Sweat it out
with Selena de Carvalho

Seeking warmth and wellness in the Off Season? Here are some of Tasmania's best saunas.

For Elsewhere Sauna owner Selena de Carvalho, the sauna is a place to come together.

“The simplicity of the ritual of sitting with a fire and sitting in community in that space feels very reverent,” de Carvalho says.

“It's that sense of vulnerability and a welcome stripping back of all of the artifice that we carry. Everyone is equal in the sauna.”

The scent of sea salt and wood smoke mingle in the brisk morning air at Drip Beach, a secluded bay near Cygnet in southern Tasmania that plays host to Elsewhere Sauna each weekend. The bespoke mobile sauna allows guests to move between the heat of the wood-fired sauna – a balmy 80–90°C – and the “cool respite” of the ocean.

Tasmania’s crisp climate lends itself perfectly to sauna, particularly during the Off Season. The Finnish tradition has made its way to the tiny island and de Carvalho believes a movement is growing.

“We have this impeccable coastline ... and the water here is clean and beautiful,” she says.

“The partnership with the wild waters is different to when you have an urban bathhouse. For me, having the relationship with the ocean here is vital.”

The polarity of the heat from the fire and the bracing chill of the water is an important part of the sauna ritual.

The bravery to step into the cold water first is something that I encourage, because it means that you can then greet the heat in a different way.

Whether you prefer to work up a sweat or start with an icy plunge, the experience is an immersive one.  

The art of sauna

de Carvalho is an interdisciplinary artist and Elsewhere Sauna is undoubtedly a work of art. A decade in the making, this project has been brought to life with impeccable attention to detail, featuring reclaimed materials and artisan-made finishings.

“It felt important to invite people into a space where the same attention to materials was considered as their experience of seeking healing, support and wellness,” de Carvahlo says.

Before soaking in the sea, guests are encouraged to lather up with an invigorating body scrub, while refreshing herbal teas, infused with the likes of cinnamon and cardamon or local saltbush and leatherwood honey, are on tap for hydration.  

The purported benefits of this modality go beyond relaxation, encompassing aspects of cardiovascular health, decreased inflammation and the elimination of toxins in the body.

During Off Season only, Elsewhere Sauna is also giving guests the added benefit of a steaming cup of miso to replenish and support your body with salty sustenance.

“You also have hormetic stress, so a positive stress response where you're building up and tonifying your nervous system,” de Carvahlo says.

“All of these flow-on effects … are just like a big hug for your immune and nervous system.

“And this feels like a speculative benefit,” she adds, “but what I witness is so many people bonding. People come to celebrate one another.”

As an artist, de Carvahlo loves the quality of light that comes with the Tasmanian winter. “There's something about the way that the light falls across the environment,” she says.

For her, finding wellness in winter is all about layering up and heading outdoors to be with the season.

A little bit of discomfort can go a very long way, and winter is an invitation to step into that.

Feel the heat

There are saunas dotted right across Tasmania, ideal for Off Season immersion. Here’s where else to seek warmth this winter.  

Kuuma Nature Sauna

Float atop southern Tasmania’s waterways on a wintry weekend dawn sauna session for a sensory awakening where the morning glow of sunrise meets the warmth of the crackling fire.

Scamander Sanctuary Holiday Park

Ease into the sauna’s embrace after a bracing sea swim just footsteps from your glamping safari tent. Sink into a wood-fired hot tub and drink in the ocean views and surrounding nature.

Cooinda – On The Beachfront

Melt away the cares of modern day with complimentary sauna access at this beachfront Bicheno escape during your three-night stay.  

Aquila Eco Retreat

Seek wellness in the Coal River Valley: melt in the heat of the wood-fired sauna then relax onsite in a glamping tent or eco-pod at this sustainable off-grid sanctuary.

Little Beach Co. Resort

Immerse in a relaxing sauna before re-energising with a cold shower or a thrilling salty rockpool paddle. At night, stargaze from your luxurious villa's private hot tub or snuggle by the fire with a glass of sparkling.

Woodland Bay Retreat

Enhance your stay at this tranquil retreat in Cygnet. Experience the Nordic sauna and cold plunge barrel, plus guided breathwork for a rejuvenating foray into contrast therapy.

Red Rock Hut, King Island

Unwind in seclusion on the wild King Island coastline at this luxury tiny house. Soak in the cedar wood-fired hot tub, sweat it out in the sauna, then sit back to enjoy the uninterrupted ocean views and a sky full of stars.

Nova Holistic Spa

A sauna isn’t just for nature-lovers – unwind and rejuvenate in the urban setting of Hobart with Nova Holistic Spa. This outdoor haven has a magnesium spa, infrared sauna, ice bath and other indulgences to help you move from the city buzz into quiet bliss.

Still at Freycinet

Find hygge on the east coast at this Nordic-inspired sauna escape. Embrace hot sauna and cool waters before warming up with fireside mulled wine and chocolate treats.