There’s a certain kind of stillness that you only find among a rainforest.
It isn’t always quiet, birds chirping, wind blowing between the trees and time slowing down. That’s the kind of feeling that SOL Elements was built around.
Tucked away on the edge of a lake in the heart of Tamborine Mountain, this new elemental bathhouse is one of those places that’s hard to describe without using words like “sanctuary” or “ritual”, not because it’s trying to be spiritual, but because that’s simply how it feels when you are there.
Led by husband and wife duo Russell and Shae Raven, Sol Elements has been four years in the making. Moving here after being burnt out in Los Angeles, where they were both working in production, juggling the chaos of big-city schedules and deadlines, when they realised they wanted a slower, more grounded way of living. Something that felt nourishing instead of draining. “We were craving stillness,” says Shae. “And when we arrived here it felt like the land itself was telling us to slow down and build something meaningful.”
The Story Behind the Bathhouse
Their past travels played a big role in shaping the vision of SOL. Time spent soaking in Japanese onsens, wandering through European bathhouses and exploring traditional healing practices all fed into the idea that eventually became SOL – A space where modern wellness meets ancient elemental rituals. Not flashy or fussy, just deeply considered and beautifully finished.
From the moment you arrive, the circular structure floats gently above the lake, designed to blend rather than stand out. Its exterior is wrapped in hand-charred Yakisugi cladding, which Russell spent seven weeks burning by hand after learning the technique in Japan. This maintains a rich and imperfect texture with no two boards being the same.
Inside, the space is grounded in sacred geometry, with a 16-sided layout that feels more like entering a quiet temple than a day spa. Light moves softly through the rooms. Everything smells like timber, salt and earth.
Designed with Soul
Every detail at SOL Elements has been chosen with care. The design leans heavily into Wabi-Sabi, the Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection and honouring the natural cycle of transformation. It’s not just an aesthetic choice, it’s a way of being that runs through the entire space.
In the Earth Lab, a four-meter long slab of raw ironbark anchors the ritual of preparing scrubs. Its bark is rough and weathered, unapologetically imperfect and left exactly as it was found. It stands beneath a living wall of plants, where guests pause to mix native botanicals in hand-carved bowls before entering the bathhouse. “It’s not about being polished or perfect,” the duo says. “It’s about being real. The textures, the materials and the rituals themselves, they’re all meant to help you come back to yourself.”
The result is a space that doesn’t try to impress, it simply invites you to be. It asks nothing, but somehow gives you everything. And in that softness and simplicity, you begin to remember how it feels to truly slow down.
The bathhouse caps guest numbers at just 30 people at a time, so even on a full day, it never feels crowded. If you’re looking for something more private, SOL also offers two suits, each with its own mineral soaking tub, indoor sauna, ice bath and views out over the lake. The in-room mini bars are stocked with ceremonial teas and other indulgences.
Elemental Services
SOL’s offering is structured around the four classical elements of earth, air, fire and water, inviting you into a deeply sensory experience through a range of thoughtfully designed spaces. The Elemental Bathhouse is a communal journey through water, heat, and ritual, where there are no rigid protocols, just an open invitation to wander.
You might find yourself moving between mineral thermal pools, breathing deeply in a Himalayan salt room, awakening in a cold plunge, or pausing in the Earth Lab to create your own botanical body scrub using native botanicals and hand-carved vessels.
The Float Caves are designed to deliver weightless stillness and clarity. In these warm, salt-infused pools, matched to your body’s own temperature, you drift effortlessly, allowing muscles to release and the mind to slow, often entering a dreamlike, theta-wave state.
And to ground all of it, there are Massage & Treatment Rituals: slow, alchemy-infused offerings that blend ancient healing with modern therapeutic practices. From bioenergetic massages and hot stone sound journeys to gemstone facials and chakra-balancing hair treatments, each is designed to restore body, mind and energy with care.
Wellness Without Hype
While you are welcome to self-guide your experience, there are also Alchemy Rituals on offer. Long, slow treatments that combine bodywork, energy healing and elemental therapies. They’re tailored, intuitive and designed for deep restoration. “This wasn’t just a business for us,” Shae explains. “It was a personal journey, one filled with challenges, learnings and a whole lot of trust in the process. Everything here has been created with intention.”
The words the couple speak show at SOL Elements. It doesn’t feel like a trend or a branded wellness movement, it feels like a place built by people who genuinely care about the land, the community and the people who pass through its doors.
SOL Elements is now open at Cedar Creek Falls Rd & Tamborine Mountain Rd, Tamborine Mountain.
For bookings visit solelements.com.au
