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.

Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

“Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten, the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

heritage buildings in Ballarat — Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery, a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

How Ballarat is preserving the past

artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

A city steeped in food and flavours

Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho — Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho, José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat — Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits. At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat — The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat — The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

Staying there

Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial, which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat — Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

Eating there

dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat — The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat — Dining at Grainery Lane.

Playing there

a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat — An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery — Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections.

Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle, ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.