Relax at these Mornington Peninsula hot springs and day spas

Soak in mineral waters, indulge in a massage or test out the latest body treatments on your next Mornington Peninsula holiday. Your mind and body will thank you.

How often do you come back from a break – whether a weekend or longer – feeling more tired than before you left? If your answer is “too often", you need to begin including downtime to allow yourself to recover, both physically and emotionally. On the Mornington Peninsula, just an hour from Melbourne, you could spend the whole weekend taking a deep breath in, soaking in mineral-rich waters and enjoying massages and treatments. These are the best Mornington Peninsula hot springs and day spas to make you feel like a new person.

1. Peninsula Hot Springs

Peninsula Hot Springs Couple Walking Into Pool — Sign up for a soothing dip surrounded by bushland. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This has been a hot spot for everyone from local mums to wellness gurus since it opened in 1997. Much has changed since then, but the central essence of Peninsula Hot Springs – pools of naturally heated, mineral-rich waters surrounded by natural bushland – has not.

With over 70 different bathing experiences across its Bath House and Spa Dreaming Centre, rather than of varying temperatures to take a dip in, a spa offering a range of treatments from detox body wraps to a Dreamtime stone massage developed in conjunction with an Indigenous medicine man (the cost includes site-wide bathing), plus a variety of bookable workshops – from body clay to hot springs yoga – there’s something for everyone and every age.

While there’s space for everyone, guests wanting a quieter bathing experience can book access to The Spa Dreaming Centre. This adults-only retreat features mineral spring pools, barrel bathing, falling water massage and more.

If you just can’t get enough, book one of the glamping tents or sleep-focused eco lodges (some even have their own outdoor heated mineral spring pool) to extend your blissful stay.

Address: 140 Springs Lane, Fingal, Mornington Peninsula

2. Alba Thermal Springs & Spa

a woman floating on Alba Thermal Springs & Spa, Mornington Peninsula — Enjoy total bliss in the calming thermal waters. (Image: Visit Victoria)

If beautiful design makes your heart sing, book a soaking session at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa . Architectural firm Hayball used the undulating landscape of the Mornington Peninsula as inspiration for this world-class bathing experience. The 31 pools of varying sizes, including geothermal pools, cold plunge pools and herbal-infused botanical pools, and the spa building are set on 15 hectares of regenerated dunes, surrounded by natural bushland and pretty gardens. The building, which is partly embedded in the hilltop, has 21 treatment rooms, including a dry sauna, steam room, Vichy shower, and single and double massage rooms, as well as a relaxation lounge.

Of the pools, 22 are accessible with a bathing pass, while there is also The Terrace, with private pools and a deck, The Salts, a private rooftop salt pool, and The Clouds, private rooftop geothermal pools.

Add a massage, facial or body ritual to your soak to extend the pleasure, and finish just in time for lunch or high tea at Thyme, the onsite restaurant serving healthy, delicious dishes, pressed juices, herbal tea or, if you prefer, a glass of wine or cocktail.

Address: 282 Browns Road, Fingal, Mornington Peninsula

3. Aurora Spa & Bathhouse

a woman bathing in a magnesium mineral pool at Aurora Spa & Bathhouse — Immerse yourself in magnesium, mineral-rich waters. (Image: Aurora Photography)

Part of the InterContinental Sorrento Mornington Peninsula development, Aurora Spa & Bathhouse is a refined Australian take on traditional European-style bathing. Spend about 90 minutes enjoying the magnesium mineral pools and hot and cold thermal experiences. The Daydream Pool, with its skylight and gentle bubbles, is heated to 38ºC to soothe your mind and muscles. Heat up in the Aroma Steam room before stimulating the immune system and boosting circulation by submerging in the chilled water of the Cold Plunge Pool. There’s also a salt therapy room, glacial mist room and reflexology pool.

Aurora offers a full suite of massages, facials and body treatments. Very popular is the Himalayan Sound & Stone Massage which nourishes the skin, balances the system and helps to eliminate congestion. Afterwards, you’ll feel deeply relaxed.

You can even check into the hotel for three days and enjoy a custom-designed retreat so you can turn off and refuel your mind and body. As well as bathing and spa treatments, you’ll head off on guided coastal walks, take private yoga classes and enjoy wellbeing coaching. Sounds like heaven.

