Wellness, Wildlife & Yoga

7 Day Retreats

If those words bring a sparkle to your eye and a smile to your dial - then you belong here with us. Over 7 days you will be restored, recharged and revitalised from head to toe, using evidence-based techniques to elevate your brain, body and mental mojo. Plus you’ll have great fun along the way!

WHO is it for? Those needing a longer escape, holiday or reset from the every-day grind - and/or those wanting experience working with native Australian wildlife (optional - feel free to just stick with the wellness & yoga! We won’t judge). Solo Travellers, Couples, Besties all welcome. Aged 16 and upwards. Beginners welcome.

WHAT do I have to do? Do as much as you feel on any given day. Everything is optional. Plus, we’ve allowed plenty of opportunities to get out and explore the glorious countryside of North East Victoria.

HOW does the wildlife part work? If you would like to sign up to volunteer with Wildside Wildlife Shelter for the week of your retreat, we estimate there will be 1-2 hours per day of feeding/tasks involved. This may include helping bottle feed, exercise, clean up after or assist in the care of animals currently in care. We also have projects at the shelter that take many hands to complete, such as building enclosures or tree planting for native browse and habitat. You will be provided with an induction and training on how to safely handle and interact with the animals as well as supervision and feedback.

WHY volunteer? Our native wildlife is in crisis and every day people like you are the solution. By providing hands-on experience in wildlife care, we hope to boost awareness and give people the knowledge & skills they need to get involved. Plus, with the shelter running at near capacity, we need all the helping hands we can get!

WHEN & WHERE? We have 4 of these special events scheduled running in October, November, December and January at our dedicated retreat venue in Benalla, North East Victoria.

7 Day Retreat Inclusions

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Reformer Pilates Workshop

1 x Aerial Yin and 2 x Aerial Flow Yoga

Hot Yoga Massage (myofascial workshop)

Daily Mini Goat Happy Hour

Wellness Treatments including:

*Floatation Therapy

*Red Light Therapy

* Infrared sauna

Hydrotherapy: Mineral pool & spa

Massage Chairs & Meditation Room

Self Defence Workshop,

Bike tour of Lake Benalla

Paddle Board Yoga

Wildlife Rescue Workshop

Offsite Picnic Lunch & Optional Bush Hike

Wellness Treatments & Facilities

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Daily Red light therapy treatment,
Daily Infrared Sauna Sessions,
3 x 50 Min Floatation therapy

Daily 30 Min Massage Chair in Zen Room
Mineral hydrotherapy spa
Magnesium salt pool (outdoor),
Hand reared therapy animals,
Bicycle hire including helmets
Station Pick up & Drop off

Meals & Accommodation

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Private cabins singles, couples twin share.

All rooms feature ensuite, wifi & netflix.

All meals, beverages & snacks - gluten free, dairy free, vegan catering available.

Fair trade coffee, selection of naturopathic teas and fire side cacao/chai/ mulled wine.

  • Sample Autumn/Winter Itinerary

    Day 1: Check in any time from 3pm

    *Room induction upon arrival

    *Red light therapy, floatation tank & infrared sauna from 4pm-10pm

    *Hydrotherapy spa & Magnesium Salt pool open 4pm-10pm

    16:00 - Aerial Yoga Flow (Gentle )

    *18:00 Dinner

    19:45 Aerial Yin & meditation (90 min)

    *22:00 Fire pit & guest kitchen close

    Day 2: As much or as little as you like

    *Red light therapy, floatation tank & infrared sauna from 7am-10pm

    *Hydrotherapy spa & Magnesium Salt pool open 7am-10pm

    *07:00 Breakfast available till 12

    *08:30 Joey feeding - please let us know if you would like to assist

    09:00 Pilates Reformer (60 Min)

    10:00 Goat happy hour: please wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and enclosed shoes.

    11:00 Guided bike tour of Lake Benalla

    12:30 Lunch

    13:30 Wildlife Rescue Talk

    *Afternoon: Free time, snacks, drinks, bicycle hire

    14:30 Myofascial Release Workshop (90 min)

    16:30 Joey feeding - please let us know if you would like to assist

    18:00 Dinner

    19:15 Self Defence Workshop (participate as much as you choose)

    21:00 Mulled Wine & Chocolate

    22:00 Kitchen & Fire pit Area Close - outdoor silence requested

    Day 3: Late checkout and plenty of time to take things slow

    *07:00 Breakfast & coffee in guest kitchen till 12pm

    *Red light therapy, floatation tank & infrared sauna from 7am-12

    *Hydrotherapy spa (38 degrees) & Magnesium Salt pool (~12-15 degrees) open 7am-12pm

    9:30 Aerial Yoga Flow

    10:00 Goat Happy Hour

    11:00 Chai Tea & Ginger Biscuits

    *12:00 Checkout.

