Pause and unwind in this Scandi-style wellness retreat.
Sauna culture is heating up in Australia and we’re being treated to a bevvy of outdoor saunas located in picturesque settings to enjoy its physical, mental and even social benefits. The latest floating wellness retreat to capture our attention is the peaceful Stillwater Saunas, Beechworth, North-East Victoria’s first floating sauna.
Stillwater Saunas, Beechworth, is North-East Victoria’s first floating sauna.
Sitting pretty on Lake Sambell in the foothills of Victoria’s High Country, this Scandi-style sauna invites guests to unwind and reconnect with nature. Crafted from high-quality softwoods, the sleek building was designed to sensitively blend in with the surrounding native bushland and trees. It fits up to five guests at a time who can enjoy the signature löyly – a gentle, soothing steam created when water is poured over the heated sauna stones on the wood-fired stove – while taking in calming lake views.
Feel the heat while admiring picturesque lake views.
While the sauna is accessible year-round, winter is the cosiest time of year to sweat it out. Guests are encouraged to feel the full benefits by alternating between the warmth of the sauna and the invigorating chill of Lake Sambell.
The sauna is a 10-minute walk from Beechworth’s town centre, which is a three-hour drive from Melbourne. Loved for its well-preserved historic buildings, vineyards and Victorian gold rush history, Beechworth is a charming town abundant with gourmet food, artisan markets and scenic walks. Must-visit stops during your stay include Beechworth Bakery, Beechworth Gorge Walk circuit, the Old Beechworth Gaol and the Beechworth Honey Shop. Staying at the asylum-turned-upscale spa hotel The Benev is another must for the itinerary.
The sleek sauna blends in with the landscape.
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Details
Best for: Wellness enthusiasts
Pricing: 1-hour shared pass, $50; 1-hour private pass, $250 (up to 5); Multi 10 pass $400 or Multi 5 Pass $225.
Address: McConville Ave, Lake Sambell, Beechworth VIC
Opening hours: Friday to Monday 8am-6pm; Wednesday and Thursday 6pm-9pm; Closed Tuesdays.
What’s provided?: A towel and water for each guest
Toilets: Public toilets are located
Parking: Parking is located 80 metres away
Accessibility: Access for guests with disabilities is available. Contact Stillwater Saunas for more details.
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Rachael Thompson is a freelance travel journalist. With a background in design and travel media, Rachael is dedicated to curating content that is as much informational as it is beautiful. She began her career at Belle magazine, before taking up editorial roles at Homes to Love, Bed Threads and Australian Traveller/International Traveller. When she's not writing, editing or optimising content, Rachael enjoys exploring the city's newest restaurants, bars and hotels. Next on her Aussie travel wish list is Lord Howe Island.
Switch the hustle and bustle for a weekend of birdsong and greenery on the border.
Straddling the Murray River where New South Wales meets Victoria, Albury Wodonga is just hours by car or train (or even a quick flight) from many major cities, but it feels a million miles away from the everyday.
Here, you’ll find a blend of relaxed country lifestyle and modern city amenities, where a booming culinary scene and vibrant arts offerings meet a rich Indigenous history and stunning natural vistas. Spend time amongst river red gums, wildlife-filled wetlands and winding waterways.
Ready to roll on the river? Here’s where to begin.
1. Birdwatch in Wonga Wetlands
Walk along Wonga Wetlands, looking for local birdlife. (Credit: Destination NSW)
It might be close to Albury’s CBD, but Wonga Wetlands feels a watery world away. This former grazing land has been restored to 80 hectares of lagoons, billabongs and river red gums, and you can now wander three kilometres of walking trails as you spot cormorants, spoonbills, egrets and sacred kingfishers. More than 170 bird species call the wetlands home, thanks to the Murray’s cycle of flooding and drying, so pack a picnic, settle in at a bird hide, and pull out those binoculars.
2. Explore the Murray River
Take a picnic to enjoy in Noreuil Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)
The Murray River runs between Albury and Wodonga, where locals swap desks and deadlines for shaded riverbanks. Less than a kilometre from Albury’s CBD sits Noreuil Park, the city’s favourite stretch of riverfront. Cool off on the famous loop float, hire a kayak, launch a stand-up paddleboard or cast a line.
