Discover Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, QLD

Sponsored by Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat July 26, 2019

Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat

Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in the tranquil hinterland of Queensland’s Gold Coast offers a complete health and wellness destination for guests to step away from their busy lives and re-focus on their health. Set high on a plateau on over 200 hectares with views across the valley and ocean, it has the largest land space of any retreat in Australasia. Gwinganna provides stunning ocean views, native wildlife and clean fresh mountain air. With set arrival dates and no day visits, Gwinganna is a true sanctuary from the busy modern world.

The experience

Gwinganna has become known for its extensive range of innovative wellness programs winning multiple awards globally including Eco Spa of the Year for the past three years. Packages are fully inclusive helping to make it easy for guests to simply arrive and immerse themselves into the experience.

With accommodation, all organic meals and snacks, a diverse range of activities, key wellness seminars and selected spa and wellness therapies all taken care of in each package, guests only need to choose their preferred program and accommodation style. These include the most premium options of any Australian retreat from Villas to the unique Meditation Suites in various locations with additional amenities and inclusions. Some feature a private plunge pool while others offer a private steam room.

Treatments and services

Outstanding facilities are on offer to all guests and feature two infinity edge heated swimming pools, indoor training studios, Mind/Body Pavilion and gymnasium, a wellness centre, a labyrinth. A new $1.7m wellness education complex opened in 2018 to further enhance the guest experience and provide an exceptional facility for wellness seminars and presentations. In 2019, Gwinganna will open the first Iyengar yoga studio for any Australian retreat.

Guests can choose from 16 different walks and hikes on the property and begin each day with the meditative stillness of Qi Gong, a form of Tai Chi, as the sun rises from the ocean.

Each afternoon, it is time to slow down and allow the body to rest while choosing exactly what is needed to maximise the results of a stay here. The stunning spa is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and has 33 treatment rooms, with options exclusive to Gwinganna and treatments using the award-winning Subtle Energies Ayurveda Aromatherapy range. Guests can also experience four different equine therapies working with our horses or a variety of wellness, stress management and emotional wellbeing options.

One of the signature and most popular stays is the Gwinganna Detox over seven nights. It is designed to change the body’s biochemistry and help reduce inflammation on a cellular level. The educational content in the daily wellness seminars explains complex health science concepts in a user-friendly format and guests say this program delivers exceptional results.

Food

The food philosophy of Gwinganna centres around seasonal, local, organic wholefoods, with much of the produce harvested daily from the extensive onsite gardens. Menus vary with each program and are designed in conjunction with the nutritionist using organic produce. Gluten free and dairy free, the aim is to help support and improve digestion and liver detoxification, reduce inflammation, improve gut bacteria and balance blood sugar levels.

Ingredients focus on low human intervention (LHI) where the food has undergone minimal or no changes from its place in nature to create an ideal balance between macro and micronutrients. This allows the body’s biochemistry to convert food into what it needs for optimum health and prevention of major lifestyle diseases. A cooking demonstration with a chef is often the highlight helping guests learn more about preparing nutritious simple meals at home.

At Gwinganna, our approach is to provide knowledge so guests will understand how to nourish the body holistically and sustainably using principles that will stand the test of time.

Things to remember

The retreat is non-smoking and a mobile-free zone in all public spaces. Longer stays are caffeine- and alcohol-free. Please note that Gwinganna is a closed retreat and day visits are not available.

Getting there

Gwinganna is located on Queensland’s Gold Coast, on a high plateau in a hidden region of the Tallebudgera Valley. It is less than 30 minutes from the Gold Coast airport, around 60 minutes from Brisbane and only 15 minutes from Burleigh Heads beach.

Complimentary transfers are available at set times from Gold Coast airport on arrival and departure days and the retreat is just 30 minutes from Gold Coast airport. Limousine and helicopter transfers are also available on request.

If you are driving on the M1 Pacific Highway or the Gold Coast Highway you need to turn onto Tallebudgera Creek Rd, turn left at Syndicate Rd and travel for five minutes before seeing the Gwinganna sign where you turn right into a private road travelling a further five minutes to reach the retreat.