  • Day 1: Check in any time from 3pm

    *Room induction upon arrival

    *Red light therapy, floatation tank & infrared sauna from 4pm-10pm

    *Hydrotherapy spa & Magnesium Salt pool open 4pm-10pm

    16:00 - Paddle board Yoga (60 mins)

    16:30 Joey feeding time - let us know if you would like to assist

    *18:00 Dinner

    19:30 Aerial Yin & meditation (90 min)

    *22:00 Fire pit & guest kitchen close

    Day 2: Do as much / as little as you like

    *Red light therapy, floatation tank, massage & infrared sauna from 7am-10pm

    *Hydrotherapy spa & Magnesium Salt pool 7am-10pm

    *07:00 Breakfast available till 12

    08:00 Joey feeding time - let us know if you would like to assist

    09:00 Pilates Reformer (60 Min)

    10:00 Goat happy hour: please wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and enclosed shoes.

    11:00 Guided bike tour of Lake Benalla

    12:30 Lunch

    1:30 Wildlife Rescue Talk

    *Afternoon: Free time, snacks, drinks, bicycle hire

    15:00 Myofascial Release Workshop (90 min)

    16:30 Joey feeding time - let us know if you would like to assist

    18:30 Dinner

    20:00 Self Defence Workshop (participate as much as you choose)

    21:00 Mulled Wine & Chocolate

    22:00 Kitchen & Fire pit Area Close - outdoor silence requested

    Day 3: Late checkout and plenty of time to take things slow

    *07:00 Breakfast/Brunch 12pm

    *Red light therapy, floatation tank, Massage & infrared sauna 7am-12

    *Hydrotherapy spa & Magnesium Salt pool (25-30 degrees) 7am-12pm

    9:30 Aerial Yoga Flow

    10:30 Goat Happy Hour

    11:30 Chai Tea & Ginger Biscuits

    *12:00 Checkout. description

  • Sample Itinerary for our 7 Day Retreats

    Monday: Get here and get to know us

    Check in from 3pm

    Pool, Spa & Sauna area open 2 pm - 10pm

    Red Light, Floatation, Massage Chair Bookings 4pm - 9pm

    • 2 pm onwards: Arrivals, Room & Retreat Orientation

    • 4:15 Wildlife feeds - Let us know if you would like to assist

    • 5:15pm Aerial Yoga

    • 7:00pm Dinner

    • 8:15pm Wildlife Rescue Intro - meet & greet and what’s involved

    • 10pm Guest Kitchen & Outdoor areas close - out door silence requested

    Tuesday: Chill out or get stuck in. The choice is yours ...

    • Breakfast - Brunch 7am - 11am in guest kitchen

    • 8am, 12pm, 5pm, 9pm - Wildlife feeding, exercise, enclosure clean up - opt in to participate

    • Pool, Sauna & Spa areas open from 7am - 10pm

    • Wellness Treatments open for bookings 8am - 9pm

    • 10:30am Guided Bike Tour of Benalla - see the sights, get your bearings, enjoy the great outdoors!

    • 1pm Lunch

    • Afternoon: Free time to enjoy wellness treatments, explore region, have a nap or read a

    • book ... you do you :)

    • 3:00pm Goat Happy hour

    • 6pm: Group Dinner

    • 7:30pm Aerial Yin & Restore

    Wednesday: Let the feel good, do good magic grow

    • Breafast - Brunch 7am - 12pm in guest kitchen

    • Wildlife, Wet Areas & Wellness treatments as per previous

    • 9:30am -12:30 pm: Wombat enclosure build Pt 1 (Tasks inc digging, placement, gathering of logs/ planting - get an idea of what we're building here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg98maM2HDU )

    • 1pm Lunch

    • 3:30-5pm Hot Yoga Massage (Myofascial release Workshop)

    • DIY Dinner (Fridge space and basic kitchen appliances provided)

    Thursday:

