Australia Celebrates 10 Years of World Wellness Weekend with Hot Springs Yoga, Sound Healing and Nature-Based Experiences
Australian wellness destinations brought together movement, relaxation, sound and mindful experiences as the global initiative marked its 10th anniversary across 185 countries.
From geothermal bathing and water-based yoga to sound healing and online dance experiences, Australian wellness destinations joined the 10th World Wellness Weekend (WWW), held from 18–20 September 2026, celebrating a decade of making wellness more accessible, inclusive and meaningful.
The August 2026 country updates listed 17 participating venues in Australia, with activities spanning Victoria and Brisbane. Coordinated with the support of John T G Nielsen, Ambassador Emeritus for Australia and South East Asia, and Kris Abbey, World Wellness Weekend Country Ambassador in Australia, the programme showcased different ways to experience wellbeing through movement, relaxation, nature and sensory experiences.
Australia’s participation formed part of a worldwide celebration that brought together wellness professionals, businesses, destinations and communities across five continents. The 10th edition reinforced the initiative’s central message: wellness is not a luxury reserved for a few, but something people can experience and share in their everyday lives.
Victoria puts nature and mindful movement at the heart of wellness
Among the Australian participants was Peninsula Hot Springs in Victoria, recognised as a World Wellness Weekend Wellness Champion. Its programme brought together movement, sound and the restorative setting of its geothermal bathing environment.
Activities included Hot Springs Yoga, a Spring Equinox Sound Healing Journey with Dan Byrne, and twilight bathing at the Bath House. The venue’s ongoing wellness offerings also included mat yoga and guided breathwork meditation, giving guests opportunities to combine physical movement with breathing practices and relaxation.
The programme also featured a ticketed Maroon Hoods Glasshouse event alongside Twilight Bath House bathing, adding another experience to the destination’s wellness offering.
At Metung Hot Springs, also in Victoria, participants could explore both land-based yoga and water-based yoga. The combination offered different ways to practise movement and mindfulness within a hot springs setting.
Lon Retreat further broadened the Australian programme through its mineral-water bathing and open-air contrast-therapy experiences. Its facilities included a Mineral Pool, Hot Mineral Soak, Finnish Sauna, Magnesium Natural Plunge Pool and Swedish Soak Bucket. Guests could also enjoy herbal teas and probiotic gut shots, with a naturopath available to provide individual recommendations.
Together, these Victorian destinations illustrated the range of experiences that can sit within a modern approach to wellness from gentle movement and sound-based relaxation to thermal bathing, contrast therapy and practical guidance on wellbeing.
Connecting communities through accessible wellness
Australia’s participation also extended beyond destination spas. In Brisbane, Chakradance was listed to offer a free 60-minute online session via Zoom, confirmed by Mellinda Yon, Australian World Wellness Weekend City Ambassador in Singapore.
The online session reflected the initiative’s broader aim of creating opportunities for people to participate in wellness experiences beyond the traditional spa or retreat environment.
By including in-person activities and an online offering, the Australian programme demonstrated how wellness can be experienced in different settings and adapted to different audiences.
World Wellness Weekend encourages participating venues to make wellness more accessible through activities and initiatives that invite people to move, breathe, connect, learn and take time for their wellbeing. Its wider philosophy emphasises that small, shared actions can contribute to healthier individuals and stronger communities.
Australia joins a global movement across 185 countries
The Australian programme formed part of the 10th World Wellness Weekend, which saw participation across 185 countries in the final official statistics.
Mexico recorded the highest number of net activities, with 754, followed by Spain with 500, Vietnam with 469, the United States with 424 and the Dominican Republic with 421. In net venues with sessions, Italy led with 272, followed by Spain with 234, Japan with 210, Mexico with 170 and the United States with 163.
These figures underline the international scale of the initiative, while the Australian activities show how its message can take shape locally through the country’s wellness destinations, practitioners and experiences.
The global celebration also demonstrated the variety of ways countries and cities can participate. In Jakarta, Indonesia, the iconic National Monument, Monas, was illuminated in blue on 18 September to mark the anniversary and symbolise the shared commitment to healthier, more balanced and meaningful lives.
Across participating locations, the initiative connected local activities with a common purpose: making wellness something that people can experience and share with family, friends, colleagues and their wider communities.
Ten years of making wellness more accessible
Founded by Jean-Guy de Gabriac, World Wellness Weekend has grown into an international movement that brings together wellness professionals, organisations, businesses, destinations and individuals for an annual September celebration.
Reflecting on the milestone, Jean-Guy de Gabriac, Founder of World Wellness Weekend, said:
“Ten years ago, we began with a simple idea: wellness should be something everyone can experience and share. Ten years later, seeing communities across the globe come together around wellness is incredibly meaningful. The 10th edition reminds us that wellness has no borders and that small local actions can contribute to a truly global movement turning free classes into food donations and blood donations.”
For Australia, the 10th edition offered an opportunity to showcase the diversity of its wellness experiences while contributing to a worldwide conversation about accessibility, connection and everyday wellbeing.
As World Wellness Weekend enters its next decade, its message remains clear: wellness starts with people coming together and local activities, whether held at a hot springs destination, a retreat or online, can be part of a much larger global movement.
ABOUT WORLD WELLNESS WEEKEND
World Wellness Weekend (WWW) is a global movement dedicated to encouraging people and communities to experience wellness through accessible activities and initiatives. Held annually in September, it brings together wellness professionals, organisations, businesses, destinations, communities and individuals around the world. The 10th edition took place from 18–20 September 2026.
Official website: wellmap.org
