What’s on in Wellness this January

Reconnect with nature at a gentler pace during this immersive Nature Journalling workshop at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Set within Australia’s oldest botanic garden, this 2½-hour guided experience invites you to slow down, observe closely and respond creatively to the living world around you.

Led by an experienced Gardens educator, the session is designed for all levels, including those completely new to journalling or drawing. With all materials supplied, you’ll be supported to explore simple techniques that combine sketching, words and mindful observation, helping you settle into a calm, focused flow. A relaxed morning tea is included, adding to the ease of the experience.

Held every second Saturday from 10am to 12.30pm, participants receive their own journal to use during the session and take home as a keepsake. Allow extra time to wander the Gardens afterwards and continue your practice among the remarkable Living Collections. And don't forget, the workshop also runs at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah.

Feel the pulse of rhythm come alive in this immersive HuskiDrumming workshop, a two-hour experience designed to energise the body and quiet the mind. Held in Huskisson on Saturday mornings, the session invites you into a welcoming drum circle where no prior musical experience is needed—just a willingness to listen, participate and have fun.

Led by a skilled facilitator, you’ll be gently guided through rhythmic patterns that build step by step, making it easy to join in and find your place within the group. As individual beats weave together, a shared sense of connection emerges, creating a powerful collective energy that’s both uplifting and grounding.

Beyond the joy of making music, drumming offers calming benefits for the nervous system, helping release tension and encourage a relaxed, focused state. Many participants describe feeling deeply present and absorbed in the moment. You’ll leave feeling lighter, more connected and recharged, with the rhythm still echoing long after the drums fall silent.

Step away from the noise of everyday life and immerse yourself in a deeply nourishing mindfulness retreat at Billabong Retreat, set in peaceful bushland just outside Sydney. This two-day experience is designed to help you slow down, reconnect and integrate mindfulness into daily living through thoughtfully guided, practical workshops.

Alongside the workshops, you’ll enjoy a supportive rhythm of twice-daily yoga sessions, evening meditations and the option to personalise your stay with spa treatments or private consultations. Between sessions, there’s ample time to relax, explore the natural surroundings or unwind in the retreat’s serene magnesium pool.

Accommodation options range from cosy cottages and elevated treehouses to luxury cabins, (and you can extend your stay four or five nights!). All organic wholefood meals, snacks and drinks are included, making the experience completely effortless. Welcoming to beginners and experienced practitioners alike, this retreat offers the space, tools and calm needed to reset, reflect and return home feeling grounded and renewed.

Discover Sydney Harbour through a deeper cultural lens on the Aboriginal Harbour Heritage Tour at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Led by an experienced First Nations guide, this immersive one-hour walking experience invites you to see the Garden and its iconic foreshore through the eyes of the Gadigal people, the Traditional Custodians of this land.

Strolling along the edge of Sydney Harbour, you’ll hear stories that bring Warrane (Sydney Cove) to life, learning about Gadigal traditions, daily life and enduring connections to Country, community and culture. The tour also explores the native plants within the Garden and how they have been traditionally used by the Gadigal for food, medicine and tools.

Thoughtfully paced and engaging, this experience is suitable for all ages, making it a meaningful and educational outing for families and visitors alike. Tours run from 1–2pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, excluding public holidays, offering a powerful way to connect with the world’s oldest continuing culture in one of Sydney’s most beautiful settings.