Address: 23 Constitution Hill Road, Sorrento, Mornington Peninsula

4. One Spa at RACV Cape Schanck Resort

a couple soaking in the relaxation pool at RACV Cape Schanck Resort, Mornington Peninsula — Serene pools are sure to invigorate the senses. (Image: RACV Cape Schanck Resort)

Leave your normal life behind when you enter the architecturally designed One Spa at RACV Cape Schanck Resort . Spend some time in the hammam, where you can soak in the relaxation pool, spa pool, thermal stone steam room and immersive showers. There are other water-based treatments, including a soak in the hydrotherapy pool with its massaging jets, as well as a series of rituals that combine therapies to induce serenity, invigorate the senses, or reduce stress. There are also facials, body therapies and massages, as well as a number of half-hour additions to treatments, like gua sha facial massage or full body exfoliation. Bring along a book and spend some time in the relaxation lounge afterwards before, once again, facing the world.

Address: Trent Jones Drive, Cape Schanck, Mornington Peninsula

5. 1028 Mornington Day Spa

If you’re looking for a different type of massage, check out what’s on offer at 1028 Mornington Day Spa , owned by Thai woman, Apple. It offers lommi lommi, a traditional Hawaiian style of massage that involves long, flowing movements along the length of the body, as well as Tok Sen, an ancient Thai massage method that uses a special wooden hammer to relax muscles. Of course, you can always choose to go with a relaxation or remedial massage. Add a session in the infrared sauna or a facial to your time here. The prices are very reasonable, and Apple’s treatments are highly recommended by all who visit.

Address: 1028 Nepean Highway, Mornington, Mornington Peninsula

6. Timeless Day Spa

the treatment room at Timeless Day Spa, Mornington Peninsula — Their massage treatments will rejuvenate both body and mind. (Image: Supplied)

At Timeless Day Spa in Rye expect a high level of service, no matter which treatment you’re here to receive. There’s a range of spa treatments designed to leave skin soft and glowing, as well as relaxation and remedial massages and facials. You can also get your beauty treatments done here. If your pedicure needs attention, your legs need waxing, your tan needs a top-up, or your brows need sculpting, owner Jessica and her team will send you on your way looking and feeling better.

Address: 2275 Point Nepean Road, Rye, Mornington Peninsula

7. endota Day Spa

hands on the back of a woman, endota Day Spa, Mornington Peninsula — Treat yourself to a relaxing back massage. (Image: Supplied)

There are three endota Day Spas on the Mornington Peninsula, at Mornington, Moorooduc and Red Hill. The treatments are all designed to nurture, nourish and improve wellbeing. It offers a range of massages – relaxation, remedial, soothing stones and pregnancy – packages designed to help you detox, rebalance and revitalise, and a range of high-performance facials. You can choose to get a customised facial to target any skin problems you have or undergo microdermabrasion, a clinical peel or light therapy. endota also has its own range of face and body products, and therapists can help you choose the ones that are right for your skin.

Addresses: 30 Main Street, Mornington; The Coolstores, 475 Moorooduc Highway, Moorooduc; 159 Shoreham Road, Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula

8. The Private Sea Wellness Centre

the signage of The Private Sea Wellness Centre, Mornington Peninsula — The Private Sea Wellness Centre features floatation tanks and infrared saunas. (Image: Supplied)

If you’re not one for massages or body treatments, The Private Sea Wellness Centre can still get you started on your relaxation journey. It has floatation tanks, infrared saunas and salt therapy. It also features Pandora Star, a meditation unit that uses white LED lights to offer a relaxing, visual journey of colour and imagery. It is said to reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and bring about deep states of meditation and relaxation. You can also book a red light therapy session, which can help reduce pain and inflammation, improve skin conditions like acne, and boost recovery after workouts. Of course, you can choose to combine any of these with a relaxation massage.

Need something more specific? There are several allied health professionals, including naturopaths, a reiki therapist and physiotherapist, operating from the wellness centre.

Address: 3 Satu Way, Mornington, Mornington Peninsula

9. Sunset Spa

If you’re looking for an oasis where you can rest and relax, try Mount Eliza’s Sunset Spa . The treatment room is surrounded by trees and clients sit and discuss their needs with therapist Delyse before the treatment begins to ensure they get exactly what they need. She offers a range of massages, organic facials, body treatments and customised pampering packages. Afterwards, pour yourself a cup of herbal tea and either sit on the deck or by the fireplace in the lounge.

Address: 27 Sunset Crescent, Mount Eliza, Mornington Peninsula

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.