Sunshine Coast businesses offer therapies from day spas to infusions
From cryotherapy to floats and IV drips, the Sunshine Coast’s wellness industry is thriving with clients sparing no expense for the ultimate relaxation experience.
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Made a New Year’s resolution to focus on health and wellbeing?
From dietary changes to dealing with pain or wanting more relaxation in life, the Sunshine Coast and Noosa have a great number of businesses that offer different therapies.
The Sunshine Coast Daily has compiled a list of businesses and has found out more about the origins behind some of the more niche offerings.
Cryotherapy
Flocryo is the only business on the Sunshine Coast and in Noosa to offer cryotherapy, which is exposing either one area of the body or the whole body to below-zero temperatures for a short period of time.
The therapy helps reduce inflammation.
Owner James Bermingham, who is a regular user for chronic pain, opened the Bokarina business five years ago and said it had become more popular over time.
He said the biggest misconception was that only athletes used it.
“We have more people with chronic pain or injuries or inflammatory conditions,” Mr Bermingham said.
“It’s more everyday people that use it.”
He said the full-body therapy lasted about three minutes and was not as cold as it sounded.
“It’s not like jumping into icy water so there’s no instant shock,” Mr Bermingham said.
“It’s a gradual cooling and it’s completely dry.”
The business owner said localised therapy worked better for some injuries while other long-term injuries were better treated by whole body therapy.
He said some clients had “broken down crying” following the therapy and the subsequent relief and one man drove from Central Queensland for his sessions.
Float tanks
The first sensory deprivation tank, also known as a float tank, was designed by neuroscientist John C Lilly in the 1950s and has become a popular option for relaxation.
Traditionally, float tanks contain water heavily saturated with salt so people in the tanks remain buoyant without effort.
The Float Space owner Tara Boysen jumped at the chance to buy the business, in May 2022, after regularly using floating to help manage the sleeplessness caused by her bipolar.
She said she used the float tanks for three years at the Maroochydore business before buying it.
“An hour float was equivalent to almost a week’s worth of sleep when I can’t sleep,” Ms Boysen said.
She and husband Alastair now run the business.
The owner said one of her clients had told her “she wouldn’t know what to do” if the business ever closed.
City Cave
The City Cave businesses in Noosa, Caloundra, Maroochydore and Kawana, offer float therapy, infrared sauna and massage services.
A City Cave spokesman said the franchise had its own design of “float pools” rather than pods and the pools contained 400kg of Epsom salts and were the size of a double bed.
He said the whole industry was growing worldwide as more people understood the therapy.
The Wholelife Wellness Centre
This Buderim business offers float therapy along with a range of beauty services and massage.
IV drips
Infusion therapist John Morris and his wife Marie opened Sunshine Coast Infusion Therapies in 2019.
The business offers nutrient intravenous infusions and other therapies.
Mr Morris said they even had their own take on the “Myers cocktail”, which was created by Dr Dr John Myer more than 50 years ago in the United States.
“It was used to treat ladies who were exhausted from children and homemaking,” Mr Morris said.
The Sunshine Coast take on the US original, the Modern Myers, is made up of vitamin C, magnesium and other nutrients and costs $325.
Mr Morris said the pair had treated retired international sporting royalty and people in the radio and television industry.
He said Marie had more than 30 years’ experience as an rural registered nurse and midwife, which made her a well-rounded health practitioner.
Mr Morris said the couple came to infusions after Marie had tried “many different paths” to return to good health after a gut issue.
Salt cave
A human-made salt cave in the heart of Mooloolaba proved so popular this summer holidays the owner Mick O’Mullane was “busy, busy, busy” last week.
The Salt Caves have existed for more than 10 years and the therapy starts when people in the salt “caves” or rooms breathe in dry salt aerosol that is dispersed in the room.
Himalayan salt therapy has been used to treat respiratory and skin conditions.
Day spa
As the name suggests, a day spa generally offers different services like massage, sauna, pools, beauty treatments and more.
Food is also offered at many day spas for those who want to linger a little longer.
Ikatan Balinese Day Spa
Created around a Balinese village concept and set on acreage, this day spa in Doonan has won numerous awards because “we care more about your wellness than winning awards” according to its website.
It offers many treatments including an eight-hour day retreat for $1000.
The treatment includes food, yoga, a “foot ritual”, massage and more.
Zen Den Day Spa, Float and Wellness, Mooloolaba
This Mooloolaba business in the Mantra Sirocco offers an array of services including float therapy, massage, sound therapy, beauty treatments and more.
Noosa Springs
The Noosa Springs day spa was inspired by the ancient Roman baths and the interior reflects that aesthetic.
Facilities include hydro-massage and flotation pools, infra-red sauna, steam room, thermal capsule, treatment suites, relaxation courtyards and lounges and more.
Tank Bathhouse
The Tank Riviera opened in November last year, in Mooloolaba, and is a sister business to the Tank Farm in Bli Bli, which is closed for renovations.
The Tank Riviera has magnesium pools, sauna and steam rooms plus massage and also offers Mooloolaba waterways cruises while sipping champagne.
Day Spa Noosa
This Noosaville day spa prides itself on sustainability and using organic products.
It offers beauty treatments, epsom salt baths, wraps, massage and more.
Aqua Day Spa
On Hastings St, this Noosa business has aqua therapy or intensive multi-jets offered in a larger spa for a more intensive therapy.
Spa treatments include body, massage and beauty.
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