Warrnambool’s Deep Blue Hot Springs is an essential weekend retreat 
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07.10.2021

Warrnambool’s Deep Blue Hot Springs is an essential weekend retreat 

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This stunning regional getaway is a blissful oasis just waiting to be explored.

Looking for a weekend getaway in regional Victoria that’s equally beautiful, relaxing and nourishing? Why not take a dip in some of Victoria’s most sought-after thermal waters at Warrnambool’s Deep Blue Hot Springs. 

Whether you’re looking for a chilled-out day trip or a weekend away with friends, this hot spring haven is a luxe and blissful oasis just waiting to be explored. 

Nature’s treat, these geothermal mineral springs will have guests feeling entirely nourished thanks to water rich in healthful minerals and heat. Rainfall passes through prehistoric rock and earth layers to reach the Dilwyn Aquifer – an underground geological formation. The water is then gathered from the aquifer at the depth of 850 metres and is brought to the surface (along with the heat and minerals) at the thoughtfully curated Hot Springs sanctuary, the Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs in Warrnambool.

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As well as soaking away all your cares, the water – natural high in temperature – is ideal for replenishing your physical wellbeing. The mineral-rich thermal water increases your heart rate and hydrostatic pressure and as a result, your cells become oxygenated and your circulation is boosted. It also stimulates your metabolism, aiding digestion. 

Part of the extreme relaxation you’ll feel here is the result of decreasing tension in sore muscles. Warming your body expands blood vessels, which relaxes those tired muscles and pent-up lockdown stresses.   

Something of a stand-out experience for all this and more, the Warrnambool Sanctuary consists of 15 stunning and therapeutic geothermal mineral rockpools, Sensory caves and Cleansing Waterfalls to explore. 

A blissful self-guided journey, the nourishment begins from the moment you arrive at the entrance to the reception of the hot spring haven, induced with the sound of soft ambient music coupled by the trickling sound of water overheard from behind the Sanctuary walls. This is a subtle and effective invitation to breathe and assume a slower pace as they make their way through the doors. 

Once inside, the considered softness of natural earth derived textures and tones creates an immediate warming and welcoming effect. A large piece of natural stone ‘Mary Azul Quartzite’ is admired and was selected for its unique veining and remarkable likeness to the characteristics of the iron mineral. 

Gifting guests the stress-free experience they deserve, checking in is an easy process with a waiver completed online prior to arrival, while a pre-ordered selection of towels, spa robes and locker hire bands are handed over before you make your way through to the change facilities. 

Immersing you entirely into a luxurious, paradise, every detail has been meticulously chosen to enrich the experience and transport you to a tranquil oasis, from the warm considered palate and luxury brass features that continue to flow through to these facilities including single-stall showers and dry change areas, toilets, and lockers. 

Once changed and wrapped inside your robe, you’ll make your way to the Sanctuary with a towel in hand, guided by the sound of trickling water. Stepping out into the open-air and greeted with the sight and sound of water being nurtured throughout a myriad of curated geothermal rockpools, sensory caves and waterfalls. 

Embarking on a mindful self-guided journey, you’ll make your way around the Sanctuary to discover the 15 enhanced bathing experiences. Signs, complimentary to the architecture, are placed at each pool to inform bathers of the current temperatures of the geothermal water, along with unique mineral components and healthful benefits of the naturally occurring minerals. 

With heated basalt tiles on cold days and cushioned seating on warmer days, the foot spa provides the perfect place to sit and nurture sore tired feet while enjoying the architectural fountain and the sweet and delicate scent of the flowering Daphne.  

Drifting into the aromatherapy pool, it’s here where you can indulge in the bright floral aromatic mist of the signature blend with soothing benefits to decrease stress, anxiety and help with a peaceful night’s sleep, before you wade through the all-encompassing Passage, a steep corridor of geothermal waters spilling over the tall rock walls and into the narrow basin below.  

While the temperatures vary from pool to pool, the highest temperatures can be found in the twin pools located side by side and within easy reach of one of the cold plunge pools for contrast therapy. 

If you’re looking for an after-dark experience like no other, Deep Blue Hot Springs offers a completely unique and immersive journey with its adults-only twilight sessions that run from 6pm to 9pm, where you can bathe in illuminated geothermal rockpools. 

Ideal for the upcoming summer, you’ll be able to make the most of warmer weather as you lay back while submerged in the shallow bathing waters of the ‘reflection Bay’ gazing at the starry sky, or bathe in a magical fusion of neon light and steamy mineral waters in the sensory caves with colour light therapy. An alternative therapy, specific colours aim to assist with the correction of both physical and psychological imbalances. Pink is said to be a cleanser, strengthening the veins and arteries, while yellow reactivates & purifies the skin and Purple relaxes the nerves and lymphatic system. 

Further along in your restorative wellness adventure, the Rainforest cave is a beautiful nod to the natural wonders of the Great Ocean Road, inspired by the nearby Otway’s with ferns and a steep rainforest shower for a massaging effect to soothe the back and shoulders. 

There’s also a bubbling Hydrotherapy Pool that helps to relieve muscular stress and aid recovery with the help of 20 powering jets, and a Hidden Rock Falls and a Garden area where you can bask on the large Basalt stone loungers surrounded by nature if you need some time to chill out of the water.  

You’re here to relax, so make sure you pay a visit to the Nourish Dome – a centrally located hub with an abundance of natural light filling the space and providing a relaxed outlook to the sanctuary. Complete with contemporary seating and tables, here, you can replenish and rehydrate with a selection of food fare prepared by passionate in-house chefs and a variety of beverages. The Dome, with its nutrient-dense focus, complements the wellness offering of the Sanctuary. 

If you don’t want to leave after all that, you don’t have to – just book into the on-site hotel, providing accommodation to suit a wide range of budgets including twin share, sea view Queen and King Rooms, and large family-sized penthouse apartments boasting panoramic ocean views. The premium suites have spa baths too and private bathing options are also available, just in case you haven’t had your fill of soaking.

So, if you’re in need of a hot soak, a steam, a massage, a facial, some aromatherapy or just some general pampering, numerous two to three-hour sessions are offered daily with children aged five and over welcome to attend the Early Bird, Morning and Afternoon sessions while a dedicated Twilight session at 6pm -9pm is reserved or adults’ only (16+).

Deep Blue Hot Springs Warrnambool is located at Worm Bay Road, Warrnambool. You can book your next retreat here. www.thedeepblue.com.au