Good Mornington
“Be sure to bring two pairs of bathers,” we are advised by a kindly Mornington Peninsula local, before we set out to visit. I admit I’m skeptical. The forecast is showing it will be 7C in the mornings and the days may warm to 20C, if that. Bathers? In these conditions? I find that unlikely
But I am (once again) proven wrong, for within an hour of checking into the dazzling new InterContinental Sorrento we are indeed in our bathers — or swimmers, as we call them — and sinking eagerly into the warm, calming waters of the mineral-rich Daydream pool at the hotel’s new Aurora Spa & Bathhouse.
The pool, enriched with magnesium and heated to 36C, is the first stop on an entirely unexpected aquatic adventure.
After the Daydream comes a dip in the icy plunge pool (endured for no more than 30 seconds) followed by a sequence of heavenly baths and saunas that range from a reflexology pool heated to 37C and lined with stones to stimulate the nerves from the feet up, to an aromatherapy steam room that leaves us at once wonderfully scented and thoroughly sweated out. It is absolute bliss.
And so it has taken us precisely two hours to be thoroughly immersed in this epic long weekend wind-down in this incredibly scenic region 90 minutes southeast of Melbourne.
Situated between two chilly bodies of water — on one side Port Phillip Bay, the other Bass Strait — the long, thin peninsula is quietly becoming one of the nation’s best-regarded wellness destinations, courtesy of a renewed focus in the area on water.
And we’re not talking about the cold water of the bay and the strait. Rather, the water in question here is all to do with spas, both in luxury retreats such as Aurora, and also outdoors at the natural hot springs that dot the region.
Not far away from Aurora at the extraordinary new Alba Thermal Springs & Spa, a $100m complex has been built around the gurgling, sulphurous springs that occur naturally in these parts.
Following our excursion to Aurora, and overnight at the InterContinental in the historic bayside town of Sorrento, we have an early morning booking at Alba. Our swimsuits haven’t even dried before we find ourselves back in the water (in our handily packed second pair).
Said to resemble architect Peter Zumthor’s much-admired Therme Vals spa in Switzerland’s Graubünden canton, Alba is based around 32 geothermal springs, each a slightly different temperature, from about 36C to 43C. But don’t think you’ll be wading down muddy banks to lower yourself into these health springs. Rather, each of the 32 pools has a geometric-shaped concrete pool moulded around it, to spectacular visual effect.
The pools, which have names such as The Eye, The Shell and The Falls and promise health benefits derived from the natural spring water, are dotted around a few hundred metres of landscape nurtured by dazzling native fauna. And even if it is cold outside, lowering yourself into these pools, rich with sulphur, calcium, magnesium, potassium and more, is like slipping into a warm embrace.
You could spend a whole day hopping from one pool to another, taking time out from the warmth to occasionally dip into a cold plunge, then warming up again in the Swedish sauna. There’s an onsite spa with treatment rooms and a restaurant overseen by Melbourne culinary identity Karen Martini. Plush robes and towels are all part of the entry price.
And while all this water therapy is good for the body, and the soul, there’s nothing a nice glass of wine and some good eating can’t also help. If we have come for the hydrotherapy, we’re definitely staying for the food, and the drops.
A mere 50 years ago, Mornington Peninsula was bucolic, cold and windswept, mostly noted for its sheep stations and dairies. But the introduction of pinot noir and chardonnay grapes to the area in the early 1970s radically changed its fortunes.
These days, there are about 200 wineries in the area, including 50 with cellar doors. Drive through the undulating hills and valleys to find a region blanketed with vines, scenically so, along with boutique wineries, cute providores and rustic cellar doors offering wine tastings on weekends.
While you could probably find good food everywhere here, we spend a long, leisurely afternoon at Pt. Leo Estate where the fine diner, Laura, is a drawcard (there are also more casual eateries on site). Over a $275, 10-course seasonal tasting menu, culinary director Josep Espuga does beautiful contemporary food with a view of the estate.
Curiously, Pt. Leo also houses an enormous sculpture park. The 20ha property is dotted with modern works from the likes of KAWS, George Rickey, Tony Cragg, Inge King, Boaz Vaadia, Tomokazu Matsuyama and Barry Flanagan. With its views of the sea, rolling vines and more than 50 sculptures to view, Pt. Leo is a recommended visit in the area.
Just down the road, a new lodge has opened in Cassis Red Hill. This little property, nestled next to Eldridge Estate vineyard, consists of a series of cabins styled by owners Gina and Simon McNamara after their travels in the south of France.
Self-contained and luxe, these cabins offer an upmarket private retreat for those disinclined to stay at the bigger hotels, such as the InterContinental Sorrento.
A stay at Cassis Red Hill includes breakfast provisions from local suppliers — try the local milk, it’s brilliant — and a half bottle of local wine. The sunset views from the cabins' verandas and living rooms are worth it alone. You will feel absolutely immersed in the landscape.
So, we did indeed need to pack well. We return relaxed, refreshed, full of good food and wine, and most definitely very clean. Taking the waters never felt so good.