A rechArging experience

{ T h i s b l i s s f u l r e T r e a T n u r T u r e s r e l a x a T i o n a n d a j o u r n e y

T o b e T T e r h e a lT h }

Words Vanessa Russell

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There is something so cosy, homely, yet chic and

fabulous about slipping into a robe and slippers, sitting

in a steam room sweating, sipping on herbal tea,

nibbling on veggie sticks, and getting pampered head to

toe all afternoon.

This place has been on the wishlist for several years

now so unplugging from the daily grind and detoxing

from the digtal world of laptop and iPhone was

definitely first on the the things-to-do list. an overall

digestive system re-group was also on order.

it all started with a beautiful drive through Gold Coast’s

Tallebudgera Valley. up a long, steep driveway to a

2-night health and wellness weekend at Gwinganna

lifestyle retreat.

on first impression the retreat resembled a charming

village, with its old-style cottages and quaint little

church. as the sprawling property opened up ahead it

was incredible to see how modern architecture could be

integrated so sensitively into the historic landscape. in

an instant, relaxation started settling in.

Gwinganna could be described as a 5-star school camp

for grown-ups, with activities non-stop in the morning,

exquisite super healthy meals in between, then

dreamtime chill-out time in the afternoons.

The orchard suites were where heads would hit

pillows this glorious weekend. built from australian

reclaimed timber, the suites’ wrap-around deck

provided many moments of contemplation while

catching wallabies grazing and spotting an orchard

of fruit. its deluxe studio and two spacious suites

were perfect for old friends; they’re joined by

a shared, relaxed lounge, perfect place for a cup of

tea and catch-up session each morning and night.

The award-winning spa sanctuary was out of this

world. The range of therapies and treatments (17-page

booklet to choose from) was extensive, ranging from

spa therapies, wellness consultants, nutrition to stress

management. Then there were the equine experiences;

working alongside horses to provide insight into how

one manages challenging situations in life. amazing.

The programs at ‘Gwinny’ – as the staff affectionately

call it – have been designed to keep guests busy and get

the most out of their stay.

‘yin’ and ‘yang’ determine activity choice each day. on

this occasion the gentle version was selected, allowing

time to absorb all that this lifestyle is about.

The first morning started with personalised tapping on

the window at 5.45am, the wake-up call for sunrise Qi

Gong. deep breathing and slow movement while the

sun rises is spectacular and a great start to the day.

a walk around the property with the eccentric and

loveable john the resident botanist was an absolute

delight. his storytelling, humour and gentle addiction

to life was contagious.

There are so many activities on the menu to get the

body moving. yoga, boxing, swimming, bosu ball and

hiking were just a few.

Kay’s body Play class was next. it was a ‘dance like there’s no

tomorrow’ movement, without fear or judgement of others.

it was also about finding the joy in life, to smile and have fun.

This class was actually one of the toughest activities

for many to tackle and reinforced what Gwinganna’s

core philosophy was about: to relieve stress, find peace

within oneself and to let go of control for a moment.

it was also re-learning how to have fun, free of toxic

influences of course.

all of Gwinganna staff are amazing, friendly and

nurturing. Program Manager Kay stayed closely

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connected the entire weekend, including meal times.

she played a key part in the weekend program, taking

guests on the journey to relaxation, good health and

happiness.

food glorious food. The meals were top shelf and

servings were generous. every meal is organic, clean

and local and most of the produce is harvested from

Gwinny’s organic garden and orchard. The chef

willingly adapts every meal for anyone who has food

allergies and intolerances.

breakfasts were a buffet of goodness. Gluten-free

cereals, activated nuts, best fruit compote ever, and a

hot brekky of eggs, sautéed spinach, mushrooms and

avocado for the non-egg eaters.

Morning and afternoon tea included a yummy

raw slice, chia smoothies, fruit and amazing and

energising herbal teas.

lunch and dinners always consisted of a little entrée

tea cup of soup, a variety of salads and a protein.

