Surprise Aussie city where wellness amenities top the nation

Darwin may be better known for its salties but it has just been named the top city for wellness amenities. Photo: Sean Scott / Tourism NT

An Aussie city better known for snapping handbags than self care has been named the nation’s top locale for wellness.

Spa pool manufacturer Hot Spring Spas Australasia analysed Tripadvisor data based on the number of wellness-focused amenities in each location, including parks, spas, yoga and pilates studios, libraries, and landmarks per 100,000 people.

The cities with the highest final index scores were then ranked to reveal Australia’s best and worst places for wellness.

And in a surprise revelation, Darwin came out on top, scoring a final index score of 82.98 out of 100.

“The Northern Territory capital has 23.09 parks and 24.54 spas per 100,000 people, giving residents the opportunity for both outdoor recreation and relaxation,” the study found.

Darwin came out on top as Australia’s wellness hotspot Photo – Getty Images

Perhaps the fact that you can’t swim anywhere else without the very real fear of coming face-to-face with a murder log (crocodile).

Hot on Darwin’s heels with a score of 82.21 out of 100 was the Sunshine Coast.

“The coastal region has the highest concentration of yoga and pilates studios in the country at 9.09 per 100,000 residents, as well as 40.67 spas per 100,000 people, the second highest in Australia,” the research revealed.

The Sunshine Coast had the highest concentration of yoga and pilates studios in the country

Cairns – another place where stingers and crocs are likely reasons for a home spa or pool – came in third with a score of 80.04 out of 100.

Cairns is home to 45.34 spas per 100,000 residents, which is the highest in the study, and 3.68 yoga and Pilates studios and 11.03 parks per 100,000 people,” the study found.

Trinity Beach in Cairns was recently closed due to a saltie sighting Picture: Tom Volling

Hobart – where 22.7 degrees is a heatwave – came in fourth place with a score of 73.36, followed by the Gold Coast (73.21).

“Hobart stands out with 16.27 parks per 100,000 residents, the second-highest figure in the study, while the Gold Coast offers an impressive 26.50 spas per 100,000 people,” it said.

Snow on Kunanyi/Mount Wellington. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Rounding out the top 10 cities for wellness were Toowoomba (59.08), Canberra (55.20), Townsville (51.99), Brisbane (51.40) and Geelong (43.56).

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Source: Australia’s wellness hotspots. Source: Hot Spring Spas Australasia

In contrast, the NSW Central Coast received the lowest final index score of 22.30 out of 100. “Central Coast is home to 2.28 parks and 3.42 spas per 100,000 residents, which equates to only eight parks and 12 spas in total,” the report said.

“Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, ranks second worst, with a score of 26.24 out of 100.

“The Victorian capital offers just 2.78 parks and 4.38 spas per 100,000 residents, as well as the second-lowest concentration of yoga and pilates studios at 0.17 per 100,000 people.

“In third place, with a final index score of 28.05 out of 100, is Sydney.

“While the harbour city has a total of 121 parks and 322 spas, its large population means this averages 2.35 parks and 6.26 spas per 100,000 residents.

“Adelaide and Newcastle complete the bottom five, with final index scores of 29.88 and 32.93 out of 100, respectively.

“Adelaide has just 3.38 spas per 100,000 residents, while Newcastle offers a slightly better 5.80 spas per 100,000 people.”

Sydney was one of the least wellness-focussed cities.

Rounding out the worst places according to the index were Newcastle (32.93), Woollongong (35.58) and Perth (36.25).

Source: Hot Spring Spas Australasia

Hot Spring Spas Australasia general manager Aaron Sampson said access to amenities, such as outside space and leisure facilities, positively impacted an individual’s mental health, according to research by the Heart Foundation.

“As such, this study might encourage Australians to consider how location can improve wellness,” Sampson said.

“From this research, it’s clear that smaller regional cities often provide better access to wellness amenities.

“Residents in Darwin, for example, have access to nearly ten times as many parks per capita as those living in Sydney.

“Australia’s largest cities may need to invest more in wellness infrastructure to keep up with population growth.

“While major metropolitan areas like Sydney and Melbourne have more wellness facilities, their massive populations mean residents face greater competition for access.”

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