GLAMPING HEATS UP IN AUSTRALIA as nature delivers ‘next level’ comfort, luxury and warmth An inspired glamping design in Victoria’s spectacular Mornington Peninsula, has created a new level of sustainable comfort, luxury and warmth, as guests enjoy the benefits of Australia’s first, thermal eco- tent floor, heated by natural hot springs.
Incorporating a geothermal ‘hydronic’ flooring system, and seamlessly blending the tents into its pristine environment, the new development, sets about redefining wellness-tourism, in the Australian glamping sector. Only a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, is the breath-taking Peninsula Hot Springs and Day Spa: an award-winning, geothermal retreat, that was founded by brothers Charles and Richard Davidson, in 1997. Their vision reflects time spent visiting Japan’s traditional ‘onsens’ and draws on hot spring designs, across five continents. In addition to a day spa, cafe, yoga, ice cave,
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and over 70 bathing and wellness experiences, the property recently partnered with Eco Structures Australia, to introduce 10 new Glamping tents, in January 2021. Eco Structures was approached to adapt its tent design, to include a custom concrete flooring system, to facilitate the heating process, from the geothermal waters, of the property. Interestingly, Australia has many of these hot spring locations – due, in part, to the Great Artesian Basin, which underlies almost a quarter of the continent. According to Eco Structures’ International Business Development Manager, Tom
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Butterfield, the project was both exhilarating and rewarding, as the team embraced the unique design challenge: “There’s nothing we love more, than working with a client, to overcome obstacles and creatively push the boundaries, to achieve win-win outcomes. Innovation and embracing the unknown, are all fundamental to our approach. We thrive on it! Initially, we thought that the location of the tents alone, in such a pristine and abundant landscape, would be enough to set this world-class retreat, apart.”
