Name: 3 Day Yoga, Pilates & Wellness Treatments - Weekend Retreat in North East Victoria, Australia
Brand: Little Farm of Calm
Rating: 10.0 (4 reviews)

Accommodation

Check-in Time:

15:00

Check-out Time:

12:00

You will be accommodated in king single, queen bed or single over double twin share options suitable for one to three people per booking. All rooms feature:

Air-conditioning and blackout blinds
Luxe bedding for high quality sleep
Standalone fan with air purifier
Google Echo speakers and Alexa technology
Smart TV's with Netflix and Wi-Fi
High pressure showers with eco-friendly toiletries
2 x bath towel per person
1 x beach towel per person
Silent outdoor hours after 22:00

If you don't feel like exploring, their onsite facilities include:

3 acres of grounds, including lots of spots to hide away from it all
16 mini goats, two 'mini' pigs, guinea fowl, Rosie the sheep, and so many different birds
Large decking areas, outdoor beanbags, and lounge areas around the pool, kitchen, and rooms
A selection of teas and coffee, as well as hidden nooks to explore and enjoy them
Victoria's largest yoga and meditation dome
75-square meter magnesium salt pool

Program

Little Farm of Calm's intention is that you choose the right options and amount for your body, with a selection to suit all moods and energy levels. Yes, you can eat healthy organic produce but you put it together in the way that works for your body and your needs. Yes, you can get out and explore the countryside, but again, you don't have to.

You will literally have all the options without any pressure. Their goal is that you leave feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

With 10 cabins, Little Farm of Calm keeps their retreats small to focus on the details and allow you to enjoy some private space. They provide individual attention in their classes (where appropriate), which are designed to support all levels and body types. If you have any questions on any of the provided activities, please reach out as they are there to help.

Their private floatation pod and Red Light Therapy (RLT) room, infrared saunas, hydrotherapy spa, and magnesium salt pool can enhance your wellness experience, with all sessions in them included in your stay. In between, you can also join on a bike tour of Benalla Lake, learn about wildlife rescue, or gain new life skills in a self-defense workshop.

Lastly, by staying with them, you are supporting the Little Farm of Calm Wildlife Shelter, which they run without government support to rescue, treat, and rehabilitate native Australian wildlife.

Aerial yoga

Aerial yoga involves the use of a soft fabric hammock suspended from a load-tested beam at various heights, depending on the style of use. Much like rope walls, straps, and yoga blocks, the 'yoga silks' provide a range of benefits from poses including support, positioning, balance, focus, myofascial massage, and even gentle traction.

Many people find Aerial yoga an invaluable tool in relieving back, hip, and shoulder pain. At Little Farm of Calm, they offer two styles of Aerial yoga, both of which are 100% beginner friendly, taught in a way that allows you to choose your own level of effort / stretch / comfort. Their permanent frame and silk rigging have been tested to 900kg of swinging weight each so you are safe and secure.

Aerial Yin and meditation is a sublime way to unwind, switch off, and gently stretch out the body. You will find comfortable positions with high levels of support using the yoga silks positioned close to the ground and perform soothing transitions to allow the heart, mind, and nervous system to slow down and calm down.

Aerial restore is also the perfect starting place for anyone feeling nervous about using the yoga silks as you will have a lot more contact with the ground. Positions include seated, standing, and lying in the silk. These 90-minute workshops conclude with a guided meditation while you relax in your private cocoon and are designed to enhance sleep, recovery, and relaxation.

Meanwhile, Aerial Flow yoga is a genie in a bottle. It is everything you've ever wanted, all in one workshop. You'll stretch, strengthen, balance, and massage your whole body with the use of the Aerial yoga silk.

Expect to feel a little challenged at times, but most of all, you will finish your first class feeling a combination of exhilarated, relaxed, and like you are walking on a cloud.

What makes Aerial flow look intimidating to some? The silk is set higher than in their Aerial Yin setting, around hip height, and this session may include inverted positions if you choose (or you are free to simply watch any parts you are unsure of).

The silk guides each person to find the right level in each pose, so you only do as much, or as little, as your body is ready for. In fact, the silk is the perfect tool for building confidence, skills, strength, and technique in inverted yoga poses - taking as much of the weight as you need and acting as a safety net to hold you.

You might find yourself amazed at the things you can do! Each 75-minute session finishes with a guided Savasana (quiet meditation) with breathwork in the silk to complete your Zen.

