Pampering in central Victoria's spas and saunas has never been more popular, reports Stephen Cauchi.
"WE'VE been looking forward to this just as much as the wedding," says Tom Wood, 29, as he prepares to dip his toe into a steaming hot mineral spa at Peppers Springs Retreat in Hepburn Springs.
If you can't go to Europe, go to Daylesford: Salsa treetop spas, at Daylesford's Lake House complex.Credit: Craig Sillitoe
"We've needed this for some time — I haven't been too well, but we just needed some deep relaxation and to get away from Melbourne."
A few days at a health resort or spa — facials, hot springs, delectable food and wine, massages and any other "wellness experience" imaginable — has been popular for some years, but now it stands as the one bright spot for the struggling tourism industry.
According to Roy Morgan research, the number of Australians whose most recent holiday included a health resort or spa doubled between 2001 and 2008.
The figures remain modest — from 0.6 per cent to 1.3 per cent of all holidays, but because pampering isn't cheap, the sector punches above its weight: Australians spent $1.3 billion on pampering holidays last year, with 35 per cent staying in Australia.
Hepburn Springs and nearby Daylesford, just over 100 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, is the No.1 spot for health and spa holidays in the country.
Overall, Victoria is the most popular state in which to be pampered, alongside Queensland.
It's all about luxury, so the holidays appeal to those who can spend $100 or so for a massage.
Midweek packages at the Peppers Spring Retreat range from $656. A luxury weekend offering costs $2123 per couple or twin share, which includes not just a mineral spa, massage and facials, but exotic treatments such as mud wraps, body cocoons and soft pak floats.
There are more than 90 wellness therapies on offer in the Hepburn Springs and Daylesford region, including shiatsu, reiki, hypnotherapy, naturopathy, osteopathy, oriental medicine, pilates, yoga and tai chi.
"We've never done it before, so this is what makes it special," said Mr Wood, who had a massage and facial booked. His fiance, Monique Allen, said the weekend was "just a getaway before we get married in seven weeks."
Couples are the most popular customers for pampering retreats, followed by families and friends. Singles, such as food distributor Julia Predavec, 40, make up more than 9 per cent of holiday makers. "I come up here (to Peppers Springs) to get my special treats to de-stress," she said.
She visits from nearby Trentham once a month. "I get a different treatment each time. I can actually commute here — it's only 15 minutes."
Jenni Marshall's first spa holiday was five years ago when she visited with her two teenage daughters. She now comes back every year with a group of girlfriends.
"It's a girls' weekend away where we do stuff we wouldn't normally do."
The regional tourism adviser for Tourism Victoria, Tom Smith, said Victoria recognised the importance of health and spa tourism, with the Government recently launching a $7 million campaign to promote the sector.
Mr Smith said ageing bodies and aching limbs could be part of the reason for the boom.
"Baby boomers are the major segment as they move through that (older) age group.
"Obviously, they are going to be a key group. I'm a baby boomer myself and we seem to be focused on those sort of issues."
Chris Malden, co-owner of Peppers Springs, said that in 1980 Daylesford and Hepburn Springs were much like other Victorian country towns, although there were some bath houses built to exploit the many natural mineral springs in the area.
"There was no one else at the time doing it on any sort of scale. Massage was there, but it wasn't a huge component.
"But out of the mineral water therapies, all of the other therapies have actually grown."
Since then, he said, there had been a "wellness revolution".