Best 7 of Australia’s Hot Springs
Australia's vast landscapes boast rugged coastlines, ancient rainforests, and scorching deserts, but beneath this diverse terrain lies a hidden world of steaming geothermal havens. From vibrant thermal pools nestled in rainforests to secluded desert oases, Australia's natural hot springs offer a unique blend of relaxation, adventure, and rejuvenation, whispering tales of ancient healing and mineral whispers.
Australia's hot spring tradition stretches back millennia, with indigenous cultures like the Arrernte and Yirrganydji utilizing their medicinal properties for centuries. Early European explorers like Charles Sturt recognized their potential as well, establishing bathhouses and resorts around thermal springs like those in Daylesford. Today, remnants of this rich history remain in abandoned bathhouses and rock pools, whispering tales of the past while inviting you to create your own geothermal memories.
But be careful of Lorella Springs, where both bathing in spring water and crocodile spotting are promoted as tourist activities.
When to Go
Each season offers its own unique charm at Australia's natural springs:
Spring and Fall: Enjoy mild temperatures, vibrant landscapes, and fewer crowds. Perfect for a relaxing soak and exploring the surrounding nature.
Summer: Escape the heat with a cool dip, especially in tropical regions like the Northern Territory. Be prepared for larger crowds, especially on weekends.
Winter: Experience the magic of snow-covered landscapes and steaming pools in Southern regions like Victoria. Some springs, like Hepburn Springs, remain accessible year-round for the adventurous.
Health Benefits
Australia's natural hot springs are as diverse in their mineral content as they are in their settings. Here's a glimpse into the magic of their waters:
Sulfur: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, sulfur-rich springs like Lightning Ridge Bore Baths can be beneficial for joint pain and skin conditions.
Magnesium: This "relaxation mineral" found in springs like Zebedee Thermal Springs can ease muscle tension and promote stress relief.
Silica: The smooth, silky feeling of some springs like Mataranka Thermal Pool comes from silica, which is beneficial for skin health and hair growth.
Iron: Trace amounts of iron in springs like Zebedee Thermal Springs can be beneficial for anemia and fatigue.
1. Peninsula Hot Springs
Peninsula Hot Springs is a natural geothermal mineral springs and day spa less than 90 minutes from Melbourne. Explore over 70 globally inspired bathing and wellness experiences in the natural landscape.
The Spa Dreaming Centre is a blissful sanctuary with an emphasis on tranquil spaces, designed for guests 16 years and older.
Enjoy a touch of privacy and seclusion during your next hot springs visit at the private bath house in Melbourne. Choose from indoor or outdoor bathing pavilions in the Spa Dreaming Centre.
Enjoy moonlit bathing under the starry evening sky, unwind with refreshments from our supper menu.
Make the journey up to the iconic hilltop pool, offering 360-degree views of the Mornington Peninsula.
Have kids? Kids big and small enjoy plonking themselves in their half barrels. Just outside the first aid office is a pool particularly popular with kids: the bubble spa. It’s the perfect place to lie back on a platform while mineral water bubbles all around you.
Built into the side of a hill, the Turkish hamam helps rid the body of toxins and opens pores in readiness for traditional cleansing. Inspired by a visit to the Japanese Alps, the cave pool is tucked into the side of a hill and surrounded by nature.
Based on the practice of cryotherapy, the ice cave includes a 4-degree Celsius Ice Cave and minus 25-degree Celsius Deep Freeze and is instrumental in our signature guided wellness experience, Fire & Ice.
It has since been found by the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences in New Zealand to contain 90 ppm (parts per million) magnesium, 64 ppm potassium, 1.3 ppm boron, and 868 ppm sodium, aling with other natural salts and trace elements.
Water Quality: 4 stars - Clean and clear, with a slight sulfur smell due to geothermal nature.
Ease of Access: 5 stars - Easily accessible by road, ample parking, clear signage.
