Where wellness springs from a billabong
Take a break at this tranquil retreat carved out of bushland close to Sydney.
Sitting half submerged in a deep, soapy bath high on a cabin deck at Billabong Retreat, gazing through trees almost close enough to touch, the last shreds of stress float away. Time in a tub, perched between privacy screens but with a bird’s eye view across 5ha of bushland, is a perfect start to the morning.
Last night it rained, but not, fortunately, before a thorough exploration of this wellness centre about 50km northwest of Sydney’s CBD. It has been carved out of the bush over the past 15 years by Paul von Bergen and his wife, Tory, an abstract artist.
The final stretch of the road in, two and a half winding kilometres that include a couple of hairpin bends and a creek, had been a picturesque preparation for this tucked-away haven at Maraylya. The property is ensconced in a rocky, wooded gully topped with flattish land on either side while at its base are the billabongs for which it is named.
Von Bergen left his native England to go travelling after his retail business failed in 2004. He found yoga in Thailand, then studied it in Australia, where he met Tory. The pair hankered to create a retreat, but deemed it too hard until Paul’s beloved mother died in 2008, leaving enough money to make the dream possible at last.
A couple of houses were already on the site, built on opposite sides of the gully. The couple moved into one and renovated the other, a three-bedroom cottage, to offer as accommodation, then built two yurts next to it. The first became the kitchen and dining room, the second a place for workshops and meditation and the covered wooden deck and veranda that connected them provided outside sitting and lounge areas, with views across the water.
Twin sons were born in 2008, a daughter a year later and they opened in 2011. “I did the yoga and workshops, Tory cooked the food and the guests brought their own linen, cleaned their own cabins and washed their own dishes,” von Bergen recalls of those busy years.
More buildings and facilities were added over time until today, following the latest, $1.5m renovation and expansion, there are 26 rooms and cabins, including the posh ones with veranda baths. These elevated digs are strung high along each of the gully’s sides, facing each other across the void. New to the inventory are the Terrace Rooms, next to more accommodation at the Lodge, the new name for the von Bergens’ old house, vacated in 2015 when they went to live on the northern beaches.
Access roads, paths and stairways wind up, down and around. During my Sunday to Monday stay, guests are mostly women and the natural networkers among them guarantee a flow of conversation on the main building’s deck. A regular, solo visitor here confides she prefers to rent a cottage room because she likes to be at this hub, which over the years has expanded to include a three-level building extending past the original yurts, housing a spacious meditation centre and some treatment rooms, and a magnesium aqua therapy pool that adds a touch of decadence.
We had met earlier at the yin yoga session, where those of us with a lesser aptitude (me) kept a furtive eye on the postures of other participants (her) and imitated them in a fruitless effort to look as if this yoga caper was second nature. There had been a measure of success – it turns out yin is the form of this ancient practice that involves a lot of lying down. The relaxing result was not so much mindful as mindless.
Yoga and wellness workshops are conducted at various beautiful spots around the property, including the new “floating” Lotus Studio, an open-sided pavilion built over the larger billabong, and the smaller Waterside Pavilion nearby. Sessions are included in the tariff, as are meals, drinks and snacks, but extra outlay is required for treatments such as hot stone massages, reiki, iridology and infra-red saunas.
A highlight of any stay is the top-class “plant-based” fare by chef Susan Thomson, who advises a good rule of thumb is to eat food of as many different colours as possible to be sure of getting a variety of nutrients. She welcomes guests at every meal, emerging from the open kitchen to describe the buffet, where her assistants serve the “rainbow” plates.
A lunch of roast pumpkin, charred broccolini, chickpeas, salad leaves and seeded biscuits is followed by a modern Mexican-themed dinner that features tricoloured quinoa, black bean stew, spiced sweet potatoes, tomatillo and avocado salad, corn chips, pineapple salsa and vegan cashew sour cream. Dessert is dark chocolate and cardamom pots made on almond milk. An afternoon snack of vegan, gluten-free banana-choc chip slice, is also delicious, washed down with herbal tea.
Dinner is followed by an optional meditation session. Nothing is compulsory; guests are welcome to spend their stay holed up in their digs with a book, or just sleep. There is no TV or wi-fi and mobile reception is patchy. A pre-loaded media player is on the sideboard (not in all rooms, so check). Radio reception is good, so bring one if you like, and although the kitchen is always open to make hot drinks, toss in some chocolate for a late-night treat. Although no alcohol is served, guests may bring their own to have in their quarters.
The interior design of the accommodation is by Tory, whose art also adorns some of the walls. The mix of timber furniture works well with the soothing neutral palette of walls, sofa and super-soft bedding. Soaps, shampoos, tissues and toilet paper are all biodegradable and signs in the rooms remind guests to conserve water. All cabins and most rooms have airconditioning while all have heating and fans.
Plaudits such as NSW Tourism awards have recognised the excellence here, but the von Bergens have also weathered logistic and financial challenges of occasionally nightmarish proportions. Last year they decided enough was enough and put the place on the market.
A planned sale fell through but during the negotiations, von Bergen says he “reframed” his attitude, which is code for hired staff to see to the day-to-day management. Under this new arrangement he visits every few weeks, but for anyone who knows the creation story of this sanctuary, his influence is ever-present.
So is the intention behind the decade and a half of hard yakka. The lasting impression is of a place built to take care of people, from the protective seclusion of the site, to the cosy rooms and cabins, the cushions and wraps on the main deck’s oversized lounges, the vibrant meals and the workshops with titles such as Energise Your Life and Meditation Essentials.
There are few distractions here, just hectares of peace and quiet, and all activities are on a manageable, human scale. The deep, warm bath with the scenic view is a metaphor and message as well as a place to indulge in a welcome soak. What a relief.
In the know
Billabong Retreat is at Maraylya, about 45 minutes from the Sydney CBD; or catch the train to Vineyard, and Uber to and from the site, about $30 each way. There is a wide range of accommodation packages; midweek retreats start at $300 a person a night or $525 for two (shared bath) up to $650 for one, or $875 for two (deluxe king). Day and group retreats are also available. Treatments from $125-$170.
Jill Rowbotham was a guest of Billabong Retreat.
