By Charmaine Yabsley
Get It magazine visited the newly opened Sol Elements wellness retreat in Mt Tamborine and discovered a world created by nature, design and the divine.
A visit to Mt Tamborine is a journey to another world: the fresh, crisp air, towering trees, and hush of the rainforest envelop us warmly. It is here, floating gently on the tranquil lake at the base of Tamborine Mountain Glades, you will find the hotly anticipated wellness retreat, Sol Elements.
Four years in the making, Sol Elements is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo Shae and Russell Raven. And what a creation it is! If Mt Tamborine is the pathway to another world, then this beautiful new day spa transports you to another planet.
Described as Australia’s first “floating” elemental bathhouse, SOL Elements feels less like a spa and more like a spiritual retreat wrapped in luxe wellness. From the moment I entered, I was enveloped in the scent of wood, earth, and wild herbs, and not a single phone in sight. That’s not a fluke.
“We are a phone-free sanctuary,” co-founder Shae Raven explained. “We believe in immersion: in nature, in your senses, and in yourself.” At my arrival, not only was I encouraged to put my phone away, but also urged to take a minute to appreciate the environment and land on which the retreat is built. A deep breath, and stresses and strains were left behind, as I walked into another world.
The design, by the team at Design Artisan Co, here isn’t just aesthetic, it’s precise. Situated on the edge of a lake, home to local turtles, ducks, and the occasional song of the kookaburras, the bathhouse’s hexadecagon – a 16-sided shape in sacred geometry – represents the bridge between earth and the divine, creating a space that embodies connection in all its forms. The clever design gives the illusion that it’s floating, urging a dreamlike quality to your senses. Every detail has meaning, including the bronze and slate finishes from ABI Interior’s soon-to-be-released ‘Antique Collection.’ Russell personally hand-burnt each internal timber panel using the ancient Japanese Yakisugi technique, who was guided by master craftsman Kenji Nishishita. The Yin Yang Zen garden, complete with raked stones and a blooming Eastern Red Bud tree – symbolic, I’m told, of balance and the shifting seasons of life, is a welcome contrast to the starkness of the walls.
The spa has been created to allow guests to journey through a sensory immersion through communal onsens, cold plunge pools, Himalayan salt cave, infrared saunas, floatation therapy, all with that impressively tranquil view of the lake and rainforest. I’m encouraged to immerse myself in the healing powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, and to curate my visit to my needs.
“Every detail has been considered,” said Shae Raven. “We wanted to create something that lingers, that touches the soul and stays with you.”
Elemental Escapes
I began my journey in the Earth Suite and Botanical Scrub Bar, where a towering ironbark slab displays eleven hand-carved bowls. Guests are invited to craft their own body scrub from raw sugar, hibiscus, spirulina, rose petals and more. (There’s a handy recipe guide to help you decide.) I chose the rose and salt scrub: a meditative process to encourage you to begin your self-care journey and explore your body and mind’s needs for your visit.
Then: the baths. Three outdoor magnesium thermal pools (heated to a glorious 38 degrees) are tucked under the eaves of the spa, with that same glorious view on display. Seated comfortably next to them are two cold pools (set at a zingy 12 degrees!).
If you’re craving total privacy, SOL’s secluded suites are next level. Each includes a private balcony thermal bath, an indoor infrared sauna, ice bath, panoramic lake views, and a wellness mini bar stocked with “spatinis,” volcanic clay masks and curated ritual teas. One is even dog-friendly, perfect if your wellness buddy has four legs.
I was encouraged to spend 90 minutes in here, beginning with my personalised salt scrub, followed by a shower, before heading into the two-person infrared sauna. After 15 minutes, I plunged briefly into the private cold pool, before heading to the outdoor deck, where I was warmly welcomed into my own exclusive hot pool. Lying back and gazing at the blue sky, edged with the burnt-black wood, real life felt like light years away.
With my body and mind tingling, I then headed to one of the two float caves saturated with Epsom and Dead Sea salts. These are available to all spa visitors, alongside a large cedar sauna with a perfect view of the lake, a silent steam room, and a glowing Himalayan salt cave to complete your wellness circuit.
One of the most unique features? A submerged firepit. As I sat beside the crackling fire, the lake drifted slowly by my eyeline. Silence, other than the welcoming calls of nature, warmth and an overwhelming sense of happiness and wellbeing surrounded me, as surely as the heat from the flames.
Stay a while and indulge
For those wanting to extend their experience, there is an impressive spa menu to indulge your mind and body. Lasting between 30 minutes and 2 hours, each treatment blends energetic, alternative, and traditional healing techniques. I opted for the Signature SOL Transcendence Ritual: two hours of bliss involving crystal massage, facial therapy, a hot stone body ritual and their signature SOL Lotus-Encoded Elixir oil. I emerged glowing, grounded, and somewhere between here and another realm.
Their Earthing Immersion Ritual, using sacred stones sourced with permission from Indigenous Elders, is equally powerful, connect you to land and self.
And yes, there’s more: a herbal tea bar featuring blends like Resonance (white tea for clarity) and Transcendence (red tea for focus). I enjoyed mine in by the fire, watching the light dance on the lake amongst the reflection of the clouds.
Parting is, they say, such sweet sorrow. However, as I left SOL, with my skin softer, my shoulders lower, and my smile wider, I knew that this was not goodbye forever. SOL’s intrinsic integration into its surroundings is a love letter to the land it sits on and the slowness it encourages its guests to adapt. It is a place that will stay within your heart and your head forever.
Stay and Soak
Looking to extend your elemental escape? SOL Elements offers a selection of boutique stays onsite including beautifully appointed cabins and luxury yurts nestled in the Tamborine Mountain Glades. Each space is designed to connect you with nature while offering comfort, privacy, and the tranquillity of the rainforest.
Wake up to bird calls, enjoy morning tea by the lake, then wander across to your spa experience without ever leaving the sanctuary.
