a recharging experience
TRANSCRIPT
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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