Bellarine spa among world's best

A LUXURY wellness retreat on the Bellarine Peninsula has been recognised among the world’s leading spas, earning finalist places in two categories at the prestigious 2026 World Spa & Wellness Awards.

Point Lonsdale’s Lon Retreat & Spa has been shortlisted for both Spa Team of the Year and Spa of the Year across Asia and Australasia, placing the family-owned business alongside major international operators from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas.

The World Spa & Wellness Awards are regarded as one of the industry’s leading measures of excellence, recognising achievements in areas including guest experience, treatment delivery, sustainability, leadership and business performance.

The dual nomination recognises both Lon’s spa offering and the team behind it, led by spa manager Jade Ogilvie.

Lon founders and owners Claire and Rob Gemes said the recognition was a significant achievement for the business.

Natural mineral springs, private bathing experiences and a recently opened contrast therapy area are among the features that have helped earn Lon Retreat international recognition. Photo: Lon Retreat & Spa.

“We are incredibly proud to be recognised on a world stage in not one, but two categories,” they said.

“The Spa Team of the Year nomination means so much to us – it reflects the heart and soul that our entire team pours into every guest experience, every single day.

“We are so proud to have built and lead a team with such professionalism and high standards.

To be recognised in the same category as the major players world-wide is simply remarkable, especially for a small family-run business such as ours.”

Set on a working farm that has remained in the same family for more than 150 years, the retreat combines luxury accommodation with a destination spa built around natural mineral springs flowing beneath the property through ancient limestone formations.

Lon Retreat & Spa has been named a finalist in two categories at the World Spa & Wellness Awards 2026, earning international recognition for its spa offering and team. Photo: Lon Retreat & Spa.

Lon’s wellness philosophy focuses on slow, holistic experiences and personalised care.

Guests can access therapeutic massages, facials, body treatments and private mineral bathing experiences, while the recently opened outdoor contrast therapy space includes a Finnish sauna, magnesium-rich plunge pool, Swedish soak bucket and communal fire pit overlooking the coastline and lighthouse.

The latest recognition adds to a growing list of industry accolades for the retreat, which was named Best Holistic Health Spa in 2025 and received the Best Spa in Australasia title at the Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Awards in 2024.

The winners of this year’s World Spa & Wellness Awards will be announced on 4 October.