As the sun rises, it bathes the distant trees in a golden glow and reveals a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean stretching all the way to the horizon. The symphony of nature comes alive as crows and an array of birds fill the air with their morning songs while wallabies leisurely graze on the lush green grass nearby. We move through our Qi Gong routine, an ancient Chinese practice that helps optimise energy within the body, mind, and spirit. I haven’t been here more than 16 hours – and was asleep for nearly 8 of them – yet I already understand why so many guests I met at dinner last night were repeat visitors, with one back for their tenth visit and another for their twelfth. It’s not only a spectacular backdrop; starting the day this way is equally breathtaking.
It’s my first morning at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, a 200-hectare sanctuary nestled in Tallebudgera Valley, just a 25-minute drive from the Gold Coast’s Coolangatta Airport. After turning 50 earlier this year and realising I’ve never felt so physically and emotionally exhausted, I’m here for their seven-day Optimal Wellness Programme.
If you’re expecting a detailed, step-by-step account of my time at Gwinganna so you can imagine how your own retreat might unfold, you might be disappointed. The beauty of the Ultimate Wellness Retreat is that each guest’s experience is uniquely theirs. Gwinganna’s flexibility and array of options mean that while my journey may be described here, yours could be entirely different. Also, with over 20 years of experience and a commitment to integrating the latest in wellness science, Gwinganna offers a range of retreats and activities, so you might book an utterly different retreat from the one I experienced.
On the first night, we were informed that they don’t provide a detailed programme outline at the outset because they want us to tune into what our bodies and spirits need at any given time. The programme is structured enough to ensure you learn about mindset, nutrition, body movement, and various other topics from the experts leading seminars. Yet, it’s flexible enough for you to find what you need—which, once you allow yourself to unwind and let go of the busyness of the outside world, can change day-to-day and even hour-by-hour.
There are a few constants at Gwinganna – the morning Qi Gong is one of them, and it’s a beautiful way to welcome a new day. The programmes are designed around following a circadian rhythm, encouraging guests to rise with the sun and tackle the day’s most strenuous activities in the morning, leaving the afternoons for rejuvenation and relaxation.
After morning Qi Gong, we are offered three options for an activity before breakfast: a challenging walk, an easier walk, and a stay-at-home option. Each morning, the walks and the stay-at-home activities vary, ranging from Pilates to yoga, resistance bands to muscle release sessions with tennis balls.
Once breakfast is done and dusted, the activities continue with a choice of Yin and Yang routines. These range from aqua aerobics and strength conditioning to Pilates and yoga, though this is just a tiny sample of the many classes offered throughout the week. I had decided to push my boundaries and try new things here, even if my first instinct was to say no—which was most apparent when the opportunity to try Tribal Dance came up! As someone who is usually pretty reserved, joining this session was a massive leap for me, and it’s tough to describe exactly what it was like.
Stephen McInnes, a long-time therapist at Gwinganna, leads this unique session. If I had to describe it—or my interpretation of the class—Tribal Dance is about letting go of what needs to go and opening up to embrace new experiences. When Steve starts drumming and getting us to move around the room, we move however we feel—flailing our arms and legs, shaking our heads, and moving to the rhythm of his drums. It’s as much a mental therapy session as a physical one, and the freedom of letting go both mentally and physically is genuinely liberating.
At 11 a.m. each day, we attended seminars that were not only backed by science but also incredibly insightful. I left with a notebook brimming with notes on topics like functional movement and natural detoxification. One of the highlights was Dr Karen Coates’ Cognitive Detox session. Karen had recently spent three months in the south of France, embracing the renowned Mediterranean lifestyle—eating plenty of vegetables, fruit, and fresh seafood, along with incidental exercise from walking around the village and swimming in the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea. She did a DNA test before and after her trip and shaved an impressive ten years off her biological age!
Afternoons at Gwinganna are dedicated to relaxation. You can take a bath if you have one, read a book, take a peaceful walk through the forest, soak up the tranquil surroundings or head to the world-class spa.
The Spa at Gwinganna
For a touch of luxury, visit the spa – the largest in the southern hemisphere – during the afternoon rest period. Here, you can indulge in a comprehensive range of treatments designed to rejuvenate both body and mind. With 33 treatment rooms and a diverse team of therapists, the spa offers over 100 therapies, from traditional massages and facials to Eastern techniques and the innovative MyBodyWorks (a must-try).
