Sauna, soak, steam, and scrub at Adamstown's new wellness destination

There’s a new place to slow down in Newcastle, and it comes courtesy of local interior designer Tim Neve.

Saunaura Wellness has opened in Adamstown, bringing together four simple rituals – sauna, soak, steam and scrub – within a beautifully designed space that makes it easy to switch off.

Owner Tim Neve of Saunaura Wellness

The concept has been years in the making for Tim, who has approached Saunaura as both a wellness destination and a design project, as he explains,

“Rather than a traditional day spa or gym-based recovery centre, Saunaura sits somewhere between the two, centred around a collection of self-guided wellness experiences that guests can make entirely their own,” Tim said.

That self-guided approach is an important part of the Saunaura experience.

Private treatment rooms combine infrared saunas and ice baths, allowing you to move between hot and cold at your own pace. There’s also a larger two-person room if you’d prefer to share the experience with a partner or friend.

Perhaps most unique is Saunaura’s private steam and scrub experience, inspired by the style of a Moroccan hammam.

Guests can select freshly dispensed Australian botanical muds and scrubs to exfoliate and refresh the skin – creating a private bathing ritual unlike anything else currently on offer in Newcastle.

With bathhouses, contrast therapy, and social wellness experiences continuing to grow in popularity, Saunaura deliberately takes a simple and approachable view of wellness.

Naturally, with an interior designer behind the look and feel, it’s clear that every detail of the Saunaura experience has been considered, from entry to exit.

The Adamstown space combines an earthy, muted palette with Saunaura’s signature green, alongside tactile tiles, natural stone, gunmetal finishes, and sculptural fittings. Tim's attention extends right down to the custom joinery, treatment rooms, door handles, and smaller functional details.

The project has also given Tim the opportunity to develop an entirely new brand from the ground up.

“We’ve created the entire brand from scratch – the name, the identity, the interiors, the rituals, and even our own branded botanical products that influence the way the space smells and feels.”

Adamstown proved a natural fit for the first Saunaura, offering a central Newcastle location within easy reach of the city, beaches and major shopping precincts while maintaining the neighbourhood feel Tim was looking for.

And while there are already bigger ambitions for Saunaura, for now the focus is firmly on Adamstown and introducing Newcastle to a new way to sauna, soak, steam and scrub.

Editor’s note: This article was produced independently by the HUNTERhunter editorial team and is not paid or sponsored content.