Overview
Lorna Jane has long dressed women around the world in feel-good athleisure and polished workout sets. This June, it took wellbeing beyond the wardrobe by unveiling a luxury retreat in the rolling hinterlands of Byron Bay.
The pivot comes at a time when wellness increasingly blurs with luxury. The Australian activewear stalwart has translated its philosophy of women's empowerment into a physical sanctuary for the wellness community — and a very nice one at that.
Founder Lorna Jane Clarkson acquired eco-luxe destination SOMA last year, after it starred alongside Nicole Kidman in Hulu's Nine Perfect Strangers. Now, the 22-acre property hosts seven retreats designed around the wellness conversations of modern women.
"Because when a woman genuinely invests in herself, everything around her changes," Clarkson says. Expert workshops, personalised plans and practical tools that guests can bring back into their daily lives are woven into each retreat.
Explore landscaped forest trails on the grounds for a nervous system reset, accompanied by health talks by psychotherapist Tracy Whitton. If you're trying to build better habits, learn about behavioural change from leading researcher Dr Gina Cleo, or perhaps gain fresh perspective on hormonal vitality from traditional Chinese medicine practitioners Dr Keri Krieger and Aiko Neligan.
Other curated programmes tackle wellness areas such as longevity, active living, grounding practices and even leadership mindsets for high-powered professionals.
Clarkson has reimagined SOMA with a distinctly feminine aesthetic. Guests will stay in ten light-filled suites, while a plethora of wellness activities — meditation and yoga and soon, sound healing with crystal singing bowls — will be held beneath a pair of soaring geodomes.
Communal amenities lean into ritual and rest: sunset watching around a circular fire pit; a zen stone garden designed for contemplation; and quiet laps in a saltwater pool. A bamboo-framed bathhouse houses an infrared four-person sauna and magnesium ice bath, with a separate spa completing the circuit.
You'll get plenty of solitude surrounded by bush, but the 200-year-old fig tree with a hanging seat is an especially scenic spot.
Bookings for the September 2026 retreat season are now open. Head to the SOMA Lorna Jane website for more details.
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Images supplied.