Practiced regularly, their Aerial yoga classes increase body awareness, release tight joints, increase muscular strength and flexibility, align the vertebrae, and provide whole-body strengthening. It is a wonderful complement to your other yoga classes or other strenuous exercises.

Pilates Reformer

Their "Pilates Reformer" class is a stretchy exploration of your body's needs provided in a physio-lead session. Suitable for all levels and body types, you will travel from the tips of your toes, through to the crown of your head, on a journey to make your whole body feel fabulous. Loosen tight hips, niggly lower backs, and shoulders.

Red Light Therapy (RLT)

The whole body Red Light Therapy (RLT) is able to invigorate skin, rejuvenate cellular energy systems, and tone down lingering aches and pains. Follow this with an infrared sauna burst to clear out your lymphatic system. Then, top it off with a cool shower or a swim in the heated magnesium pool to complete your perfect morning routine.

Bookings for your preferred times are required and are allocated on a first-in basis. This can be scheduled for any time across the duration of your stay.

Paddleboard yoga and meditation (spring / summer retreats)

This can be lots of fun, a great way to cool off on a hot day, and an amazing chance to try something new. The meditation at the end is blissful - lying on the gentle swell of the water watching the clouds travel across the sky or closing your eyes and feeling the sun, breeze, and movement of the world around you.

There can only be a maximum of eight per group so prior bookings are required (extra sessions will be scheduled where required).

Animal Therapy: Goat Happy Hour

Time spent with animals and in nature has been shown through several studies to replicate similar effects on your brain waves as deep meditation. Perhaps this is because they demand you to be fully present and temporarily disable your internal chatter.

The retreat provides all levels of access to the hand-reared therapy animals - whether you would prefer to feed or observe only from behind a fence, or jump in and immerse yourself in goat antics and love. Plus, we’re probably the only wellness retreat in Victoria to have goats on the program.

Schedule

Upon waking up after a great sleep in your comfy bed, you will face the first choice of the day: to stretch out in a Pilates Reformer class or snooze a little longer ("Alexa - turn off the alarm, or wake me in 60 minutes!").

If you're an early riser, grab some breakfast, hang out with the mini goats, go for a walk, meditate in the dome, or have a peaceful swim as the sun rises. Benalla mornings are truly beautiful to behold.

Sample itinerary for Autumn/Winter Retreats

Day 1:

Any time from 15:00 - Check in
Room induction upon arrival
16:00 - 22:00 - Red Light Therapy, floatation tank, and infrared sauna
16:00 - 22:00 - Hydrotherapy spa and magnesium salt pool open
15:30 - Aerial yoga - beginner friendly (60 minutes)
18:45 - Dinner
20:00 - Aerial Yin and meditation (90 minutes)
22:00 - Fire pit and guest kitchen close

Day 2: Do as much / as little as you like

07:00 - 22:00 - Red Light Therapy, floatation tank, and infrared sauna
07:00 - 22:00 - Hydrotherapy spa and magnesium salt pool open
07:00 - 12:00 - Breakfast available
09:00 - Pilates Reformer (60 minutes)
10:00 - Goat happy hour - please wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and enclosed shoes
11:00 - Guided bike tour of Lake Benalla
12:30 - Lunch in the guest kitchen
Afternoon: Free time for snacks, drinks, and bicycle hire
14:00 - Myofascial release workshop (90 minutes)
18:00 - Wildlife rescue and Little Farm of Calm Shelter information session
18:45 - Dinner
20:00 - Self-defense workshop (participate as much as you choose)
21:00 - Chai tea - sleep tonic
22:00 - Kitchen and fire pit area closed - outdoor silence requested

Day 3: Late checkout and plenty of time to take things slow

07:00 - 12:00 Breakfast and coffee in the guest kitchen
07:00 - 12:00 Red Light Therapy, floatation tank, and infrared sauna
07:00 - 12:00 Hydrotherapy spa and magnesium salt pool (12 to 15 degrees) open
09:00 Aerial flow yoga
10:00 Goat happy hour
11:00 Cacao and ginger biscuits
12:00 Checkout

Included excursions

Guided bike tour of Lake Benalla

Instructors

Jill Mentiplay

Jill has been a student of the body in depth since 1997, with a passion for finding the secret to balance in health & wellness. She has studied and taught around the globe since the days before the internet, along the way building fitness and yoga centers before settling in Benalla to focus on family & wildlife rehabilitation. Qualifications inc: Bachelors in Physiotherapy and Exercise Physiology, 1000-hour ERYT, iRest Meditation, Aerial yoga, Rossiter and Myofascial release work, Advanced TT in Forrest Yoga, Pre and Postnatal yoga.

