Even early on a Monday evening, urban bathing is now a scene

For my birthday this year, I unknowingly submersed myself in a trend – by visiting a new bathhouse. Outside, a chill wind had transformed the lofty NSW Blue Mountains village of Blackheath into something more akin to “Bleakheath”, so cosy Aqua Ignis was a welcome respite. Red-cheeked and replenished, I practically floated down the mountains towards home.

Turns out I hadn’t really needed to leave the city to find hot pools, cold plunges, saunas and steamy times. That’s because, when I wasn’t looking, urban bathing – communal wellness, really – became a thing. Soon afterwards, I decide to wriggle back into my swimmers to meet a friend at Soak Bathhouse in Sydney’s Alexandria. Even early on a Monday evening, it’s a scene.

The bathers, mostly Zoomers and Millennials of all genders, are happily wallowing in a low-lit trio of pools. Some are here solo (one’s reading Mel Robbins’ The 5 Second Rule, another’s wearing headphones), but most are in pairs or trios. The vibe’s buzzy and wholesome, with chilled drinking water and hot herbal tea freely available.

These alcohol-free “watering holes” just might be the new meeting place in these sober-curious times. Certainly, bathhouses are bubbling up everywhere. Soak started in Queensland in late 2020 before opening more outlets in Sydney and Melbourne.

Alexis Dean, who co-founded Soak with husband Niki, says they aimed to create spaces that are welcoming to all. “You don’t need to belong to any kind of elite,” she says, emphasising that Soak is, ultimately, about “social wellness. For us, that means … shared rituals, shared experiences and the wellness that comes from having good relationships.” (A casual visit costs from $39, while an annual membership will set you back $99.)

Melbourne bathhouse Sense of Self – or SOS – opened in Collingwood in 2020. Founder Freya Berwick recalls being laughed at when she talked about a bathing revolution in Australia as she raised funds for her venture. Now, she says, “I keep a pretty close eye on bathhouses opening around the world – and Australia is hot.” SOS is expanding to Sydney’s Surry Hills next year, but don’t expect to be able to loll and scroll: “We’re about a space where people can disconnect, especially from their technology,” says Berwick.

The Global Wellness Institute forecasts that, in 2028, thermal and mineral springs will contribute $US97.6 billion to a global wellness economy worth $US9 trillion. Destination bathhouses are also thriving. Byron Bay is home to at least four of them; in the Gold Coast hinterland, SOL Elements, complete with sunken firepit and a lotus-dotted lake, opened in August. Even Cunnamulla, a town of fewer than 2000 residents some 700-plus kilometres west of Brisbane, features a thermal springs complex, Cunnamulla Hot Springs, that opened last year as part of outback Queensland’s Wellness Way.

Bathing’s old faithfuls are also moving with the times. The 130-year-old Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa, in Victoria’s Spa Country, is fresh from a $1.7 million makeover, while others around the world are drawing on deep wells of inspiration. Hungary’s Széchenyi Thermal Bath, which opened in 1913 and is one of Europe’s largest and most striking bath complexes, now offers a pumping Saturday-night dance club/bath party called, unsurprisingly, Sparty. Aussie dippers, watch this space.

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