No retreat for eco spa
THE Gold Coast’s favourite haunt for celebrities to rub shoulders with everyday people – Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat – marks 15 years “busier than ever”, according to its co-owner.
Gwinganna was founded in 2006 set on 200ha in the Tallebudgera Valley as a place where people can spend time on “organic living” and relaxation in a “dedicated, low-tech environment”.
Services offered include wellness seminars, seven-day detox programs and spa treatments.
Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman is co-owner along with Sydneysider Tony de Leede and last year it was awarded the World’s Best Eco Spa in the 2020 World Spa Awards.
Mr de Leede said the retreat was recovering well after being shut down for four months last year due to COVID.
He said the loss of the New Zealand and Victorian markets due to the COVID-19 pandemic had dealt a blow.
“We came back slowly, but gathered up a lot of locals on the Gold Coast and a lot of Brisbane people became more aware of us,” he said.
“We did things we have never done before, which was day visits, so we had wellness days where people came to just have a look and do one spa treatment or some yoga. We did a dozen of those and they were highly successful and off the back of that a lot of people booked for the longer programs.”
Mr de Leede said during the dark days of COVID he had to borrow money to keep the retreat afloat. However, he said he was luckier than other accommodation businesses because he owned the property.
“Come January, business was rebounding and right now we are running at pretty much a full house. This month you can’t get a booking, the same for April we are running at about 85-90 per cent full. In the next 10 days April will be full up.
“It is the busiest we have ever been. “Maybe because people again want and need what we do and also, of course, the overseas people who would have gone to our competitors in Bali and Thailand … are now staying at home.”
Mr de Leede, who brought the Fitness First franchise to Australia, said he envisaged another successful 15 years: “Fitness and health and lifestyle and mindfulness and wellbeing, it’s not a fad. There are lots of things that are fads in life but taking care of yourself and living longer and living better is not one of them.”