Weekend retreats are allowed one glass of organic red

wine with dinner and organic coffee at breakfast for

those who can’t give it up. both choices were gratefully

accepted. organic wine and coffee, why say ‘no’ on this

gastronimically healthy weekend?

Meals were always located in the gorgeous dining

room, with an open fireplace, views of the rainforest

and overlooking one of the retreat’s eternity pools.

an essential part of the retreat was these communal

meals. learning from others and hearing their stories

is all part of the journey. People on this weekend

retreat were each on a different journey. some

were there for a week to relieve stress, some for the

weekend, a few had very high-pressure jobs, others

were regulars.

The staff service is impeccable. Their ability to foster

a big family-style presence at Gwinny is comforting.

a glimpse of Chef dan playing his guitar in the dining

room while the staff were setting up for lunch just

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GwinGanna means “lookout” and was the name

given to this area by the traditional

aboriginal people of the region.

emphasised how at ease even the staff are, which helps

guests settle in and relax even more.

so is it a life-changing experience?

Writer Vanessa russell gives her verdict:

a weekend at Gwinganna has helped kickstart my new

eating plan with ease and knowledge to maintain it.

since returning from the retreat i’ve had very little

sugar craving experiences. if it does happen a fresh

Medjoul date or two come in handy. Coffee is still a

must-have in the morning, but i am definitely on the

right track with my health and wellbeing and have

definitely detoxed more from my phone.

i am happy to shout out to the world that the dark

circles under my eyes that i’ve had for years because

of my intolerance are disappearing, my stomach has

never felt so good and not bloated anymore, i have

eliminated processed sugar from my diet and my mind

is now clear and i have focus. i would say it was life

changing.

i would most definitely recommend Gwinganna to

anyone who has been diagnosed with health issues,

stress, food intolerances, allergies and of course coeliac

disease and wants to understand how to repair it, live

with it and maintain a healthy and happy life.

Check out their weekend wellness or full week detox

packages at www.gwinganna.com

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6.15am Qi Gong – the highlight of my day – watching the

sunrise over the Gold Coast while enjoying the tranquility

of Qi Gong, which i now practice at home every morning.

6.45am Gentle and moderate walks. Tip: if john’s the

leader take his walk.

7.30 – 9am breakfast

a beautiful buffet of porridge, mueslis, fruits, nuts and

yoghurts. Catering for all needs of dairy and gluten free. Then

also a hot breakfast option is provided. i was never hungry.

8.30am dreamtime advisor – booking in your spa

appointments for the afternoon session.

9am stretch class

9.30am bodyplay or boxing for fitness

10.15am Water polo

11am Morning tea

11.30am Pillars of wellness seminar – just a light talk

about how to be a healthier person.

1pm lunch – so much food and straight from their

organic garden. you’re never left hungry.

2 – 7pm dreamtime – straight to the spa sanctuary to

soak up your appointments and a little r&r. even our

afternoon tea was served to us at the spa, amazing. The

spa experience i enjoyed the most was the Chi nei Tsang.

This was a beautiful Chinese stomach massage. i felt with

all my digestive issues this was the best option for me.

highly recommend it.

6.10pm relaxation class

7pm dinner – again entree, main and dessert. i never

felt awkward about my food allergies and intolerances.

bliss.

after dinner it was a short stroll back to our rooms and

almost straight to bed. no distractions, no media – just

bliss.

A dAy At gwingAnnA...

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orGaniC GardeninG

Gwinganna’s philosophy from the very beginning has

been about organic produce and skincare. shelley Pryor, a

former chef and now organic gardener manages the organic

food gardens on the property – providing an extraordinary

example of how Mother nature can shine in the dining

experience.

shelley’s background as a sous chef allows her to truly

understand how to best support the Gwinganna kitchen

needs and her knowledge of nutrition offers both chefs

and guests a glimpse into the fascinating world of delicious

wholefoods. shelley’s skills also extend to bio-dynamic

farming, offering walks and presentations for guests, along

with specialty sessions.

