Review: Golden Door Elysia Health Retreat and Spa, Hunter Valley

Australia’s biggest retreat centre offers guests a renewed sense of health and vitality

For over 25 years, Golden Door Health Retreat has been inspiring visitors to transform their habits and step into the healthiest, happiest version of themselves. Appealing to everyone from CEOs to yoga teachers, the retreat offers a smorgasbord of health and wellness activities, as well as delicious, nutritious meals and treatments to support you on your unique journey to ultimate wellbeing.

It probably goes without saying that this is not your typical Hunter Valley experience. In fact, alcohol is a contraband item (as is chocolate) so you’ll have to save your wine re-stock for the drive home.

Where

165 Thompsons Road, Pokolbin, Hunter Valley, NSW

The space

There’s something about the space that provokes internal reflection. Perhaps it’s the sheer expansiveness (there’s definitely no sign of any high rises on the horizon), or the meditation hill, perched in the centre and perfectly placed to greet the sun during morning tai chi.

Maybe it’s the fact that phones are not allowed in any of the common spaces, inspiring you to enjoy a little digital detox. But there’s certainly something in the air that invites you to look within, exploring parts of your psyche that you may not have visited in a while, if ever.

The light-filled space almost demands relaxation

The villas

There’s a slight whiff of the ’90s as you enter your villa (available in one, two or three bedrooms), which feels like a charming combination of old school corporate and modern luxury. There’s plenty of space, a fully self-contained kitchen, relaxing herbal teas, comfortable beds dressed with crisp linen, a balcony overlooking the perfect views and a deep bath if you can handle any more indulgence at the end of the day.

The program

Golden Door is the biggest retreat centre in Australia, so expect nothing less than a plentiful smorgasbord of activities to indulge in – all optional, of course. You can choose from a three-day, five-day or seven-day program, and to encourage guests to live in the moment, schedules are given out each evening after dinner.

The program boasts up to 16 activities a day, with each day bringing new activities, and at least something bound to tickle your fancy – from tai chi, yoga and meditation to seminars on healthy eating, sleep, stress and more. There’s also high-intensity workouts including fun activities bound to get you giggling, like disco cycling and ‘dance yourself happy’ classes. All up, it’s a perfect combination of stimulation and relaxation.

The staff are incredibly professional and helpful, and every effort is made to ensure that you reach your own unique goals – whether it’s weight loss, a health reset or simply rest and rejuvenation.

From tai chi, yoga and meditation – there really is something for everyone

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

The food

Think fresh, nutritious, delicious and colourful fare that will sometimes leave you feeling full to the brim, and at other times dreaming of a side plate of fries (you’d have to season them with spices though, because there’s no salt on the menu).

Prepared lovingly by the retreat’s executive chef, the menu encourages guests to experience the true flavours of wholesome food, not smothered in salt or oil (but just as delicious). Many guests come with the goal to shed a little weight or simply reset their health, and the food is perfect for doing just that, as well as inspiring you to rethink some of the less healthy eating habits you may have found yourself in. You’ll even have the opportunity to indulge in a cooking class to learn how to integrate some of these meals into your repertoire at home.

The spa

There are three treatments included in your stay – with the option to book extras if you like.

Of course, you’re spoilt for choice with options ranging from a simple Swedish massage to chakra awakening and balancing, one-on-one Zen monk therapy, and Golden Door’s signature treatment –Watsu therapy (a unique, water-based therapy known for its ability to relax you so deeply you feel as though you’re being held in the womb).

The friends

One of the highlights for many is the opportunity to make new friends. Guests consist mainly of bright-eyed middle-aged women and the occasional man. But everyone leaves their age and status at the door and there’s a very friendly and inclusive atmosphere.

Everyone seems genuinely pleased to be there – and many guests organise future stays with their new friends, even making it an annual ritual. It’s an easy place to visit on your own, as you’ll find a nice balance between solo time and socialising with others. You’ll find yourself chatting with other guests like old friends in no time, and returning guests are always happy to share their experiences and guide newcomers in the right direction.

After a few days spent here, there’s a good chance you won’t want to leave, and many guests actually return to participate in the volunteer program – a five-week commitment to living the Golden Door lifestyle and moving towards your own health goals.

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The AT verdict

The perfect place to reset, refresh and renew

Score

4/5

We rated

The setting (incredible, peaceful views and an expansive horizon perfect for sunrise and sunset). The food (light, delicious, nutritious and colourful). The incredibly friendly and supportive staff. The opportunity to meet new friends on the same journey to health and wellness.

We’d change

Not a lot. The rooms are more beigey corporate-comfortable than uber luxurious, so if you’re looking for something six-star then you may think the space could use a tiny update. The only problem with the program is FOMO – you’ll inevitably end up missing out on a session or two in favour of a snooze or an extra spa session.

Notes

A three-night program starts at $2280 but this year, to celebrate its 25^th anniversary, the retreat is offering a number of 25 per cent off specials. It also runs regular specialty retreats if you’d like to home in on a particular topic.

And before you go (or bring as the perfect literary companion) read Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty – a novel about nine strangers on a remote health retreat. Moriarty was writing the book during her stay at Golden Door.

