A road trip along the Great Victorian Bathing Trail

From the coast to the bush, a leisurely road trip along the Great Victorian Bathing Trail is a ticket to chill.

Ever come back from a trip feeling more frazzled than before you left? Whatever happened to chilled-out breaks that leave you feeling relaxed, rested and restored? Thankfully, Victoria is bringing back the bliss with a bounty of thermal bathing experiences from the bush to the sea connected by the Great Victorian Bathing Trail.

With Gippsland Lakes in the east, Hepburn Springs in the north, Mornington Peninsula down south and the western reaches of the Great Ocean Road, you could go wild and try them all on the mother of all road trips. Or, like me, you could choose the greatest hits of Victoria’s bathing scene to get your fill of restorative, mineral-rich waters over a few days.

Mornington Peninsula

Melburnians visit the Mornington Peninsula for many reasons, from beach walks to cellar door-hopping. But increasingly, wellness is enticing visitors to make the 90-minute drive south from the city.

Alba Thermal Springs & Spa, Fingal

Alba Thermal Springs & Spa in Fingal is Victoria’s hottest new open-air, geothermal bathing destination. Launched in late 2022, Alba is sleek, sophisticated and somewhat surprising. Stepping into the imposing, Brutalist-inspired main building (which could easily double as a modern museum or contemporary art gallery), I’m shown the way towards bathing bliss.

Alba’s design uses stone and concrete to express its setting in a rural context on the Mornington Peninsula. (Image: Visit Victoria)

After changing into a robe in the luxe change rooms (that are kitted out with lockers, showers and Dyson hair dryers), I sweat it out in the sauna then pool-hop for an hour or so, strolling up and down the landscaped property in search of my next hot haven. There are 22 pools of varying sizes, designs and temperatures (most are naturally heated to sit between 37°C and 41°C), but the views from the upper Cascades pool make it a stand-out.

One of a series of plunge pools at Alba, which is surrounded by drifts of native grasses. (Image: Visit Victoria)

You might not associate bathing in outdoor mineral springs with fine dining, but both concepts coexist at Alba. Melbourne chef Karen Martini has created a dining experience perfectly suited to the unique environment at Thyme restaurant. I can’t remember the last time I arrived at a nice restaurant with wet hair, sans make-up. But I see I’m in good company once I clock the other robe- and slipper-wearing diners.

It’s Thyme for lunch. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The menu’s light, fresh dishes deftly walk the fine line between health and indulgence. There are lots of veggies and lean proteins, but you could also order yourself a sneaky schnitzel or a serving of fries. Thermal bathing is thirsty work. Fortunately, the drinks list is a mighty one. If you’re avoiding booze, order a herbal tea, chai latte, cold-pressed juice, mocktail, non-alcoholic wine or coffee from nearby roaster, Little Rebel. If you’re in the mood for a tipple, there are also wines, spritzes and cocktails on offer, including four different riffs on the martini.

After a veg-packed meal (and a cheeky glass of local white), I float up the grand, spiral staircase to the spa for a treatment that’s so good, I fall asleep mid-massage. Mission accomplished.

Alba is positioned in beautiful, landscaped gardens that reflect the wildness of the location. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Peninsula Hot Springs, Fingal

Just a few minutes down the road from Alba, which will add boutique accommodation to its offering in 2024, is Peninsula Hot Springs where I’m spending the night. A destination that has kickstarted a state-wide bathing renaissance since opening in 2005, the award-winning, bush-fringed hot springs have welcomed streams of folk from far and wide, all keen to tap into the benefits of balneotherapy.

Peninsula Hot Springs pools are surrounded by native bushland, grasses and reeds. (Image: Tourism Australia)

What began as a simple series of geothermal baths in the bush has grown to include a day spa, kitchen garden and glamping, so visitors like myself can stay overnight. Upon arrival, I change straight into my bikini and walk the winding path in search of a pool to slip into. It’s an overcast day, but the springs are packed with groups of friends chatting and laughing while unwinding.

