Victoria might be the mainland’s smallest state, but size doesn’t matter when you retreat here! Locals and travellers are spoilt for choice with some of the most exciting and interesting things to see and do. Whether you’re a new or seasoned practitioner, a Yoga Retreat in Victoria offers you a land of opportunity to explore whatever it is that your spirit is asking for.
With a boundary line of beautiful beaches and untouched bushland abundant with national wildlife, combined with a rich collective of people that celebrates culture and creativity, the diversity of its landscape and community is what truly makes Victoria stand out from the rest.
WHY GO ON A YOGA RETREAT IN VICTORIA
Let’s start with Melbourne, the country’s capital of culture.
Its population consists of people from across the globe, all living harmoniously and celebrating each other’s unique tastes and beliefs. The city represents around 140 different cultures, and you can’t help but be blown away by its vibrancy as you’re encompassed by sites, sounds and smells from around the world. Everywhere you look, restaurants, shops, festivals and works of art showcase what makes each culture stand out. Of course, this includes our own indigenous ancestors who are revered in many murals and exhibitions around the city.
In addition, Melbourne takes pride in serving the world’s best coffee! Kick-start your day in any one of the coolest cafes and sip on a shot of single-origin goodness made to your liking. Latte? Long Black? Extra frothy, decaf, soy Cappuccino with chocolate on top? No problem – Melbourne’s top-tier baristas have got you.
MELBOURNE’S FOOD SCENE
Consistently ranked within the top ten best cities to eat and drink, foodies flock from all around to experience Melbourne’s world class food and drink scene. Whether you’re more of a Michelin Star or curb-side kebab kinda person, Melbourne has something for everyone.
The state offers award-winning wineries, boast-able breweries and distilleries of distinction. And they all drip the finest drops into Melbourne’s bars and restaurants. Be prepared for the ultimate dining experience wherever you choose to celebrate.
ART SCENE
Melbourne is world-famous for its thriving and authentic art scene.
Inspiring and thought provoking street art adorn the city’s laneway walls created by Melbourne locals and global artists looking to make their mark in the art world.
Hosier Lane and Centre Place in the CBD are well known for their ever-changing and colourful cobblestone canvases. Best of all, you can find this kind of art almost anywhere as you travel through the streets of the inner-city suburbs.
For a more refined taste, The National Gallery of Victoria is Australia’s oldest and most visited art museum. It houses a treasure trove of more than 76,000 pieces of work, exhibitions, programs and events, making The NGV a must for art-lovers when in Melbourne.
Lastly, the Melbourne Museum and a huge collection of independent galleries showcase why Melbourne’s art scene ranks as one of the best in Australia.
NATURE LOVERS
Those with a green thumb should visit one of the many beautiful Botanic Gardens that helped to herald Victoria as the ‘Garden State’ of the country.
The Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne features up to 50,000 individual plants sectioned and themed across an incredible 94 acres. You can also find spectacular gardens in Fitzroy, St. Kilda, Williamstown and Berwick with stunning surprises around every blooming corner.
When you’re ready to hit the highway, don’t forget Australia’s most iconic road-trip: The Great Ocean Road – 243 kilometres of pristine coastline that hugs the shore of the Southern Ocean and winds around the opulent Great Otway National Park.
The Surf Coast is abundant with waterfalls, wineries and walking trails to lookouts and lighthouses. Some of the most popular sites to see are The Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and Hopetoun Falls.
Quaint towns line the way to stop in for a feed or spot of retail therapy for that ultimate urban vibe. Make sure you stop off at Lorne, Apollo Bay and Torquay.
With all this just scratching the surface of what the state has to offer, let us serve you with some of our top picks for places to go on a yoga retreat in Victoria.
BEST PLACES FOR A YOGA RETREAT IN VICTORIA
THE YARRA VALLEY
They say “Varieties are the spice of life” in the Yarra Valley. Over 80 Vineyards line the leading cool-climate region, renowned for their Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Cab Sav, Chardonnay and their special Sparkling wines.
Among the world-class wineries, the stunning scenery of the Valley is alive with acclaimed restaurants, artisans and galleries. This is why it’s one of our favourite places to host a yoga retreat in Victoria. You will also find boutique accommodation and a number of unique activities to stimulate your senses. Pick your own berries and cherries from the orchards, or tantalise your tastebuds at the Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery. Feeling adventurous? Take a trip on the famous Puffing Billy Steam Train on its original mountain track through the Dandenong Ranges.
To help narrow it down for you, our winery winner is Steels Gate Wines. This eco-friendly winery is perfectly positioned in the picturesque Dixons Creek surrounded by King Lake National Park. The owners – Brad and Matt – grow their own fruit and make the wine themselves with an amazing sustainable approach.
No time to visit their cellar door and taste their impressive Chardonnay? Fear not! Steels Gate will guide you through a superb wine tasting experience at our Yarra Valley Winter Retreat. You will learn about their wine-making process, whilst you graze on a gorgeous vegetarian feasting table. Expect delicious cheeses paired perfectly with wine to please your palate. This is your time to indulge in a little bit of luxury so you can fill your emotional cup.