Under wide-open outback skies, discover a fossicking gem that’s managed to slip under the radar.

While the name Clermont may feel new to even the most intrepid traveller, its gilded history stretches back centuries. You’ll find it just off the highway, humming quietly under the hazy veil of Queensland’s outback sun. It’s here, hemmed in by mountains and perched atop soil heavy with the earth’s treasures, that one of Australia’s most accessible outback adventures awaits.

Thanks to deposits of gold, copper and gemstones – souvenirs left by exploding supernovas and the heave of tectonic plates – Clermont became a centre point of Queensland’s Gold Rush. And now? Australia’s fossicking capital is yours to discover.

Getting there

car driving along Capricorn Way in queensland — Take a drive through Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

You’ll find Clermont in Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. To get here, it’s an easy three-hour drive over sealed roads from Mackay. Or, if you’re heading from the Sapphire Fields of Emerald, the drive will carve out just over an hour from your day.

Whether you’re road-tripping through outback Queensland or just tracing your way through all that Australia has to offer, Clermont is remote but easily accessible.

Best accommodation in Clermont

Theresa CreekDam in clermont — Camp by Theresa Creek Dam. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

All accommodation comes with a generous helping of country hospitality here. The choice is yours between modern hotels, parking up the camper or pitching a tent.

Theresa Creek Dam lies just outside town. Begin each day with crisp country air and bright outback sunrises. Spend the night under the sparkling country stars and your days out on the dam fishing or kayaking. Even if you aren’t camping, be sure to save space in your itinerary for an afternoon on the red dirt shore.

To stay closer to town, opt for a central hotel to base yourself between exploring and fossicking, like Smart Stayzzz Inn and Clermont Country Motor Inn.

Things to do in Clermont

three people on a tour with Golden Prospecting — Join a tour with Golden Prospecting.

One does not visit Clermont without trying their hand at fossicking. There are strict rules when it comes to fossicking, so stick to areas dedicated for general permission and make sure you obtain your license beforehand. Try your luck at McMasters, Four Mile, Town Desert, McDonald Flat and Flat Diggings. To increase your odds, sign on for a tour with the expert team at Golden Prospecting. They’ll give you access to exclusive plots and expert advice along the way.

Once you’ve tried your luck on the gold fields, head to the Clermont Township and Historical Museum. Each exhibit works like an archaeologist’s brush to dust away the layers of Clermont’s history. Like the steam engine that painstakingly relocated the entire town inch by inch to higher ground after it was decimated by flooding in 1916. See the tools that helped build the Blair Athol mine, historic fire engines, shearing sheds and all sorts of relics that make up Clermont’s story.

The historic Copperfield Chimney offers a change of pace. Legend has it that fossickers found a solid wall of copper here, over three metres high, kick-starting Queensland’s first-ever copper mine.

Bush Heli Services flying over clermont queensland — See Clermont from above with Bush Heli Services. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

For hiking, nearby Dysart is the best place to access Peak Range National Park. Here, mountainous horizons stretch across the outback as if plucked from another world. Set off for a scenic drive along the Peak Downs Highway for access to countless geological wonders. Like the slanting rockface of Wolfang Peak. Summit it, and you’ll find yourself looking out across a scene surely conjured up by Banjo Paterson. Dry scrub dancing in the warm breeze, grazing cattle, eucalypts and the gentle creak of windmills. Don’t miss visiting Gemini Peaks, either, for one of the park’s best vistas, and a blanket of wild flowers after rain.

Then, take to the skies with a scenic helicopter tour with Bush Heli-Services. Shift your perspective and cruise above all the sights from your trip. Spots like Lords Table Mountain and Campbell’s Peak are best viewed from the skies.

Before you head home, be sure to explore the neighbouring townships. Spend a lazy afternoon in the shade of Nebo Hotel’s wrap-around verandahs. The hotel’s 1900s dance hall has since been replaced with one of the area’s biggest rodeo arenas, so consider timing your trip to line up with a boot scootin’ rodeo. Or, stop by a ghost town. Mount Britton was once a thriving town during the 1880s Gold Rush. It’s been totally abandoned and now lies untouched, a perfect relic of the Gold Rush.

Best restaurants and cafes in Clermont

meal at Commercial Hotel — Stop into the Commercial Hotel Clermont.

Days spent fossicking, bushwalking and cramming on history call for excellent coffee and hearty country meals. Luckily, Clermont delivers in spades.

Lotta Lattes Cafe is beloved by locals for a reason. Start your days here for the best caffeine fix in town and an impeccable brunch menu.

For a real country meal, an icy cold beer and that famed country hospitality, head straight to the town’s iconic hotel: the Commercial Hotel (known endearingly to locals as ‘The Commie’). It’s been a staple in Clermont since 1877. The hotel even survived the flood of 1916 when it was sawn in two and moved to higher ground.

Naturally, time spent in the outback must include calling into the local bakery. For delicious pies and a tantalising array of sweet treats, make Bluemac Bakehouse your go-to while in town.

Discover more of The Mackay Isaac region, and start planning your trip at mackayisaac.com.