Unpacked by AFAR · Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Emma John found a significant shift in her perception of wellness at the Hepburn Bath House in Australia. Despite initial intimidation by spa culture, the historic bath house, operating for nearly 200 years, offered a friendly, approachable, and communal atmosphere. This experience, including a private mineral bath treatment, became a highlight of her trip, demonstrating a connection between water, place, and relaxation.
“Yes, yes, definitely. It took me a little while to get into it, to me a while to get into it. And I think the place that it all really kind of came together for me was Hepburn.”
“And so it's a very tiny little village, Hepburn. And there's a slightly bigger town next to it called Daleford. And to be honest, these two settlements almost kind of run into each other. They've got the highest concentration of spring waters in Australia, just between them and those two little towns. And the Hepburn Bath House has been there for like, nearly 200 years.”
“Firstly, I found it really friendly and some of the treatments in the baths are beautifully high end, but I found it quite approachable, if that's the right word.”