This new wellness retreat in Mudgee is the ultimate reset

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
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Wellness meets wine at this wholesome regional escape.

Tucked deep in NSW’s Central West region, a brand-new wellness offering is inviting guests to slow down and switch off. Nestled just outside of Mudgee, this soothing sanctuary blends nature, nourishment and nurture – promising more than just a wonderful winter weekend away.

Where is the new retreat?

Glenayr Farm has long attracted visitors, thanks to its exclusive accommodation in the heart of an award-winning wine region, just 3.5 hours from Sydney. The working sheep and cattle farm is arguably one of the best places to stay around Mudgee, providing a small but impressive range of luxurious glamping tents and off-grid villas across its 129-hectare property.

Glenayr Farm in Mudgee, NSW
Glenayr Farm in Mudgee has launched an all-new wellness retreat.

But Glenayr Farm continues to up the ante, revealing a new Wild Wellness retreat that promises to launch this regional stay to the top of your bucket list. Officially launched in May 2025, the immersive experience guides guests through a wellness regime that promises to restore balance, clarity and peace of mind.

What’s on offer?

Wellness looks different for everyone. So to make the experience as inclusive as possible, Glenayr has curated an extensive and diverse program that caters to all. Whether you’ve been riding the recent wellness wave or just dipping your toes in, you’ll find something to soothe you, mind, body and soul.

If you’re just getting started, ease yourself in with an infrared sauna session or soak in the magnesium spa. Both offer a variety of benefits, from stress reduction and muscle relaxation to improved sleep and better skin health. Guests can also unwind with communal or private yoga sessions held at The Barn – Glenayr’s new multi-purpose venue designed to host everything from weddings to workshops.

Glenayr Farm in Mudgee, NSW
Retreat to your private villa after a day of pampering.

For those who have been dabbling in wellness for a while (or want to push the limits a little), take it up a notch with a refreshing ice plunge. While requiring a little more bravery, the wellness experience has proven to assist with pain relief, improve circulation and enhance mental resilience.

Prefer to be pampered? Slip into restorative bliss with an indulgent massage or facial, organised specifically around each guest. Afterwards, the property’s peaceful country trails invite you outdoors to reconnect with nature through walking and forest bathing. It’s the perfect way to round out your day of relaxation before retreating to your cosy onsite accommodation for the night.

Woman doing an ice plunge bath
Soothe aching muscles with an ice plunge. (Image: Getty Images/Aleksander Nakic)

Each Wild Wellness experience at Glenayr Farm is elevated by Alpine Spas, who jumped onboard to provide its high-end products that ensure guests enjoy only the best. Zyla Retreats also joined the team to support guests in their wellness journey. Through a range of guided workshops, expert facilitators will assist in reconnecting the mind, body and spirit through life-enhancing techniques guests can take home.

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

AI Prompt

How do I book a Wild Wellness retreat?

Wild Wellness is available to all Glenayr Farm guests, so all you really need to do is book! There are two private villas available, each featuring a king bed, fireplace, kitchenette, wood-fired hot tub and outdoor fire pit.

Glenayr Farm in Mudgee, NSW
The Wild Wellness program is the ultimate indulgence.

Four onsite bell tents provide the ultimate Mudgee glamping experience. Glenayr Farm also recently launched its Accessible Villa, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom space that allows people of all abilities to enjoy the luxurious property.

Once your stay is confirmed, guests will have access to the wellness program and its facilities, including the Finnish sauna, magnesium spa, ice plunge, private treatment rooms and more. Staff will be able to assist with specific requests, including massage and facial appointments. Reservations are open now!

Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to visit places like Norway and New Zealand, her favourite place to explore will forever be her homeland.
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The secret Sydney suite life: a luxury under-the-radar stay right on the harbour

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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    This winter, these secret Sydney harbour suites are the staycation we’ve been looking for.

    Whether it’s the crisscrossing ferries or the white sails of the Opera House rising out of blue depths, Australia’s biggest city lives for its harbour. But while locals might glance at that watery expanse on their daily commute across the Bridge, it can still be hard to truly connect with Sydney’s maritime soul. The secret: seeing the harbour eye-to-eye, right at water level. And what better place to submerge yourself in that energy than sleeping there? That’s where Pier One Sydney Harbour comes in (and with new all-inclusive bed and breakfast benefits, there’s even more to love).

    All-inclusive VIP benefits

    Who Is Elijah Amenities at Pier One Sydney Harbour
    Book in for the all-inclusive VIP treatment.