THE OTWAY RANGES
Often referred to as a ‘Utopia’ by its locals, the Great Otway National Park is home to some of the most luscious landscapes the country has to offer.
The North of the Ranges are abundant with ancient rainforests full of native wildlife. It has the most magnificent wave-sculpted waterfalls and fern-filled walking trails to incredible lakes and lookouts.
The Southern end is where the woods meet the ocean at Cape Otway. Multi-storey clifftops surround the flawless Johanna Beach and Blanket Bay. Cape Otway is home to Australia’s most significant and longest serving lighthouse, ‘The Beacon of Hope’. The lighthouse sits on the cliff’s edge of the Bass Strait, which was the first sight of land for many 19th century migrants travelling to Australia by ship.
For the lovers of learning, the Otway Ranges is like an encyclopaedia of nature and history. It flips through the times of our indigenous ancestors, to European settlement, all the way back to the Early Cretaceous time of the dinosaurs! Yep! If the Indiana Jones within you just rose from the dead, look into Dinosaur Cove in the Otways and prepare to have your mind blown! With all that said, among the landscape lies a lap of luxury.
OTWAYS HARVEST TRAIL
The Otways feature some of the finest restaurants, cafes, wineries, breweries, plus markets and farm gates yielding the region’s freshest local produce. What better way to explore it than traversing The Otway Harvest Trail – a mapped out driving route through the Ranges. You’ll visit remarkable places where you can indulge your senses and debrief your outdoor adventures over a delicious drop.
The Harvest Trail’s starting point is only a short distance from the accomodation at our Yoga Retreat in the Otways. It is therefore something we recommend for our foodie friends to try out in their free time between yoga classes, or before or after the retreat.
THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA
The Mornington Peninsula is one of the most popular summer getaway destinations for Melburnians and tourists alike. An hour’s drive south of the CBD, its golden beaches, vibrant villages, premium golf-courses and world-class wineries make it the hub for the holiday season.
With each town only a short drive away from one another, you can pack so much in little time, and there are some really incredible and unique ways to see what the peninsula has to offer.
For those who like to fly high, the iconic Arthur’s Seat Eagle might be the thing for you. You’ll rise 315 metres above the waters of Port Phillip Bay in an aerial gondola. Then, glide over the mountain’s edges to the highest point in the Peninsula for the most spectacular views.
Alternatively, if you prefer to dive deep, slip into a wetsuit and flippers to get up close and personal with dolphins and seals in the waters of Sorrento. Channel your inner Mermaid and experience the undersea show of a lifetime. You’ll watch the seals roll and backflip while pods of dolphins glide around you.
Eventually, when you’re ready to come back to Earth, another awesome way to explore the peninsula is on horseback! Travel through Trueman’s Bush and St Andrew’s Beach while making a connection to one of the world’s most majestic animals.
RETREATS AND WELLNESS IN THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA
After all that adventure, your body most likely needs some TLC. The first place that most people think of when they hear ‘Mornington Peninsula’ is the famous Peninsula Hot Springs.
Consistently voted as the best luxury mineral spa in the world, the Peninsula Hot Springs offers more than 70 different bathing and wellness experiences. It’s a place to heal and restore balance to the body, mind and spirit. Choose from over 50 hot spring and geothermal pools, a cold plunge and ice cave, steamy saunas, clay body painting and private spa treatments to get you feeling back-to-best.
Many of their healing experiences were inspired by different cultures. You can enjoy a Turkish Hamam Steam Bath, Japanese Cave Pool, or Nepalese Massaging Mineral Shower!
During your free time at our Yoga Retreat in the Mornington Peninsula, we highly recommend you head down to the Hot Springs. Take some time to yourself, or go with your newfound Yogi friends. For our summer retreat guests, you might like to book a pampering spa treatment. Our winter guests most likely want to indulge in the warm mineral pools. When you come back from the Springs, a nourishing Yoga Nidra class and delicious vegetarian dinner awaits.
HOW TO FIND THE BEST YOGA RETREAT IN VICTORIA FOR YOU?
This all comes down to personal preference. What do you want to get out of a retreat? Is it purely for relaxation? Are you looking to learn about yoga, or perhaps you want to dive deeper into the meditative side of the practice? Maybe you simply need a break from the daily hustle, and have a good time with (new-found) friends, whilst sharing food and swapping stories at the dinner table.
With an overwhelming choice of wellness retreats on offer throughout Australia, it will take a bit of research to find the right retreat for you.
If you want to learn whether our yoga holidays are the right fit for you, find out What To Expect At Our Yoga Retreats In Victoria, or get in touch if you have any questions.
Article written by guest writer Samantha Battisti.
Samantha is a much-loved yoga teacher in Melbourne, that you may just see at some of our retreats. She enjoys good food and wine, and loves being out in nature. When she’s not teaching or practicing yoga herself, she’s often reading, dancing or browsing local op-shops for something special.
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