The 7 best spas on the Great Ocean Road and Bellarine Peninsula

Relax, recharge and retreat from the daily grind at one of these boutique Great Ocean Road and Bellarine Peninsula spas.

From facials on bucolic country farms in the Otways to mineral-fed hot springs on the Shipwreck Coast, these are seven of the region’s best offerings.

1. Warilda Spa by Denise Pinot, Birregurra

The set-up at this Birregurra spa is a little bit special; picture a quaint whitewashed cottage in the heart of the Otways, surrounded by pine trees, farmland and fields, and you have Warilda Spa . Inside the cottage you’ll find exposed timber beams paired with sleek matte black fixtures and a minimalist design, with furnishings in muted neutral tones and a riot of textures. And no wonder: Denise may have started her career as a massage therapist in 2008, but she later added a qualification in interior design to her résumé.

House Exterior, Warilda Spa, Birregurra, Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia — Picture a quaint whitewashed cottage surrounded by pine trees, farmland and fields. (Image: Great Ocean Road Tourism)

If you’re looking to hide away and seek out relaxation, this is the place. After all, there’s only space for two at this little countryside retreat, where you can indulge in a bathing ritual, a Shiatsu massage or a foot spa. You can even up the ante and book a night in an on-site cottage on the water, replete with freestanding outdoor tub and Denise’s keen eye for aesthetics inside.

Woman Bathing at Warilda Spa, Birregurra, Victoria, Australia — Indulge in a bathing ritual. (Image: Great Ocean Road Tourism)

2. Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs, Warrnambool

A wellness-focussed hotel that comprises not just a spa but hot springs to boot, you’ll find sanctuary at Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs on the state’s Shipwreck Coast. Wallow in the resort’s mineral-rich geothermal waters to soothe weary muscles and overactive minds.

Mantra Deep Blue Resort, Warrnambool, VIC Australia — A wellness-focused hotel that comprises not just a spa but hot springs to boot. (Image: Visit Victoria)

You’ll find a vast complex of open-air and cave bathing areas, waterfalls to bask under and deep freshwater plunge pools to jump into, as well as rockpools, hydrotherapy pools complete with 20 jets, sensorial caves with starlit ceilings and ambient piped music, and even a purpose-built salt room. Although the springs are the main attraction, there’s plenty more to entertain spa-goers: think an infrared sauna, indoor swimming pool, indoor bathhouse and a day spa.

Pool Area, Mantra Deep Blue Resort - Warrnambool, Geelong & The Bellarine Peninsula VIC Australia — The indoor swimming pool is also quite relaxing. (Image: Visit Victoria)

3. Saltair Day Spa, Torquay

The carefully curated spa menu at Saltair Day Spa isn’t the only thing that keeps loyal customers coming back for more: the dreamy setting, amid manicured gardens and water features, and overlooking a lush blanket of greenery, make it a destination to remember. Moreover, there’s a healthy number of reasonably priced packages on offer – from couples to prenatal pampering sessions – so you can make a day of it.

Saltair Day Spa, Torquay, VIC Australia — The carefully curated spa menu at Saltair Day Spa make it a destination to remember. (Image: Visit Victoria)

4. One Spa at RACV Torquay Resort

Flotation tanks, make-up services, scalp therapy, waxing, mani-pedis, body wraps; you name it, this Torquay spa probably offers it. Encyclopaedic treatment menu aside, One Spa at RACV Torquay Resort commands a bit of a niche in so-called ‘wet rooms’. Guests can laze away the day in a steam room, a thermal stone room (similar to a hammam) with heated stone walls, flooring and seats, or even a Lusar room, which includes steam, aroma infusion, mist sprays and showers, and a sensorial lighting and sound system. Once you’ve idled around to pruney perfection, soak up the restorative warmth of the sun’s rays on a leather lounger in the timber-lined Relaxation Lounge, cup of steaming herbal tea in hand.