    The hard truth is that it will be very difficult to tear yourself away from your ultra-luxurious harbour home-away-from-home to explore the city. If you want to make leaving even harder, opt for Pier One’s all-inclusive VIP treatment.

    The Bed and Breakfast with Suite Benefits package turns up the volume on what is already the ultimate staycation, with complimentary valet parking, daily breakfast for two and turndown service. The biggest perk? Enjoy a bottle of French champagne every day during your whole stay

    Pier One Sydney Harbour

    Pier One Sydney Harbour
    Step into a piece of history with all the modern comforts. (Credit: Dave Wheeler)

    The five-star Pier One Sydney Harbour is quite literally old Sydney through and through. Built on what was once a working cargo wharf and the passenger terminal for those heading to the North Shore before the bridge was constructed, the heritage building sits right between the tangle of cobblestones, pubs and alleyways of The Rocks and the historic docking zone of Walsh Bay – at the centre of the city’s old sea trade.

    If knowing the hotel’s history isn’t enough to get your sea-longing going, the interior design certainly will. As soon as you step up to the concierge desk in the lobby of the restored building – which underwent a $15 million redevelopment in 2019 – you’re immersed in Sydney’s seafaring tale. Weathered wood panelling and white marble floors surround you, while loop lighting installations hover above the bar island just beyond, ringed with stools ready for intimate, martini-tinted conversations. Steel rivets and timber beams speak to its past, and glass-walled views anchor you firmly in the present-day life on the harbour.

    Pier One Suites

    Pier One Sydney Harbour admiral suite
    Enjoy incredible views from your suite.

    Across the 189 rooms and suites built on and over the water, the maritime theme continues. Sculptural aged brass fittings, exposed girders, colour schemes that evoke shifting currents, and mirrors that reflect ripples that – depending on your booking – sit just metres from your pillow.

    United on theme yet unique in set-up, each room or suite is different. On the ground floor, dog-friendly rooms with direct access to the pier are all prepped for pampered pups, while others have views and even balconies overlooking Walsh Bay, the Bridge and the Harbour.

    But the 19 suites step things up even more. Gaze out through floor-to-ceiling windows, or get even closer. Your private balcony is made for sipping a Nespresso coffee on as the sun comes up – or soaking in the bathtub of the Admiral Suite on the deck, a drink from the locally stocked mini bar in hand. This mini bar was recently completely transformed, so you have more Aussie favourites to choose from, including alcohol and snacks.

    Dining at Pier One

    Pier Bar Pier One Sydney Harbour
    Settle in for an afternoon of good drinks and views.

    Once you’re checked in, start your afternoon with a spritz at PIER BAR – or arrive by boat via the private pontoon if the occasion calls for it – and settle into one of the cabanas. Weekdays bring Happy Hour (or ‘sunset hour’ at Pier One); weekends bring the DJs. After an even sweeter experience? The Everyday Creamery and Matcha Kiosk is slinging mango and vanilla soft serve – classic and those spiked with Midori and gin alike.

    PIER Dining is an ode to contemporary Australian flavours across the terrace, pier and dining room. On its seafood-leaning menu are Sydney rock oysters from Merimbula, potato scallops with salmon roe and crème fraîche, chicken with melting sundried tomato butter, vodka rigatoni with Shark Bay prawns. And the ‘Pierlova’ – that’s pavlova with chocolate, dulce de leche and banana is worth saving room for. Make sure to ask for the wine list – it’s 100 per cent Australian drops.

    Around town

    luna park, sydney opera house and sydney harbour bridge
    Explore the neighbourhood during your stay. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    If you’re strong enough to polish off just one last pastry from the breakfast buffet and walk out the door, we applaud you. Luna Park across the harbour beckons with its wide grin, while a glance upward might spur you to climb the Bridge’s famous iron arches. The Opera House – just across Circular Quay from the Museum of Contemporary Art – sings out for a concert.

    You’ll want to book ahead for those hot-ticket performances at Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Dance Company, just a few minutes’ walk south of the hotel. Ten minutes further brings you to the waterfront bars, restaurants and clubs of Barangaroo, or the karaoke, gardens and dim sum of Chinatown further afield.

    Keep the mellow of your weekend getaway going with a stop at Barangaroo Reserve, watching the yachts go by – all before returning for that Sydney sundowner at Pier One.

    Ready to make that Pier One stay a reality? Book the ultimate Sydney staycation at pieronesydneyharbour.com.au