Location

Little Farm of Calm is an easy two-hour drive or train trip from Melbourne or one and a half hours from Albury. Once you get on the Hume Hwy, you are just two turns away.

The venue is located in a rural area, yet only six minutes away from Benalla centre, which features cafes, shops, chemists, and supermarkets. If you are feeling active, that becomes a 15-minute bike ride (with bike and helmet provided).

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Features

Activities

Pilates
Sauna
Swimming pool (outdoor)

General

Air-conditioned rooms
Dining area
Environmentally friendly
Garden
Kitchen
Luggage room / storage
Meditation garden
Multilingual staff
Picnic area
Smoke-free property
Terrace
Yoga deck
Yoga shala
Yoga studio

Services

Free bicycle
Free parking
Free Wi-Fi
Internet access
Library
Parking lot
Wedding
Wireless internet

Food

Retreats include breakfast, lunch, and dinner from Thursday night through until breakfast (07:00 - 11:00) on Monday morning. Breakfast is served buffet style, self-serve selection of cereals, fresh bread, fruit, yoghurts and condiments with tea, coffee, condiments, and eggs.

Lunch and dinner change with the seasons, with cooler months traditionally featuring hearty soups, curry, and bowl-based dishes. Meals consists of one large lactose free / gluten free / vegetarian dish with condiments / toppings / animal protein options that can be added to suit your tastes and needs.

What type of food can you expect on Little Farm of Calm's retreats?

Their yoga retreat menu changes with the season. They invest in local Victorian produce and pride themselves in homestyle cooking with great flavors and healthy ingredients. Meals will generally include one gluten free, lactose free, and vegetarian dish, plus at least one other which may include gluten / animal protein / lactose.

Does Little Farm of Calm provide gluten free catering?

They can provide gluten free options for each meal if this information is provided at least one week prior to the retreat commencement. Please be specific as to the level of your intolerance / dietary choice so that they can cater accordingly and ensure that your requirements are met.

Please note that not all dishes served will be gluten free and ask staff members if you have any concerns / queries.

Does Little Farm of Calm provide lactose / dairy free catering?

They can provide lactose / dairy free options for meals and dairy alternatives, if this information is provided at least one week prior to the retreat commencement. Please be specific as to the level of your intolerance / dietary choice so that they can cater accordingly and ensure that your requirements are met.

Please note that not all dishes served will be lactose / dairy free and ask staff members if you have any concerns / queries.

Does Little Farm of Calm provide FODMAP catering?

They can provide a fructose reduced option for meals if this information is provided at least one week prior to the retreat commencement. Please be specific as to the level of your intolerance / dietary choice so that they can cater accordingly and ensure that your requirements are met, including whether alternate options such as garlic infused oil, chives, and / or spring onions can be tolerated.

Please note that not all dishes served will be FODMAP friendly and ask staff members if you have any concerns / queries.

Does Little Farm of Calm provide vegan / pescatarian catering?

They can provide vegan or pescatarian friendly options for meals if this information is provided at least one week prior to the retreat commencement. Please be specific as to the level of your intolerance / dietary choice so that they can cater accordingly and ensure that your requirements are met as definitions of a vegan / pescatarian diet vary widely.

For example, they do not assume that vegetarian or pescatarian includes the exclusion of dairy unless this is specified. Please note that not all dishes served will be vegan / pescatarian friendly and ask staff members if you have any concerns / queries.

Does Little Farm of Calm cater to other dietary intolerances / allergies?

They will attempt to provide a tasty meal option for most dietary needs. However, there are limits on what they can provide within the scope of group catering - especially when multiple foods / groups / flavors are being eliminated. This retreat does not provide private chef / personalized catering and all food needs to be accessible to the entire retreat group.

Please contact them directly with any special needs. The option to bring your own pre-prepared meals is also available, and fridge space / microwave / air fryer / toaster oven is provided in the guest kitchen space.

If you have a highly specific palate, or severe food allergies, Little Farm of Calm invites guests to bring some of their own preferred foods to store in the fridge. They also request details of any food allergies or intolerances seven days prior to your retreat to ensure that they can shop and prepare menus or advise if your needs cannot be met.

