There is a point after sunset when Peninsula Hot Springs becomes a very different place.
The crowds soften into silhouettes, steam rises against the evening air and a series of pools in the Amphitheatre begin to glow in deep reds, oranges, blues and violets. Then, on lowering the ears beneath the surface, another element appears: music, not heard from speakers around the pool, but travelling through the water itself.
It is this combination of heat, colour and submerged sound that gives Seek the Heat, Peninsula Hot Springs’ winter wellness experience, its most memorable quality.
Running until October 4, the experience centres on seven illuminated pools, each linked to one of the seven chakras and accompanied by an original soundscape and frequency. The concept draws directly on a system with roots in Indian philosophy, placing a tradition familiar to many Indian visitors within a distinctly Australian thermal-bathing setting.
That could easily have become little more than colourful wellness branding. Peninsula Hot Springs says it was conscious of that risk.
The organisation says its approach began with “respect, curiosity and a commitment to understanding its cultural origins rather than simply adopting its symbolism”. Its relationship with Indian traditions predates Seek the Heat, through annual Diwali celebrations, yoga, Ayurvedic-inspired treatments and its Arts, Culture & Events program, which has involved Indian performers, artists, community members and businesses.
The idea itself grew from conversations between Peninsula Hot Springs ACE director Marty Williams and Mornington Peninsula ambient composer Josh Roydhouse, an artist in residence at the springs. Roydhouse had been examining links between sound, frequency and the seven chakras, eventually developing the music that accompanies the pools.
Before the experience opened to the public, members of the Peninsula Hot Springs team also took part in a chakra embodiment session led by yoga teacher and staff member Marina McLean, intended to give those delivering the program a better understanding of the tradition behind it.
The result works best when it is approached less as a lesson in chakras and more as an experience in how surroundings alter perception.
The idea itself grew from conversations between Peninsula Hot Springs ACE director Marty Williams and Mornington Peninsula ambient composer Josh Roydhouse, an artist in residence at the springs. Roydhouse had been examining links between sound, frequency and the seven chakras, eventually developing the music that accompanies the pools
Each of Roydhouse’s seven original compositions has been created for a particular illuminated pool. Underwater speakers carry the sound through the water, changing the way the music is experienced physically. Rather than sitting outside the listener, it seems to surround the body.
It is easily the strongest element of the evening.
Submerge the ears and the noises of the surrounding bathers recede. The soundtrack becomes clearer and more enveloping. Raise the head again and the ordinary sounds of an outdoor bathing complex return. That simple movement between the two is strangely compelling.
There is no requirement to move methodically from chakra one through seven. Visitors can follow the sequence or linger in whichever pool, colour or soundtrack they find most appealing. Peninsula Hot Springs describes the intention as giving guests space to notice whether changing colour, frequency and sound alter how they feel.
The setting helps. Thermal bathing after dark has an atmosphere that daytime visits cannot quite reproduce. The contrast between cool evening air and hot mineral water becomes sharper, while the lighting is far more effective once the surrounding sky has darkened.
For that reason, arriving before sunset makes sense. There is time to explore the rest of the property while it is still light, have dinner or move between the conventional pools, and then return to the Amphitheatre as the colours become more pronounced. Peninsula Hot Springs itself recommends this approach for visitors wanting the full Seek the Heatexperience.
First-time visitors also have a choice between two quite different ways of experiencing the property.
The Bath House is the larger, more social option and is open to all ages, with more than 50 bathing and wellness experiences. It suits families, groups and visitors who want to wander and try a variety of pools and facilities.
The Spa Dreaming Centre, by comparison, is restricted to guests aged 16 and over and offers another 20 bathing and wellness experiences in a quieter setting. It is the better fit for those seeking a more secluded evening rather than the bustle of the main bathing area. Seek the Heat is included with entry to either.
There is also something interesting in seeing an Australian wellness destination engage so directly with an Indian concept.
Peninsula Hot Springs says multicultural influences have been part of the property from its early years, pointing to bathing traditions that exist across many cultures. Its facilities include ideas drawn from Turkish and Moroccan hammams and Nepalese-inspired mineral showers, while its events program brings music, movement and wellbeing practices from different communities into the venue.
Its stated aim is to develop those experiences through relationships with practitioners and communities rather than simply lifting elements from different cultures.
“We want Peninsula Hot Springs to be a place where different traditions can be shared and celebrated in a way that creates connection, curiosity and a deeper understanding of the cultures and practices that inspire them,” the organisation says.
Seek the Heat does not attempt to explain the chakra system in any scholarly sense, nor does a night in seven coloured pools promise spiritual transformation. Its strength is much simpler.
It takes an already appealing evening at the hot springs and gives it another layer. The lights draw visitors towards the Amphitheatre, but it is the underwater sound that stays in the memory.
For visitors accustomed to thinking of Peninsula Hot Springs primarily as a daytime outing, that alone makes the after-dark experience worth considering.
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