Discover Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in QLD

Sponsored by Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat January 9, 2018

Set in the tranquil Gold Coast hinterland, Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat is a complete health and wellness destination for guests to step away from their busy lives and refocus on their health. Located high on a plateau on more than 200 hectares, with views across the valley and ocean, it has the largest land space of any retreat in Australasia.

The experience

Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat is Ecotourism certified with specialty staff including a botanist and two organic gardeners who present sessions for guests each week.

The name was given to the land by the traditional indigenous tribes who lived locally. The setting is ideal for guests to relax and disconnect, with spectacular views and an abundance of wildlife and trees that date back hundreds of years. 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.

Guests can choose from a variety of accommodation styles with premium options available. These include carefully restored Heritage accommodation, the more contemporary Orchard suites and three styles of villas. Some feature a private plunge pool while others offer a private steam room. Additional premium options are a first in Australia and include the three Meditation suites.

With easy access from Gold Coast Airport, just 30 minutes away, this haven of wellness is ideal for a short break or a longer program to reach a specific goal. The introductory two-night Wellness Weekend is perfect for busy people or those wanting to try a retreat for the first time, while the five- and seven-day packages provide the best results.

Treatments and services

The Gwinganna Detox Program takes place over seven nights and has become well known for its transformative impacts. It was the subject of a groundbreaking study in 2016 led by professor Marc Cohen from RMIT University. The results confirm the validity of a retreat experience in maintaining optimum wellness as a means to address lifestyle imbalances and actively prevent disease. The research found that a seven-night retreat resulted in substantial improvements in everything from weight and blood pressure to psychological health, and this was also sustained six weeks after the retreat stay.

For a shorter stay over three or four days, there are packages available with varying themes throughout the year, allowing guests to try something different each visit. Many guests also choose to combine packages, creating their ultimate Gwinganna experience.

Gwinganna has become known for its extensive range of innovative wellness programs, winning multiple awards both in Australia and internationally including Eco Spa of the Year for the past three years at the prestigious AsiaSpa Awards. Packages are fully inclusive of accommodation, all organic meals, a diverse range of activities, key wellness seminars and selected spa and wellness therapies.

Facilities at Gwinganna include two infinity-edge chemical-free swimming pools heated for use in winter, indoor training studios, a spacious pavilion, gymnasium, a wellness centre and the stunning Spa Sanctuary — the largest spa in the southern hemisphere. The spa has 33 treatment rooms and the menu offers unique options exclusive to Gwinganna, including treatments using the award-winning Subtle Energies Ayurveda Aromatherapy range.

Each afternoon, the focus is on rest and guests can choose what they wish to do. This is time to slow down, relax and help restore adrenal balance. The Spa Sanctuary offers an extensive range of therapies with emotional, wellness, physical and stress-management therapies available. Equine therapy is a unique choice offered at Gwinganna, which sees guests working with the property’s much-loved horses.

To help guests extend their retreat experience or try a taste of Gwinganna, Wellness at Home is a package now available in print and online. Covering four pillars of wellness, it gives guests the chance to learn from 17 wellness experts with a range of interviews, articles, practical activities and meditations available either before or after their visit.

The food

The food philosophy at Gwinganna centres on seasonal, local, organic wholefoods with much of the produce harvested daily from the extensive on-site gardens. Menus vary with each program and are designed in conjunction with the nutritionist using organic produce. Gluten- 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 to its natural state 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.

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 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. Limousine and helicopter transfers are also available on request.

If you are driving on the M1 Pacific Motorway or Gold Coast Highway, turn onto Tallebudgera Creek Road, then turn left at Syndicate Road and travel for five minutes until you see the Gwinganna sign, where you’ll turn right into a private road travelling a further five minutes to reach the retreat.