There is a very charming moment in the way the Mornington Peninsula Hot Springs came to being. The moment goes back to some 20 years ago.
Musician Marty Williams, in preparation for his world tour in 2003, wanted to record at a wine barrelling next door, which for some reason had “that powerful feel”.
The next-door neighbour was none other than Charles Davidson, owner of the Peninsula Hot Springs, who was drilling for water for a year on a 48-acre grass paddock with some trees.
Davidson told Williams, “While you are here, could you do one music for me for my hot springs which doesn’t exist yet?” Williams thought it was a good trade off.
But one song turned into a full album, seven tracks about the precepts of the spa, seven states of water, seven days a week. And while Williams and his brother were mixing the album, Davidson hit the water they were drilling for a year.
“We caught this moment in time. The album became a foundation for this hot spring,” says Williams. “This is the beginning of the story of water environment and now arts and culture.”
Incidentally, the album titled Water—an Australian Story of Water (still available on Apple Music) sold 10,000 copies, the highest selling in Williams’ musical career.
It would lead to a beautiful collaborative process that changed everything for Williams and Davidson. Williams calls it “the creative process of water and the environment”.
Williams would also go on to develop a massage technique with the sounds that they developed together—recording sounds of nature and creating a music with this whole journey of the water through the land to the sea and back to the end.
Today as Arts, Culture and Entertainment Manager of the Peninsula Hot Springs, Williams believe it is very important to celebrate art and culture. In that regard, the Hot Springs has a specially designed amphitheatre that houses 450 patrons. That apart, the well-designed bathing gullies, the wellness centre, glamping, food bowl all add to its attraction.
The Peninsula Hot Springs has now become a very multicultural space celebrating important events of most communities. Initially, admits Williams, they were not fully aware of the multicultural aspects of it. “But with different collaborators coming in from around Australia, mostly first nations Australian people that were different to the story we thought we were going to tell—we saw it as the beginning,” reflects Williams.
Since then, the Hot Springs have had lots of world gatherings that celebrate wellness, music and arts and coming together as community from around the world with all different nationalities.
Befitting then that this year, the Peninsula Hot Springs is organising a Diwali festival for the first time. Given how big the festival of lights is celebrated in Australia now, not just in India and other parts of the world, Williams hopes to celebrate this truly community event with a lot of thought put into it. “Many people would want to join in,” he adds.
And having worked with Indian musicians in the Peninsula Hot Springs, Williams realises how well Indian music is received. “It is important to all of us to come together and celebrate music, art, food, et al, the key events in each community.”
Importantly, he says Diwali is a beautiful festival for the Indian community which is why he has set up an event for the first time this year. It is a conversation they are just starting, with bigger plans for the next year.
With Peninsula Hot Springs co-owner Bharat Mitra being Indian, celebrating the festival feels significant too, he says.
“It’s a great opportunity to get everyone involved,” says Williams.
Here is a low down of Diwali 2022
Saturday 22 October
- Diwali Gala Performance
- A cross-cultural celebration of music and dance that will take us on a journey from the dark into the light.
- Amphitheatre Showcase 7pm – 8.30pm
Sunday 23 October
- Seniors Week Classical
- Performance “Sunsets and Sunrises” by the Peninsula Chamber Musicians.
- Amphitheatre Showcase 4pm – 5.40pm
Monday 24 October
- Bollywood Bathe in Cinema screening Slumdog Millionaire
- Amphitheatre 8pm
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Musician Marty Williams, in preparation for his world tour in 2003, wanted to record at a wine barrelling next door, which for some reason had “that powerful feel”. The next-door neighbour was none other than Charles Davidson. #TheIndianSunhttps://t.co/LWNNyPMjOQ
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