With its bush-fringed geothermal pools, Peninsula Hot Springs has helped kickstart a state-wide bathing renaissance. (Image: Tourism Australia)

With more than 70 bathing and wellness experiences on offer, such as Nepalese massaging mineral showers, a reflexology walk and ice cave, I’m overwhelmed by choice. In the end, I ditch the spa map and dabble in many different pools containing trace minerals touted to reduce stress and improve ailments such as arthritis and skin conditions.

Dine on nourishing fare at Spa Dreaming Centre. (Image: Tourism Australia)

After a hearty yet healthy dinner in the Spa Dreaming Centre dining room, I retreat to my glamping tent to get an early night. Peninsula Hot Springs puts the ‘glam’ in glamping with a cushy king bed and underfloor heating. Listening to the distinct ‘bonk’ of eastern banjo frogs calling in the nearby wetlands, I nod off within minutes.

After waking at dawn to birdsong, I’m confident I’ve just experienced the most gloriously deep and rejuvenating slumber ever. And it appears I’m not alone, with an observational study conducted by RMIT University’s School of Health and Biomedical Sciences revealing that 82 per cent of bathers at Peninsula Hot Springs reported sleeping better after a visit.

My morning agenda includes a lazy breakfast of eggs, sourdough and coffee before another soak in the pools and a heavenly spa treatment. My once-tight shoulders never stood a chance against this schedule.

Many of the plunge pools at Peninsula Hot Springs are set in peaceful surrounds. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Refuel in Sorrento

With lunch on my mind, I make the 20-minute drive to Sorrento, a town that had a moment in Australian pop culture in the mid-1990s with the release of a film called Hotel Sorrento and Tina Arena’s ballad Sorrento Moon (still a favourite with easy listening radio stations). It’s easy to see why the town has a song written about it. Sorrento has all the calling cards of a classic seaside holiday town. There’s a pretty wooden pier, sailing club and fish and chip shops. But it’s the grand, limestone pub overlooking the sea that’s calling my name.

Hotel Sorrento offers views of the sea and sky. (Image: Threefold Social)

A landmark that’s stood since 1872, Hotel Sorrento is an institution. Owned by a local family for three generations, this heritage beauty is frequented by everyone from tradies getting together for knock-off pints in the front bar to tourists enjoying a coastal getaway in the upstairs accommodation. When I arrive, the dining room is abuzz with lunch crowds. Looking around at my fellow diners, seafood and wine seems to be the order of the day. But I can’t go past the winning combination of saganaki, figs and honey – a sublime dish that’s the next best thing after a trip to Greece.

Hotel Sorrento, established in 1872, is an iconic landmark in seaside Sorrento.

A breezy spot to throw back a few beers on a sunny afternoon, I’m reluctant to leave. If you’ve got time to explore the Bellarine Peninsula and beyond, head to Sorrento Pier and drive your car onto the Searoad Ferry. You’ll reach Queenscliff in about 40 minutes, which is way faster (not to mention more fun) than driving all the way around Port Phillip Bay.

Sorrento Pier provides access across the bay to Queenscliff via ferry. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Lon Retreat & Spa, Point Lonsdale

Mineral-fed soaking tubs beckon at Lon Retreat & Spa in Point Lonsdale, while Warrnambool’s geothermal waters wait near the end of the Great Ocean Road (more on that below). Otherwise, drive north back to Melbourne like I did (visiting a cellar door on the way home is almost mandatory in these parts, so factor in a stop at Red Hill, Shoreham or Merricks if you can).

Soak in the mineral-fed tubs at Lon Retreat & Spa. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Hepburn Springs

While the Peninsula might have the new kids on the bathing block, up north is where you’ll find one of the originals. Just an 80-minute drive north-west of Melbourne Airport, Hepburn Springs is a slow-paced, peaceful town that feels so far removed from the hectic highway traffic that it takes a little while to switch gears. People have been travelling to the region seeking respite from the stresses of the Big Smoke for more than a century. And for good reason. Home to 80 per cent of Victoria’s mineral springs and Australia’s first ‘Mineral Reserve’ (created back in 1865), this corner of Victoria is paradise for lovers of down-to-earth wellness experiences.