    • Breakfast - Brunch 7am - 12pm in guest kitchen

    • Wildlife, wet areas & Wellness treatments as per previous

    • 9:30am -12:30 pm: Wombat enclosure build Pt 2

      (Inc digging, placement, gathering of logs/ planting - get an idea of what we're building here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg98maM2HDU )

    • 1pm Lunch

    • 3:00pm Goat Happy Hour

    • 4pm Paddleboard Yoga

    • 6:00: Group Dinner

    • 7:30pm Self Defence Workshop

    Friday:

    • Breakfast - Brunch 7am - 12pm in guest kitchen

    • Wildlife, Wet Areas & Wellness treatments as per previous

    • 9:30am Aerial Yoga Flow

    • 11am onwards: Day trip with picnic lunch at Wildside Wildlife release site

    • Afternoon: Free time to explore region / rest / wander release property

    • DIY Dinner (Fridge space and basic kitchen appliances provided)

    Saturday:

    • Breakfast - Brunch 7am - 12pm in guest kitchen

    • Wildlife, wet areas & Wellness treatments as per previous

    • 9am Pilates Reformer Workshop

    • 1pm Lunch

    • 3pm Goat Happy Hour

    • 6pm Final Night - Group Dinner & Celebration

    • 8pm Stargazing, spiced Caco & Dessert around firepit

    Sun - Final Day

    • Breakfast - Brunch 7am - 12pm in guest kitchen

    • Wildlife, wet areas & Wellness treatments - 12pm

    • 9:30am Energetic Aerial Flow

    • 12:30pm Checkout

Wellness that works

Floatation therapy

Your wellness retreat includes a 50 minute private session in our magnesium salt floatation and sensory deprivation tank. Designed to switch off your senses , provide complete rest for your nervous system and alleviate muscle tension.

From just 1-2 sessions across the weekend, you may feel more relaxed, and sleep more deeply. Regular float therapy has been linked to reductions in stress levels, anxiety, blood pressure, chronic pain and sleep disorders. An optional float therapy session is included in all our wellness & yoga retreats. Learn more about float therapy on our Victorian yoga retreats.

Red Light therapy

Retreat packages include medical grade whole body red light therapy. Often associated with Dermatologists and skin treatments, red light therapy penetrates the skin to target cellular health. It has been used as a treatment for mood and sleep disorders, wound healing & joint pain, muscle recovery and even by NASA to reduce unwanted symptoms of radiation therapy.

From your first session you might feel relaxed, glowing and a little restored. Every person is different - if you can, jump in more than once. Included in all our wellness & yoga retreats, learn more about red light therapy here.

Animal Therapy: Goat Happy Hour

Time spent with animals and in nature has been shown through several studies to replicate similar effects on our brain waves as deep meditation. Perhaps this is because they demand us to be fully present and temporarily disable our internal chatter.

We provide all levels of access to our hand reared therapy animals - whether you would prefer to feed or observe only from behind a fence, or jump in and immerse yourself in goat antics and love. Plus, we’re probably the only wellness retreat in Victoria to have goats on the program.

Infrared Sauna Sessions

Improved cardiac health, reductions in chronic pain, muscle recovery, deeper REM sleep, lowered cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugars, boosted metabolism and protection against the degenerative effects of ageing. These are all benefits of infrared sauna use as demonstrated by clinical studies - so the question is, why wouldn’t you?

Yes it’s hot, but stepping out of the sauna you’ll feel invigorated and recharged. And because we have two, you should do it again tomorrow! Learn more about infrared sauna use on our Victorian wellness retreats.

Mineral Soak & Hydrotherapy Spa; Magnesium Salt Pool

Take your relaxation to the next level in our 6 person hydrotherapy spa. It comes complete with medical grade massage jets and mineral salts to dissolve tension and send you into a state of bliss.

And if you get too hot, you can always take the plunge in our 75m2 magnesium salt pool for the ultimate in winter invigoration. Or of course you can just stay in the spa ….



Evidence based yoga, pilates & myofascial release

We use evidence based techniques to relieve aches and pains, relax tight muscles and target common niggles - you might find yourself capable of more than you thought.

Intensity wise, our yoga, wellness and pilates retreat schedule caters from low to moderate intensity sessions; using the power of movement to improve how you feel in both your mind and body. Our teachers come from health care backgrounds including physiotherapy, exercise physiology, rehabilitation programming and elite coaching - offering the highest levels of instruction and in class care.

Retreat yourself