Given the rate of everyday stresses that the fast-paced modern world presents, it's no surprise

Oddly enough, the further I embarked on my quest to find unique wellness retreats, the more wound up I got. Who would watch the kids while I was away? How would I find time to manage workflow? How could I justify the cost? Would my airline points still be valid, did I even bloody have any after years spent stationary at home? What if there wasn’t mobile reception where I went and the world as I knew it imploded?

These (both relevant and far-fetched) questions hung over my head I began dreading arranging anything.

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And then it struck me, in a somewhat embarrassing manner, that this wasn’t just a story to research.

Oh, no – it went much deeper than that.

It seemed a wellness retreat was precisely and obviously what Ineededto experience – and soon.

Here are what I found to be the best spots in Australia to turn up, tune in and chill out.

Crystalbrook Byron, Byron Bay, NSW

Byron Bay is regarded as one of Australia's premier wellness destinations for good reason. The entire region promotes the benefits of positive living, from nutritious meals to healing treatments and more.

I checked into the Crystalbrook Byron and immediately exhaled when I stepped into my rainforest suite, which was was exactly that – a beautiful room in a natural forest setting complete with birdsong echoing through a canopy of dense native trees.

Yep, this place sounded like a relaxation app in real life.

I planned to unpack and step out for poolside canapes but when I laid down to test the bed, it turns out I slept until sunset, inadvertently indulging in 'forest bathing'. I woke from my slumber, not recharged but certainly relaxed. Dinner under the stars was a delight – a farm-to-plate style dish followed by cheese and a little wine.

The next morning, I slept in and missed the yoga session but was right on time for my spa appointment at Eleme. Their high-tech infrared sauna balanced my chakras with a colour-coding mechanism and then my Japanese spa therapist's expert hands transported me to a magical place of surrender and rest.

100 per cent would recommend.

Tip: Crystalbrook Byron Bay is ideal for solo travel and for a group of friends. I noted a few cool crews of women in luxury-retreat mode (complete with cocktails) by the pool. Book in for a transformative mini two-night sustainable wellness retreat and tailor the inclusions to match your needs.

Elysian Luxury Eco Island Retreat, Whitsundays, QLD

I almost didn't make it to this one (and by the time I did, Ireallyneeded it). First, there were major weather travel delays from my home in regional NSW. Then a conflict in the kid’s sporting schedules; next a colleague took sick. Finally, the dog needed an emergency trip to the vet.

Fortunately, the team at Elysian Luxury Eco Island Retreat understood my predicaments and serenely set about accommodating me on a suitable date. And it was worth the wait! Elysian has a dreamy, secluded location on Long Island in the Whitsundays, where the rainforest quite literally meets the reef. There are only 16 rooms here, all absolute beachfront, a legit toes-in-the-sand-and-fringing-coral-reefs-on-the-horizon scene.

I admit, I was semi-fretting when I arrived to discover the limited reception, but in hindsight, this turned out to be a blessing.

Elysian is an all-inclusive retreat, which means you can expect three gourmet meals expertly prepared by their executive chef. Ingredients are sourced from the island’s surroundings, and by the time I took my first bite of lunch (a fillet of fresh pan-seared Red Emperor – a local reef fish – and a zesty salad, chased by a refreshing glass of bubbles), I’d accepted my lack of digital connection and embraced a getting-back-to-nature ethos.

Okay, I exaggerate – I actually curled up in a hammock by the pool with a book and watched the other guests trek off on a rainforest adventure. More rest was definitely what I needed.

Ultimately, a stay at Elysian is a do-as-little-or-as-much-as-you-like vibe and though I mostly took it easy, on some days I was inclined to go for a 'yoga, kayak, spa treatment, feast and repeat' itinerary.

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