PB WELLNESS: THE BUSINESS OF BATHING

THE BUSINESS OF BATHING

The centuries-old art of bathing has found major-city adoration in recent years, with facilities now pushing into our greater regions. Kristie Lau-Adams explores how to get in on the bathhouse boom no matter where you’re based.

WHILE AUSTRALIA is renowned for some of the most hard-working professionals on the planet, we are also a nation firmly focused on wellness. According to research conducted by the Global Wellness Institute in 2022, Australians rank tenth as the world’s highest spenders on wellness products and services. It’s why bathhouse ventures and franchises flourished across the country almost a decade ago, with 2016 welcoming the first City Cave Float & Wellness Centre in Brisbane and 2021 seeing the launch of TANK Bathhouse on the Sunshine Coast.

Now, as slow wellness — a movement that encourages deep awareness of the present and more mindful self-care — soars, bathhouses are as accessible as gyms, flowing beyond heavily populated cities. In the NSW north coast, the sleepy town of Yamba offers its signature salt-breezed break with an all-new side of targeted restoration thanks to the arrival of Exhale, Yamba’s first bathhouse.

Owner of Exhale, Sarah Clarke, says that while urban areas are treated to concentrated foot traffic, quieter locations are switching on. “Yamba and its surrounding towns are seeing more people looking to strike that balance between physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing,” Sarah says. “[It’s] reflected in the increasing number of wellness facilities, yoga studios, and health-focused cafes or restaurants. These places are catering to a more health-conscious crowd than ever before.”

THE LACK OF URBAN PROXIMITY LETS CLIENTS FOCUS FULLY ON THEIR PERSONAL WELLBEING, MAKING IT EASIER FOR THEM TO DISCONNECT.

Sarah argues that out-of-city bathhouses like Exhale, built in a former squash court within walking distance from the Clarence River, offer clients a truly unique experience. “More spacious grounds and a quieter atmosphere provides clients with the opportunity to really unwind,” Sarah explains. “The lack of urban proximity lets clients focus fully on their personal wellbeing, making it easier for them to disconnect.”

It's a sentiment echoed by the team behind Victoria’s Alba Thermal Springs & Spa in the Mornington Peninsula, who late last year unveiled plans to extend their sprawling thermal springs and geothermal pools facility with an all-new bathing enclave, The Ridge. Alba’s General Manager, Craig Dodd, says the Mornington Peninsula, located just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne’s CBD, provides idyllic coastal real estate for bathhouses.

“It is remarkable to think that within a radius of 10km you can enjoy three wonderful, but very different bathing experiences in Alba, Peninsula Hot Springs and Aurora Spa & Bathhouse,” Craig says. “We know that many of our guests have never bathed before, while others are bathing enthusiasts who would have spent time with each of us.”

However, embracing the healing properties of Mother Nature doesn’t necessarily demand a strip of coastline, with some business owners looking inland for serious potential. SOL Elements, a Japanese-inspired bathhouse opening early Autumn on Queensland’s Tamborine Mountain, will

seize the Scenic Rim’s subtropical rainforest to craft tranquil traditional onsens, cold plunge pools, float therapy rooms and more. SOL Elements co-founder, Shea Raven, is coupling the region’s potential for wellness tourism growth with her own distinct vision. “As Tamborine Mountain locals, we have enjoyed the peace and serenity that the Scenic Rim is renowned for,” Shea says. “After discovering this expansive pocket of land… we knew it was the start of SOL’s transformation from an idea to creation. Tamborine Mountain is [filled] with farm-to-table dining, picturesque walking tracks, sparkling waterfalls, a coffee plantation and cafe, distilleries, wineries, and so much more.”

EMBRACE THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR LOCATION, AS THESE WILL DEFINE AND DISTINGUISH YOUR OWN WELLNESS OFFERING.

Armed with their own knack for pinpointing somewhere extraordinary are bathhouse visionaries Dan Bush and partner Grace Saffin, who founded Sauna Boat Tasmania in Kettering, about 30 minutes’ drive from Hobart. Reimagining hot and cold therapy via a floating sauna and natural Oyster Cove cold water plunge, the duo was determined to stand out in a niche market. “While foot traffic may be lower compared to city-based ventures, the remoteness of our location inspires word-of-mouth referrals and loyalty, which underpin the sustainability of our business,” the duo explains. “Embrace the unique characteristics of your location, as these will define and distinguish your own wellness offering.”

SOL Elements’ Shea also recommends that bathhouse business dreamers should not rush the process — even when the market feels hot. “SOL Elements came to life after four years of the ideation stage… after so much hard work, dedication, hurdles and setbacks,” Shea says. “Don’t rush an idea for fear that time is running out or that you need to jump on a bandwagon that looks like a fruitful venture. Do your research. It’s not about being first, it’s about being the best, so create something that no one else is doing or find ways to incorporate a unique selling point that can’t be found within your region of choice.”