There’s something about sitting in warm water, outside in the elements, that makes it very difficult to keep rushing.
Perched above the Gippsland Lakes in East Gippsland, Metung Hot Springs brings together geothermal bathing, nature and that wonderful feeling of having nowhere else you need to be.
We spent half a day here and deliberately took our time.
There were a few rain showers while we were bathing, but somehow that made the experience even better.
You’re already wet. The pools are keeping you warm. And rather than trying to escape the weather, you find yourself sitting outside right in the middle of it.
It was one of our favourite parts of the experience.
The ritual of bathing
One of the things we love about hot springs is how little is required of you.
You don't need to achieve anything.
At Metung, you simply wander between experiences — warm geothermal pools, bathing barrels, saunas and cold plunges — deciding where you want to go next rather than following a schedule.
The Hilltop Escarpment is particularly beautiful, with bathing overlooking the Gippsland Lakes and surrounding bushland.
We didn't rush it.
We'd soak for a while, get out, wander to another pool and eventually stop for a light snack at the café before heading back into the water.
That was pretty much our afternoon.
And that's exactly how we'd recommend experiencing it.
Why it's in The Edit
We're drawn to places where wellness is built into the experience rather than added as an extra.
Metung does that beautifully.
Water is obviously at the centre of it, but so is the landscape.
Being outside was a big part of what we loved — particularly when the weather changed.
A few rain showers came through while we were there and instead of spoiling the day, they added to it. There's something quite special about sitting submerged in warm water while cool rain falls around you.
You feel the weather rather than hide from it.
Warm water. Cool air. Rain on your face.
It reminds you how good it can feel to simply be outside in the elements.
The Curator's Take
For us, the appeal of Metung is the combination of water, landscape and time.
Give yourself enough of all three.
We spent half a day there and never felt the need to hurry from one experience to another.
We bathed. Wandered. Ate something. Bathed again.
And when it rained, we stayed exactly where we were.
That's probably what we remember most.
There's something wonderfully simple about being warm in a pool while the weather moves around you. You stop observing nature from behind a window and become part of it for a while.
And while you can move between warm water, cold plunges and saunas, you don't need to turn the experience into another wellness protocol.
Sometimes it's enough just to get into the water and stay there for a while.
Not every wellness experience needs an outcome. Sometimes feeling better afterwards is enough.
— Barbara & Michael
Stay a little longer
If half a day doesn't feel quite long enough, Metung also offers glamping within the hot springs.
The safari-style tents include king beds, ensuite bathrooms and private geothermal bathing barrels on their decks.
There's something rather appealing about finishing a day of bathing and not having to get back in the car.
Wake up and do it all again.
We could think of worse ways to spend a couple of days.
Make a weekend of it
Metung sits in East Gippsland, so we'd treat the hot springs as part of a slower few days rather than somewhere to rush in and out of.
Explore the region. Eat well. Take the long way somewhere.
And when you visit the springs, give yourself time.
Don't worry too much about the weather either.
A little rain might actually make it better.
The Details
Metung Hot Springs
73 Storth Ryes Avenue
Metung, East Gippsland, Victoria
Geothermal Bathing · Sauna · Cold Immersion · Spa · Glamping
A note from The Renewal Edit
We love places that make slowing down feel natural rather than something else you have to work at.
Metung Hot Springs is one of them.
Go here. Get in the water. And if it starts raining, stay in.