Ability to be Alone: 3 stars - Large pools with designated quiet areas, can get crowded on weekends.
Water Temperature: 4 stars - Multiple pools with varying temperatures to suit individual preferences.
Health Benefits: 3 stars - Moderate mineral content, primarily offers relaxation and stress relief.
Nearby Amenities: 5 stars - Spa services, restaurants, cafes, shops, and other activities within walking distance.
2. Zebedee Thermal Springs
A soothing soak awaits you at Zebedee Springs when you make the short walk through the pre-historic forest of Livistona and pandanus palms to a series of inviting thermal pools and waterfalls. It’s one of many extraordinary rewards to be found when exploring the one-million-acre wilderness of El Questro.
To reach the springs and El Questro, you can drive the legendary Gibb River Road four-wheel drive trail from Kununurra, book a transfer to the park by road or air from Kununurra, or join a guided tour. Access is between May and September (dry season).
The springs are about one and a half hour's drive from Kununurra along the El Questro Road which turns off from the beginning of the Gibb River Road. It is about 15 minutes from El Questro Station. You will need to purchase an El Questro Wilderness Park Permit. A day pass costs $12 per adult. Children 12 and under are free.
Zebedee Springs is open to general visitors from 7 am to noon, and exclusively to Homestead guests in the afternoons. It is a 1.5-kilometre return walk from the car park. Alternatively, a full or half-day guided tour will combine a relaxing dip in the thermal pools with a visit to some of the wilderness park’s other natural attractions.
The reality is that Zebedee Springs is an over-crowded series of natural thermal rock pools set at the base of a sheer cliff and surrounded by livistonia palms.
Water Quality: 5 stars - Crystal-clear, naturally filtered, no unpleasant odors.
Ease of Access: 3 stars - Requires a moderate hike through the Kimberley wilderness, good physical fitness needed.
Ability to be Alone: 5 stars - Secluded pools amidst stunning scenery, minimal visitors.
Water Temperature: 4 stars - Varies depending on season and location, generally refreshing and comfortable.
Health Benefits: 4 stars - Moderate mineral content, primarily offers relaxation and stress relief.
Nearby Amenities: 2 stars - Remote location, camping available but limited other options.
3. Bitter Springs
Bitter Springs is one of two natural thermal pools in Elsey National Park. Spring water rises from underground at a rate of 30.5million litres per day. The water is very warm all year round.
Bitter Springs is more of a natural setting with a stronger current, buy a pool noodle and some goggles from reception and drive the nine km's to float down these springs and look in the crystal clear water for the turtles that call it home.
This park requires visitors to the NT to have a parks pass. Mataranka Thermal Pools and Bitter Springs are both open 24 hours 7 days a week, unless flooded in the wet season.
Temperatures across the Northern Territory can be very hot between October and April, it can exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Check for active heatwave warnings before you visit, go to the Bureau of Meteorology website.
Central Australia has dry heat, and the Top End is humid. Both can cause exhaustion and dehydration.
Water Quality: 5 stars - Crystal-clear, naturally filtered, with vibrant fish swimming alongside you.
Ease of Access: 4 stars - Short walk on well-maintained paths, suitable for most fitness levels.
Ability to be Alone: 3 stars - Moderate crowds, especially during peak season, but some secluded areas available.
Water Temperature: 4 stars - Comfortable soaking temperature, slightly cooler than other springs.
Health Benefits: 3 stars - Moderate mineral content, primarily offers relaxation and stress relief.
Nearby Amenities: 3 stars - Limited options, basic shops and restaurants in nearby Mataranka.
4. Mataranka Thermal Pool
Mataranka Thermal Pool is one of two natural thermal pools in Elsey National Park. The Mataranka Thermal Pools have seats, stairs and more of a pool feeling, where you can float and chat with other travelers.
Mataranka Thermal Pools and Bitter Springs are both open 24 hours 7 days a week, unless flooded in the wet season.
