Russ and Shae Raven to open Sol Elements bathhouse at Tamborine Mountain

Go behind the scenes of a multimillion-dollar bathhouse taking shape in the Gold Coast hinterland, heralded as a tourism game-changer.

An artist impression of Sol Elements at Tamborine Mountain

A multimillion-dollar bathhouse taking shape in the Gold Coast hinterland is being heralded as a tourism game-changer, marking the rise of the green behind the gold.

Sol Elements, tipped to open in June on Tamborine Mountain, promises a wellness wonderland with hot thermal pools, ice baths, a cedarwood sauna, botanical steam room, scrub suite, Himalayan salt cave and an alfresco fire pit that descends below water level.

Founders Russ and Shae Raven have been working on the challenging circular development – that appears to float over a lake – for five years and it’s already caught the eye of executives from Tourism Australia.

An artist impression of Sol Elements at Tamborine Mountain.

“We haven’t compromised on anything,” Ms Raven said.

“I think it’ll be world class to the point it’s something you haven’t experienced anywhere else in the world.

“One of the things that truly sets Sol apart is that you feel like you’re being enveloped in nature.

“We can hold 62 people every 90 minutes across the spaces and there’s a real social element.

“The locals are pumped because we’ll do local events where you can get to know your neighbours.”

Shae and Russ Raven are building what promises to be the hinterland’s most luxurious spa. Picture Glenn Hampson

Sol’s looming launch follows the unveiling of 23-room hotel The Tamborine – high-end hinterland attractions Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn said were reshaping how the world saw the city.

“The opening of Sol Elements marks an exciting new chapter for Tamborine Mountain and the Gold Coast hinterland,” Mr Warn said.

“New experiences like Sol Elements and boutique accommodation such as The Tamborine continue to elevate the Gold Coast’s visitor offering and are vital to the city’s ongoing growth as a premier destination for high-end, nature-based escapes.

“These new additions help attract emerging visitor segments, particularly in wellness and premium travel, while also encouraging longer stays and return visitation, delivering strong economic value to the city.

Boutique hotel The Tamborine is another recent addition to Tamborine Mountain.

“While our beaches are iconic, it’s the combination of our coastal lifestyle and the lush rainforests, mountain villages, and natural beauty of places like Tamborine Mountain that truly sets the Gold Coast apart as a world-class destination.”

Previously based in LA where they ran a production house, Sol’s founders were enchanted when they discovered the “untapped” beauty of the mountain community.

“We went through the forest walks and it felt like you could stumble across a pixie or two – it was quite magical,” Mr Raven said.

“In the United States our escape to nature was Joshua Tree and this felt like it could be a version of that, just an hour from Brisbane and 45 minutes from the Gold Coast.

“For people stuck in a concrete jungle like we were, nature can provide that total reset and you don’t realise how much you crave that.

“The whole wellness space to us had heaps of potential to grow.”

A wet summer hasn’t stopped progress on Shae and Russ Raven’s challenging build. Picture Glenn Hampson

While the Gold Coast’s sodden summer hasn’t helped building efforts, Mr Raven said the circular design had proved a bigger challenge.

“Nobody does that and there’s a reason for it, but we wanted to stay true to vision,” he said.

“We made it even more difficult by building on water. The designer said, ‘You are bonkers and will have to find a builder crazy enough to do this’.

“It’ll be worth it in the long run, but every single facet is custom – there’s no rocking down to Bunnings.”

Mr Raven spent three weeks hand-charring 2000 metres of timber following the traditional Japanese method of wood preservation, yakisugi, to create the distinctive facade – and has just found out he has another 300 metres to go.

“We flew in the oldest yakisugi family still practising in Japan and Kenji Nishishita has become a very good family friend. He came over for a week and taught me how to do it,” he said.

An artist impression of Sol Elements at Tamborine Mountain.

In the five years since they embarked on Sol Elements, the Ravens said they’ve already noticed a shift in their mountain home.

“We went out to get dinner the other night, to a new Greek restaurant, and there was a real vibe,” Mr Raven said.

“The accommodation has stepped up, the food has stepped up, and hopefully Sol rounds that up really well.

“It feels like a secret that got out.”