Afterwards, chuck a rug on the lawn under a plane tree, fire up one of the free barbecues and watch the water as you munch on some Murray cod.
3. Take a sculpture walk
See the art along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk.
Albury Wodonga’s three sculpture trails showcase the Murray through First Nations tales on foot or by bike. Along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk, 15 contemporary Aboriginal artworks celebrate kinship and Country. The Crossing Place Trail passes the Wodonga Scar Tree, where local Indigenous people once harvested bark to craft canoes, and the Gateway Island trail tells you how the Murray sustained First Nations people for millennia.
4. Get moving on local tracks and trails
Take your bike to Hunchback Mountain Bike Park.
More than 100 kilometres of trails cross Albury Wodonga’s hills, reserves and riverbanks. Mountain bikers can tackle the championship-calibre descents of Nail Can Hill, weaving through eucalyptus forest where the rare crimson spider orchid blooms, or hone their skills at Hunchback Mountain Bike Park‘s 29 graded trails.
Keen to explore on foot? Huon Hill makes the sore legs worth it, with lookouts across Lake Hume and the Kiewa Valley, while McFarlanes Hill meanders through stringybark woodland and rocky outcrops.
For a slower pace, the 44-kilometre High Country Rail Trail hugs the shores of Lake Hume, crossing the red-pillared Sandy Creek Bridge before rolling into Tallangatta.
5. Check into restorative stays
Check into one of Albury Wodonga’s over 60 accommodation options. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Some moments call for a boutique hotel. Others call for backing the caravan up beside the lake. Whether you’ve spent the day splashing in the Murray, furiously clocking kilometres on the bike trails or entertaining kids in playgrounds at the water’s edge, there’s somewhere to lay your head.
From motels shaded by river red gums to lakeside holiday parks and boutique hotels, Albury Wodonga’s 60-plus accommodation options mean you’re never far from a morning walk along the Murray or dinner on Dean Street. But be warned: book ahead. You might not be the only one craving a weekend by the Murray, especially in the school holidays.
6. Enjoy delicious dining options
Enjoy incredible meals in Albury Wodonga.
Every paddle, bushwalk and bike trail deserves a proper meal afterwards. Once you’ve swapped out your damp swimmers or your dusty trainers and start to sniff out a feed, you’ll quickly discover you’re surrounded by one of Australia’s richest agricultural regions.
Unsurprisingly, Albury Wodonga’s dining scene is all about that Riverina produce. We’re talking Murray cod (of course) but also premium local beef from the valleys, olive oil from nearby groves, cool-climate wines and European-style cheeses.
The restaurants, wine bars and breweries around Dean Street and Junction Square are all within easy reach, serving everything from modern Australian and Mediterranean to Thai, Vietnamese, Italian and classic wood-fired steakhouse fare. Looking for a riverside brunch? A comforting bowl of dumplings on a winter evening? Or up the ante with the vibrant flavours of Europe? Whatever the craving, there’s a table waiting.
7. Get out on Lake Hume
Be sure to stay for a Lake Hume sunset.
When you’re ready to dial up the solitude, trade the river for a veritable inland sea: Lake Hume. Just 15 minutes from Albury and Wodonga, it’s one of Australia’s largest water storage reservoirs. In other words, there’s plenty of space to swim, paddle and stake out a patch of shoreline all to yourself.
Take the long way through Riverina farmland, stopping at the dam wall to appreciate just how enormous Lake Hume is. Cast a line for Murray cod, rainbow trout, golden perch or redfin and unpack a bag of bakery treats beneath the trees before launching a kayak into the vastness.
Afterwards, stop by the Bonegilla Migrant Experience, where the remaining accommodation blocks tell the stories of more than 320,000 post-war migrants who passed through between 1947 and 1971. Give yourself time to walk through the preserved camp, stopping to digest the photographs, personal stories and artworks that reveal what it meant for residents to begin a new life at the edge of the world.
Even if you’re exhausted, stay until twilight. The sunset is about to put on a hell of a leaving show for you.