The small town of Mataranka, south of Katherine, is renowned for its sandy-bottomed thermal pool, pastoral history and as a welcomed stop with tourers. The area was made famous by the novel We of the Never Never – a book written about nearby Elsey Station by Jeannie Gunn.
The humid and shaded environment at the soaking pool areas host a large colony of flying fox. As many as 500,000 flying foxes roost here, making the colony one of the most populous in the area.
Water Quality: 4 stars - Clean and clear, with a slight earthy odor due to natural state.
Ease of Access: 4 stars - Easy access by road, located near Elsey National Park.
Ability to be Alone: 3 stars - Moderate crowds, some secluded areas available around smaller pools.
Water Temperature: 4 stars - Comfortable soaking temperature, with cooler and hotter sections available.
Health Benefits: 3 stars - Moderate mineral content, primarily offers relaxation and stress relief.
Nearby Amenities: 3 stars - Restaurants, shops, and other attractions in Mataranka are a short drive away.
5. Lightning Ridge Bore Baths
The water found in the Bore Baths at Lightning Ridge comes from the Great Artesian Basin and is approximately two million years old!
Natural pressure sends the water to the surface through an artesian bore and it maintains a temperature of between 40 to 50 degrees Celsius.
The bores supplying these baths are only a few of hundreds being rehabilitated throughout the Great Artesian Basin conserving this precious natural resources for future generations.
The Lightning Ridge open air Artesian Baths were opened in 1962. The Artesian Baths are free of charge and open 24 hours a day 7 days a week (Closed for cleaning Monday, Wednesday & Friday between 10am-12noon).
There is an amenities block with toilets and showers and poolside showers. The Lightning Ridge Bore Baths is 2.1km from the centre of town and is surrounded by bushland. Food and other retail outlets are within a short driving distance.
To note: No immersion in the pool above neck level. The Bore Bath reserve is an alcohol free zone. Patrons are not permitted to consume alcohol or carry any type of glass in the pool or around the pool area.
Water Quality: 4 stars - Clean and clear, with a noticeable sulfur smell due to artesian origin.
Ease of Access: 4 stars - Easy access by road, located near Lightning Ridge town.
Ability to be Alone: 4 stars - Individual soaking tubs offer privacy, with some communal pools also available.
Water Temperature: 4 stars - Comfortable soaking temperature, with slight variation depending on the tub.
Health Benefits: 4 stars - Rich in sulfur and other minerals, beneficial for skin conditions and joint pain.
Nearby Amenities: 3 stars - Limited options in Lightning Ridge, restaurants and shops available.
6. Hepworth Spa
Hepburn Springs’ only historic Bathhouse, has been providing traditional wellness bathing since 1895. Drawing mineral rich waters directly from the natural source, this iconic bathhouse reconnects you with an array of mineral wellness experiences including indulgent 100% pure private mineral baths and a selection of specifically designed wellness packages.
The jewel in the crown of Australia’s Spa Capital, the historic Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa is nestled in the Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve near Daylesford. The Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa offers a diverse range of hydrotherapies centred on the region’s unique mineral waters, renowned for their therapeutic qualities.
For those seeking a more tranquil experience, the Spa offers 100% pure private mineral baths, as well as an extensive range of beauty and spa therapies.
Water Quality: 5 stars - Crystal-clear, naturally filtered, and meticulously maintained.
Ease of Access: 5 stars - Easily accessible by road, ample parking, excellent signage.
Ability to be Alone: 3 stars - Primarily focuses on spa treatments, communal pools can get crowded during peak times.
Water Temperature: 4 stars - Multiple pools with varying temperatures, including cooler plunge pools.
Health Benefits: 4 stars - Rich in sulfur and other minerals, beneficial for muscle relaxation and stress relief.
Nearby Amenities: 5 stars - Full-service spa resort with luxurious accommodations, restaurants, and wellness activities.
Are you traveling in other parts of Asia? Take a look at more hot springs in Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, India, Japan, Philippines, and Vietnam.