Aerial shot, One Spa at RACV Torquay Resort, Great Ocean Road, VIC, Australia — One Spa at RACV Torquay Resort commands a bit of a niche in so-called ‘wet rooms’. (Image: Great Ocean Road Tourism)

5. Port Fairy Day Spa, Port Fairy

This boutique day spa hits the perfect pitch for Port Fairy, a historic, artsy and affluent village on Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The therapists are known for their professionalism, friendliness and warm hospitality, so you’ll feel at ease from the minute you walk in the door. While Port Fairy Day Spa might be best known for the healing hands of its masseuses, there’s an array of different therapies on offer.

Room interior, Port Fairy Day Spa, VIC, Australia — This boutique day spa hits the perfect pitch for Port Fairy. (Image: Port Fairy Day Spa)

Those new to the enticing world of spas might want to dip their toes into the waters of treatments with the entry-level Indulge package, which includes a 15-minute scalp massage, 15-minute face massage, 15-minute foot massage, and either a sauna session, private spa bath session or cheese platter.

Reflection room with wine and platter, Port Fairy Day Spa, VIC, Australia — Indulge in some wine and cheese in their reflection room. (Image: Port Fairy Day Spa)

6. Lon Spa, Point Lonsdale

Tucked away behind windswept dunes on the very fringes of town, Lon Retreat exudes tranquillity right from the start. Set amid more than 80 hectares of rural and conservation land, this adults-only boutique hotel is the picture of serenity, with a spa to match.

Alto Interiors, Lon Spa, Geelong & The Bellarine, VIC, Australia — Lon Retreat exudes tranquillity right from the start. (Image: Visit Geelong & The Bellarine)

Lon Spa’s distinctive calling card is its warm mineral springs, which run beneath the farm from limestone caves and feed directly into its baths and heated indoor swimming pool. Each of the spa’s three treatment rooms feature mineral water-fed tubs, Vichy steam showers and calming coastal views through floor-to-ceiling windows. Further exploration reveals private gardens, sundecks and a sunroom.

Mineral Indoor Pool, Lon Spa, VIC, Australia — Lon Spa has warm mineral springs, which run beneath the farm from limestone caves and feed directly into its baths and heated indoor swimming pool.

Lon’s therapists anoint spa-goers exclusively with Subtle Energies, a homegrown skincare label based on principles of aromatherapy and Ayurveda, and there’s a select number of treatments to choose from, including scrubs, facials, massages and body masks. Draw out the indulgence with one of the spa’s packages and you can also add on a grazing platter and a bottle of local sparkling. Act with haste if you have a particular date in mind: this in-demand spa often books out up to a month in advance.

Private Beach, Lon Spa, Victoria, Australia — This in-demand spa often books out up to a month in advance.

7. Lux Spa & Wellness, Anglesea

This Great Ocean Road spa takes a holistic view of wellness, boasting a team of spa therapists and wellbeing consultants from a variety of disciplines who are ready to usher you into peak health. Beyond the spa’s more mainstream offerings, such as massages and mud wraps, guests at this Anglesea spa can dabble in treatments such as LED facials, cosmetic tattooing and infrared sauna sessions, as well taking a nutritional consult or trying out alternative therapies, such as reiki.

Facial Treatment, Lux Spa and Wellness Anglesea, Great Ocean Road, VIC, Australia — Guests can dabble in treatments and facials. (Image: Great Ocean Road Tourism)

Part of the Great Ocean Road Resort, Lux Spa & Wellness also runs multi-night all-inclusive retreats for those who are in need of a thorough recharge. There’s a multitude of options on offer, including postnatal, gut health, men’s health, couples getaways and plenty more.

Luxe Spa, Anglesea, Great Ocean Road, VIC, Australia — Lux Spa & Wellness also runs multi-night all-inclusive retreats for those who are in need of a thorough recharge. (Image: Great Ocean Road Tourism)

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.