I tried to recover from my burnout with three days here. It worked

There was a time I loved a destination spa as much as the next frazzled soul. But then, somewhere between the rushed relaxation and the increasingly woo interventions, I realised that programmed wellness was no longer my cup of herbal tea. Being treated for a tummy full of “dirty water” was the final cleanse too far.

Better to design my own nature-focused getaway; not too far from home, where self-care is about what makes me happy and there’s not a white-coated therapist in sight.

Which is why my husband Michael and I are in the Shoalhaven region of New South Wales, an easy, two-hour drive from Sydney. The truth is, we were burnt out: I was recovering from a foot injury, he was dealing with some work dramas, and we both needed to retreat from the current woes of the world.

We’ve holidayed on the NSW South Coast many times, but now, a wave of new experiences makes it even more appealing. By visiting in the off-season, we can avoid the summer crowds while still enjoying sunny days.

Day 1: Go with the flow

Mid-morning we lower our canoes into the Kangaroo River, a 47-kilometre ribbon that unfurls through the green heart of Kangaroo Valley. Knee-deep in water, our guide Biz Appeldorff from Valley Outdoors acknowledges the traditional owners before sharing a “water welcome”.

“This is Wodi Wodi country, which is part of the Dharawal nation,” he says, as we splash water onto our arms, the coolness linking us to the river, the breeze, and the greater environment.

Although non-Indigenous, Biz is respectful, knowledgeable, and culturally aware. He’s also the first canoe guide I’ve met who teaches paddling while practising mindfulness.

As we push off, a cackle of kookaburras breaks into laughter, greeting – and grounding us – as only the Australian bush can. Whip birds add to the orchestra while water dragons bask on branches like living ornaments.

Neuroscientists talk about the “three-day effect”, where three days in nature can reset your mind entirely. Three minutes on this river and I’m already feeling the shift.

Our first stop is a small, mid-river island, where, stretched out on the sandy shore, Biz leads us through breath work and meditation to help connect us with our senses.

Back on the water, it’s less talk and more action as we find our natural rhythm. Sidelined for months by a foot injury, it’s wonderful to have freedom and movement again.

“I hope my guidance helps guests plant the seed of an idea,” Biz says when we pause for a picnic of fresh fruit and locally made muffins. “A practice they can take home and return to whenever they are in nature.”

I turn to Michael, a high-energy guy who has never meditated in his life, and there he is, smiling like he’s found a second muffin. Sometimes, shared happiness is all the wellness we need.

And sometimes it’s dinner in a treehouse. The Gunyah Restaurant is a fine-dining pavilion set amid the treetops of Paperbark Camp near Huskisson.

The menu is based on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, supported by a curated selection of regional wines and beers. We share an entree of fresh curds, melon and mint before mains of grilled bavette with braised leeks and romesco sauce. If health is happiness, the chocolate torte with cultured cream is the only sensible finale.

From Paperbark Camp it’s a short drive to The Villas of Huskisson, our boutique, beachfront accommodation just outside the bustle of town. With its sun-bleached decor, timber and rattan furniture, and vintage treasures, just staying here is the reset we needed.

Day 2: Earth’s medicine

Early the next morning, I peek outside the front verandah door, look across at the beach bathed in fairy floss pink and decide on an early morning swim.

With a small pod of dolphins in the distance, we snorkel over sea meadows and rock platforms before wandering the shoreline to see what the tide has left. Amid the shells and driftwood, we find the discarded eggs of Port Jackson sharks, their dark cases coiled like strips of leather.

If the Jervis Bay Marine Park is one side of the story, the adjoining Booderee National Park is the other.

Meaning “Bay of Plenty” in the local Dhurga language, Booderee National Park is Aboriginal land, jointly managed between the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community and Parks Australia.

I’ve swum at its white-sand beaches and enjoyed the floral display of Australia’s only Aboriginal-owned Botanic Gardens, yet I’m ashamed to admit this is the first time I’ve experienced the park alongside a First Nations guide.

