandstone amphitheatre, deep within a cave behind a waterfall, it’s said the Nargun has its lair. A fierce creature, half human and half stone, that abducts children and can’t be harmed by boomerangs or spears, the story of the Nargun has been told around the campfires of the local Gunaikurnai people for generations.

As a culturally significant place for women, hikers are asked not to go into the Den of Nargun, but a 3.4-kilometre loop walk leads you through a rainforest gully to the entrance where you can feel the powerful atmosphere here in Mitchell River National Park , along Victoria’s largest remaining wild and free-flowing waterway.

the bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park — Bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

The Den of Nargun is part of the Bataluk Cultural Trail , a series of important traditional Gunaikurnai sites through central Gippsland. Another location is Victoria’s largest cave system, Buchan Caves Reserve, with trails to important archaeological sites of human artefacts up to 18,000 years old. The FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk includes the naturally sculpted white limestone steps of the 400-metre-long Federal Cave, while the Granite Pools Walk goes among tall timber and moss-covered gullies.

the ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park — The ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park. (Image: Josie Withers)

Also important to the Gunaikurnai people is Tarra-Bulga National Park , known for its ancient myrtle beeches and enormous mountain ash trees. Just 40 minutes return, the Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk offers a taste of this verdant landscape, while the Grand Strzelecki Track takes you deep into the lost world of forest giants on an epic 100-kilometre trail rich with tradition.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the WildernessRetreats in The Prom — Wilderness Retreats in The Prom. (Image: Christian Pearson)

Wilderness Retreats in Wilsons Promontory offers glamping-style tents with luxurious queen beds. Star Hotel is a reconstruction of a Gold Rush-era hotel from 1863 in the heart of heritage Walhalla. Caves House is a historic three-bedroom house with views over the Buchan River.

Eating there

the Carrajung Estate, Gippsland — Enjoy a post-hike lunch at Carrajung Estate. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

Kilcunda General Store serves great coffee and meals of local produce at the George Bass Coastal Walk. Alpine Trout Farm is located near Toorongo Falls in Noojee. Fish for your own lunch and barbecue it with the provided cookware.

Carrajung Estate is a short drive from Tarra-Bulga National Park. The winery’s restaurant offers a seasonal menu of regional ingredients and you can stay at The Lodge.

a seafood feast at Carrajung Estate, Gippsland — The table is set for a seafood feast at the estate.

Video credit: Tourism Australia

The newest hot springs making gentle waves on the Mornington Peninsula

Find geothermal bathing, heavenly spa treatments and seriously good all-day dining all in one place on Victoria’s bush-fringed coast.

Diving into Alba Thermal Springs

Thyme restaurant

Relaxing in Alba’s spa

The details

This is Mornington Peninsula’s most indulgent itinerary

Mornington Peninsula’s storied past: war, shipwrecks and a runaway convict

This Mornington Peninsula glamping stay is an all-round wellness experience

Victoria’s newest mineral springs bathhouse now has luxury villas to match

From coast to bush: these are Gippsland’s best hikes