Hepburn Spa Retreat

Checking into a Hepburn Spa Retreat villa, I activate relaxation mode immediately when I realise that the recently refurbished accommodation is truly self-contained. Absolutely everything has been thought of. There’s an air purifier, gas fireplace, two flat-screen TVs, comfy lounge, fully equipped kitchen (including a fridge loaded with breakfast provisions) and an oversized spa bath (complete with robes, slippers and bath salts). Thoughtful touches include a yoga mat, a supreme collection of herbal teas and a bedside notepad to commit your wellness goals to paper.

The Spa Escape is one of several accommodations you can stay in at Hepburn Spa Retreat.

The beauty of Hepburn Springs is that it’s small, so you can leave your car behind and explore on foot. You’re never far from a bushwalking trail here, like the 2.9-kilometre Argyle Walk – an easy loop I complete in less than an hour without sharing the track with another soul (except flocks of native birds and a solitary, shy echidna).

By night, the town is eerily quiet if you’re accustomed to the constant, low-humming buzz of the city. Just off the main street, I find The Surly Goat, a little restaurant doing big things with food and wine. Here you’ll be offered four courses that change from day-to-day.

Email ahead with your dietary requirements if you’re vegetarian, allergic to nuts or seafood, and dishes will be crafted to suit your needs. Otherwise, just sit back and let chef David Willcocks take the wheel (trust me, he knows what he’s doing). Every dish at this convivial hatted restaurant is an understated triumph, from a carefully constructed daikon roll to a deceptively simple dessert of Morningswood Farm strawberries with cream. Overhearing gushing words of praise coming from other diners confirms I’m not alone in this thinking.

Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa

Having a spa experience is obviously on my bingo card, so I make a beeline for Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa the following morning. Arriving early in the day is the key to success here.

There are two main pools to experience in  Hepburn Bathhouse. (Image: Visit Victoria)

There are two main pools, but the 90-minute Sanctuary Mineral Bathing experience is a more private affair. Stepping through the door into the private area, I hop between the hammam, aroma steam room and salt and magnesium pools.

Take in the views from the salt and magnesium pools. (Image: Visit Victoria)

A Fire & Frost Cryo facial in the day spa caps off the experience – I leave feeling a decade younger. Have I discovered the Fountain of Youth? The mineral-rich water is prized in these parts, and not just for bathing. Most local shops stock sparkling water from Daylesford and Hepburn Mineral Springs Co., a locally owned business bottling the region’s famous H2O. But before I leave, I fill my bottle with water pumped from one of the town’s mineral spring bores – the ultimate way to take a bit of Hepburn home.

Great Ocean Road

Deep Blue Hot Springs, Warrnambool

Towards the western end of the Great Ocean Road, Warrnambool’s Deep Blue Hot Springs is a top spot to decompress after a long drive. Here, the geothermal waters drawn from 850 metres below the surface are fed into a series of open-air rock pools and sensory caves that are open, day and night. Stay onsite in an ocean-view room at the Deep Blue Hotel to make the most of the scenic seaside locale.

Warrnambool is a hot springs hotspot. (Image: Visit Victoria)

12 Apostles Hot Springs & Resort, Great Ocean Road

You’ll have to wait until 2026 to experience Australia’s biggest hot springs development. In addition to natural hot springs, there are plans for a wellness centre, amphitheatre, restaurant, bar, cafe and luxury eco-pod accommodation across the 78-hectare site.

Gippsland

Metung Hot Springs, East Gippsland

In the East Gippsland town of Metung, you can sink into a pool surrounded by native flora, slip into a barrel with a view, enjoy a massaging mineral shower or sweat it out like a Scandinavian in a hot sauna. A new lagoon precinct opens this year, including its largest pool yet, a cold plunge pool, geothermal showers and a floating sauna.

Metung Hot Springs is set on a natural undulating site. (Image: Visit Victoria; Ben Savage)

With Metung being a four-hour drive from Melbourne, staying overnight at the springs’ own lagoon-side glamping accommodation is a genius move.

Glamp at Metung Hot Springs. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Phillip Island

Phillip Island Hot Springs

Slated to open later this year, this hotly anticipated development will give visitors yet another reason to make the trip across the bridge to Phillip Island, home to the world-famous penguin parade. Come to Phillip Island for the penguins; stay for some relaxation.