The following meals are included:

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Snacks
Drinks

The following drinks are included:

Water
Coffee
Tea

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Organic
Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Pescatarian
Lactose Free

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

Things to do (optional)

Additional services are subject to availability including:

50-minute 1-1 private iRest meditation: co-meditation that provides a context for healing, integration, and insight
50-minute private clinical Pilates, animal therapy, Aerial yoga, and / or movement analysis with physiotherapist
50-minute physiotherapy / remedial massage session
Additional 50-minute Red Light Therapy and infrared sauna sessions

Benalla Wall Art

Dotted throughout Benalla and the surrounding towns, their annual Wall to Wall festival attracts some of the word's leading artists. It's a wonderful way to tour the area - perhaps enjoying lunch at the iconic Goorambat gastro pub (amazing silo art!) or the Winton Wetlands Hub.

Paradise Falls

It's a 45-minute drive away, but totally worth it. Being there feels like stepping into something straight out of the Northern Territory and one of the most stunning locations in Victoria. Afterwards, have lunch or coffee and cake at one of the many fabulous eateries in the King Valley (Christmont Wineries definitely springs to mind and is highly recommended).

Winton Wetlands

The reclaimed wetlands around Lake Makoan make for a wonderful day out in nature. An amazing selection of birdlife, reptiles, swamp wallabies, kangaroos, and just about everything else resides in this precious eco-system.

They have bikes available to borrow if you'd like to go for a ride (boot size permitting!) or just go for a wander. The Wetlands Hub is also a great place to have lunch or just coffee and cake to keep you going.

Spa treatments

Floatation therapy

Your retreat includes a 50-minute private session in Little Farm of Calm's magnesium salt floatation and sensory deprivation tank. It is designed to switch off your senses, provide complete rest for your nervous system, and alleviate muscle tension.

From just one to two sessions across the weekend, you may feel more relaxed and sleep more deeply. Regular float therapy has been linked to reductions in stress levels, anxiety, blood pressure, chronic pain, and sleep disorders.

Red Light Therapy (RLT)

Retreats include medical grade whole body RLT. Often associated with dermatologists and skin treatments, RLT penetrates the skin to target cellular health. It has been used as a treatment for mood and sleep disorders, wound healing, as well as joint pain and muscle recovery. It has been used even by NASA to reduce unwanted symptoms of radiation therapy.

From your first session, you might feel relaxed, glowing, and a little restored. Every person is different - if you can, jump in more than once.

Infrared sauna sessions

Benefits of these include improved cardiac health, reductions in chronic pain, muscle recovery, deeper REM sleep, lowered cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugars, boosted metabolism, and protection against the degenerative effects of ageing. These can all be achieved with infrared sauna use, as demonstrated by clinical studies. So the question is, why wouldn’t you?

Yes, it’s hot, but upon stepping out of the sauna, you’ll feel invigorated and recharged. And because Little Farm of Calm has two, you should do it again the next day!

Mineral soak and hydrotherapy spa; magnesium salt pool

Take your relaxation to the next level in Little Farm of Calm's six-person hydrotherapy spa. It comes complete with medical grade massage jets and mineral salts to dissolve tension and send you into a state of bliss.

And if you get too hot, you can always take the plunge in the 75m2 magnesium salt pool for the ultimate winter invigoration. Or of course, you can just stay in the spa.

What's included

Aerial Yin and meditation (total relaxation) and Aerial yoga flow (energetic)
Physio-led Pilates reformer workshop
Hot slow yoga stretch and myofascial release workshop
50-minute private Red Light Therapy session per person
50-minute floatation tank session per person
2 infrared sauna sessions per person - 30 minute per session
2 state of the art massage chair sessions - 30 minute per session
60-minute guided bike tour of Benalla Lake
90-minute self-defense workshop
Australian Wildlife Rescue presentation
Daily access to six-person hydrotherapy spa and 75-square meter outdoor magnesium pool
Daily goat happy hour (mini-goat feeding and 'animal meditation' time)
2 nights accommodation (air conditioning, heating, Wi-Fi, Netflix, eco-friendly toiletries, all linens)
Station pick up and drop of after 2 p.m. on Friday retreat commencement, 2 p.m. on Sunday at completion
All meals with coffee and tea provided

What's not included

Airfare
Daily room service during retreat

How to get there

Recommended Airports

MEL

Melbourne Airport

157 km

Transfer not provided

Arrival by train

Little Farm of Calm is located approximately six kilometers from Benalla station which has connections from Melbourne via train and bus. Station pick ups and drop offs are available by pre-arranged booking at no extra charge.

Cancellation Policy

A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
The rest of the payment should be paid 21 days before arrival.

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