“I want to create a safe place for people to talk about our culture,” says Uncle Bernie McLeod, traditional owner and founder of Djungga Kultural Tours, as he welcomes us to the Botanic Gardens with a white ochre ceremony. While he applies the daubs to Michael’s face – 13 dots for the 13 tribes of the Yuin nation – protocol dictates his wife Narelle must do mine.

After a smoking ceremony we follow Uncle Bernie into the Koori garden. “Reconciliation is one of the biggest things for me. Not just passing knowledge to our young people, but to all cultures throughout the world,” he says. “Only then can true reconciliation happen.”

As we walk, Uncle Bernie invites us to taste the crushed leaves of a sarsaparilla vine, rich in vitamin C and good for digestion. He points out lemon-scented tea trees, used for flavouring fish and soothing sore throats.

“The plants here live in harmony with the animals,” he says, gesturing to the Gymea lily, which bursts into flower when the northern migrating humpback whales appear.

Standing with Uncle Bernie I feel something settle in my bones, about responsibility and how the act of stewardship and giving back is also a cornerstone for wellbeing.

A late lunch at Blak Cede Gunyah cafe in Nowra carries it further. Not just a beautifully designed cafe using traditional bush foods from a community garden, but an Aboriginal women-led social and cultural enterprise. The all-day menu is outstanding; Nyully nourish bowl with anise myrtle mushrooms and roast wattleseed tomatoes; Nan’s curry with pepperberry Johnny cakes; and strawberry gum scones with native jam that will see me coming back for this dish alone.

The final reset

The NSW South Coast has its share of charming towns – think Berry, Milton or Mollymook – but Huskisson is the one we keep returning to. With its cafes and restaurants, breweries and boutiques and retro (without-trying-too-hard) vibe, it’s easy to see why “Husky” was crowned NSW’s Best Tiny Tourism Town for the last three years.

We had dinner one night at Wild Ginger restaurant, where the chef’s banquet included Asian-fusion delicacies such as pork belly in betel leaf and steamed ocean perch in Penang curry. Other times we were happy to bring supplies back and relax at our outside dining table.

On our final morning it’s a five-minute drive to Bowline Remedial Massage and Recovery where we join their Sunday morning class. Designed as a full-body reset, the 3.5-hour, monthly event combines movement, recovery and relaxation.

After a deeply restorative yoga session with Gabriele Niederer-Hailazidis, who also specialises in the German system of myofascial release for pain management, we settle in for a sound bathing class. I’m sceptical, but within minutes I feel like I’m floating through a rainforest. There’s a rolling hum in my chest, time gets vague, and I drift into a deep state of calmness.

After a light breakfast, we are encouraged to follow our own flow – while some opt for an ice bath and sauna, Michael tries the compression recovery boots, and I spend a blissful hour in the private float tank.

There’s strength in walking your own wellness path, rather than conforming to someone else’s idea of who you should be. Better still, there’s less chance of treatments that involve any mention “dirty water”.

THE DETAILS

STAY
The Villas of Huskisson – 1- or 2-bedroom, fully self-contained accommodation from $400 per night for two guests. See worrowing.com.au

EAT
The Gunyah treetop dining room at Paperbark Camp welcomes non-resident guests for breakfast, afternoon cocktails and dinner. Bookings essential. See paperbarkcamp.com.au

REWILD
A four-hour, mindful canoeing experience with Valley Outdoors costs from $190 a person, minimum of four participants. See valleyoutdoors.com.au

RECONNECT
A two-hour Djungga Kultural Tour in the Booderee Botanic Garden costs $40 a person. See djunggakulturaltours.com

RESET
Bowline Remedial massage and recovery offers special monthly events from $69 a person including a light breakfast. See bowlineremedialmassage.com.au

MORE
shoalhaven.com

The writer was a guest of Visit Shoalhaven.