The Ultimate Wellness programme includes two Gwinganna Classic massages, an Essential facial, and a $100 credit towards additional wellness treatments, such as a naturopathic consultation. On arrival, guests enjoy a private wellness consultation to tailor their treatment bookings. While the included massages are excellent, upgrading to some of the more deluxe treatments can be incredibly transformative and is well worth considering.
After your treatments, you can unwind in the Steam Room (which can, in fact, be visited any time after 1.30, whether you have a treatment or not) or the ‘Whisper Room,’ a peaceful space for meditation and relaxation, where you can sip herbal tea and read a book.
Food at Gwinganna
Gwinganna’s culinary philosophy centres around seasonal, locally sourced, organic whole foods, with much of the produce freshly harvested from their extensive on-site gardens. Each menu is tailored to the specific programme and crafted in collaboration with a nutritionist, changing according to the retreat being undertaken. For our retreat, the focus was on anti-inflammatory foods inspired by the Mediterranean diet. Red meat, coffee, sugar, dairy, and gluten were off the menu.
The chefs and the food they serve are exceptional. Regardless of your retreat, you’ll be treated to dishes based on a low human intervention (LHI) approach, ensuring the food remains as close to its natural state as possible. This method maintains an optimal balance of macro and micronutrients, allowing the body’s biochemistry to convert food into essential nutrients efficiently.
The portions on our Ultimate Wellness Retreat were so generous—I ate more at each meal than at home. Despite initially realising that weight loss shouldn’t be my primary health metric as I entered my 50s with building strength and flexibility as my new guiding light, I lost 2kg during my stay, which completely blew my mind, given how much food we ate! Vegetables were the star of our meals, with proteins playing an important but supporting role.
Breakfast on our retreat might include delights such as poached pears with berries, coconut bananas, bircher muesli, or pumpkin granola, followed by a hot dish like poached eggs with broccolini or mushroom and zucchini crepes. Lunch often began with a warm vegetable soup (I visited during winter), followed by a small bowl of salad greens and a hot protein dish like fish or skinless chicken breast with an Asian salad. Dinner typically features two options to choose from. Seafood was a standout offering on our menu for the week—if the macadamia-crusted barramundi is on offer, make sure to try it. It’s truly exceptional!
Rooms at Gwinganna
Gwinganna offers a variety of accommodations, each with its own charm. From the charming Heritage Suites to the reclaimed-timber Orchard Suites and the premium Meditation Suites with their stunning outlook and yoga mats and meditation cushions, to the luxurious Wellness Suites with ocean views, an infrared sauna, and a recovery chair, and the exquisite Signature Villas, there’s something to suit every taste.
I stayed in an Orchard Deluxe Suite in the Lychee building and loved the space and design. The suite’s highlight was the bathtub on the expansive deck, where I could relax and enjoy the view through the roll-down blind. This soon became my afternoon ritual, followed by reading a novel, only leaving to visit the spa or afternoon tea. The design blends modern luxury with the natural beauty of the orchard, featuring timber floors and stone elements that create a serene atmosphere. Mobile phones and laptops are strongly discouraged to ensure you enjoy a digital detox as much as a physical one.
Final Thoughts
Wrapping up my week at Gwinganna, it’s clear that this retreat offers a profound shift in how we approach health and well-being. The Ultimate Wellness Program’s focus on physical health, gut health, mental clarity, stress management and physical detoxification transcends anything I imagined it would be, inspiring me to go home and create a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.
Couples will find this journey especially rewarding, as they can share the experience and reinforce each other’s growth. During my stay, I met several couples who exemplified this. One couple initially checked in for a five-day program but kept extending their stay, ultimately staying for 16 days. Another couple, where the wife was on her fourth visit, brought her husband along for his first time to share in the transformation she experienced, hoping to integrate these lessons into their daily lives and support each other in maintaining them.
For those seeking a deeper connection and a fresh start, Gwinganna provides a sanctuary to reset, recharge, and recommit to a healthier, more vibrant life together.
To discover more about this incredible wellness retreat, visit Gwinganna’s website.