a walk in the garden with shelley is enlightening and

inspiring, covering medicinal uses for herbs, recipe ideas and

stories from her past.

boTanisT

john Palmer is Gwinganna’s botanist and holistic ecologist

and has been part of Gwinganna since its opening in 2006.

by following the animal paths around the property and

through the bushlands, he developed 16 different walks

and hikes. he often escorts morning walks, fascinating

guests along the way with his knowledge. john shares

his extensive knowledge of herbs and their respective

benefits and will help guests pick and try these.

orGaniC food, Gardens and orChard

our food philosophy is based around the belief that

Mother nature knows best. low human intervention

food (low hi), where the food has undergone no or

minimal changes from its place in nature to your plate.

for example, a piece of sweet potato, on your plate may

have been steamed or roasted but is still recognisable as

a sweet potato the way it came from the earth. Too many

foods today have lost this simple yet essential philosophy.

a Gwinganna experience allows guests to re-evaluate

their relationship with food and to experience and learn

about the meaning of true nourishment. in keeping

with this essential philosophy, the Gwinganna chefs

cater to food allergies and intolerances with creativity

and flair. Certified organic food is served and guests are

taught about the benefits to both their health and the

environment of organics. Key initiatives include; growing

fruits, vegetables, herbs on site, which are all used by the

chefs daily to prepare guest meals, composting programs,

worm farms, chickens on site, four active beehives to

increase pollenation of gardens and provide organic

honey for use by chefs and no chemicals or fertilisers

used on the property.

eCo snaPshoT

Gwinganna is recognised with eco certification at

ecoTourism level and is to date the only health retreat in

australia working towards best practice in sustainability.

Gwinganna has an extensive environmental impact

program in place including energy efficiency, water

treatment and recycling, sustainability and the

commitment to only using organic produce and skin care.

original buildings have been retained and these have an

historical place in the region including an original local

church, a cricket stand from the Gabba and general store

all from the early 1900s. recycled timbers are sourced

from woolstores and wharves for all new buildings.

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gwinny eco fActs:

Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat

FRom GaRden to GouRmet

a celebration of delicious and healthy organic

cuisine for every meal of the day. over 140

pages, it uses organic ingredients to create

simple options that can be created at home.

The recipes are all directly from the menus

at Gwinganna and have been developed in

conjunction with Gwinganna’s nutritionists.

available online: www.gwinganna.com

spicy cArrot dip

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{ i n G r e d i e n T s }

4 medium (400g) carrots, cut into chunky pieces

1½ cups (400g) chickpeas

10ml chickpea liquid

1/2 cup (50g) tahini

juice & zest of 1 medium orange

1 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander and medium curry powder

sea salt

season carrot with spices and steam or bake until tender.

soak and cook chickpeas in slightly salted water.

Purée both in food processor with rest of ingredients, adding liquid as required. adjust seasoning to taste.

+ serves 20 portions +

dairyfree

glutenfree

egg free

nutfree

sOy free

sugarfree

Preservativefree

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bAked beetroot, Apple & spinAch

sAlAd with cAshew dressing

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{ i n G r e d i e n T s }

2 – 3 (800g) beetroots, trimmed

2 (300g) green apples, sliced

100g english spinach

1 medium red onion, cut into slivers

1 tbsp caraway seeds, roasted and crushed

1/2 cup (100g) cashew nuts

3 sprigs basil

1 litre filtered water

sea salt and pepper

juice of 1 lemon

boil beetroot with skin in salted water until tender. allow

to cool, peel and cut into wedges. rinse cashews and boil

with 1 litre water until soft. reducing liquid by half, blend

to milky consistency with basil leaves and caraway seeds.

Mix all ingredients together, season and sprinkle with

extra basil and caraway seeds.

{nuTriTion info } so good for your liver and packed

with antioxidants, the vibrant colour of this salad looks

as good as it tastes!

+ serves 6 +

dairyfree

glutenfree

egg free

sOy free

sugarfree

Preservativefreevegan

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