By HTE Founder, Erin Hughes
It’s mid-morning in Torquay when I sit down to chat with one of the women behind About Time Bathhouse, Emily Curnow. She’s holding her 12-week-old baby in one arm while sipping a coffee with the other. Somewhere between a mid-answer nappy change and a laugh about the sheer chaos of it all, it hits me – this is exactly the kind of woman who gets it. The juggle. The push to do something meaningful while still doing everything else. The need for space, for stillness, for breath. And that’s exactly what About Time offers.
Launched December 2024, About Time Bathhouse is a beautifully curated wellness sanctuary nestled on Victoria’s Surf Coast. And although it’s only been open a short time, it’s already become a space the local community is not only loving, but craving.
“The idea was born back in 2019,” Emily explains. “We knew there was a gap on the coast for something more than a massage studio. We wanted to create a full sensory wellness experience, something that felt intentional, beautiful, and gave people the space to disconnect in a real way.”
Opening something this ambitious right in the middle of the festive season was no easy feat. Think sauna installations, cold plunge coordination, treatment room fit-outs… all while locals were doing their Christmas grocery runs and Emily was wrangling her growing family. “It was wild,” she laughs, “but the response has been incredible. The community has really embraced us.”
“The space itself is quite large, and maintaining high standards while still learning and adjusting has been a challenge,” says Emily. Not to mention the seasonal shifts in demand and the need to forecast everything on the fly as a brand-new offering. But, she says, the reception from the community made all the chaos worthwhile.
The Surf Coast proved the perfect setting for About Time. “The coast offers an incredibly connected and healthy lifestyle. People are grounded, outdoorsy, and open to wellness in all forms,” Emily explains. And that ethos is reflected in the guests who now frequent the space. Some come to recover after long runs, others to rest and recharge. The treatments are tailored, the rituals thoughtfully crafted, and the experience designed to meet you exactly where you’re at.
Their mission is simple, but deeply felt: to give people a true opportunity to disconnect and be present. “It’s about creating moments of pause in everyday life,” says Emily. And it’s clearly resonating. From the moment you step through the doors, everything at About Time invites you to exhale. From the cedar sauna infused with eucalyptus, to the bathing rituals that stimulate the senses, to the deeply considered massage and facial offerings, the space delivers on its promise. It’s clear it’s not just a spa, it’s a lifestyle hub. A reset button.
Among the standout offerings? Emily names their tailored skin and massage treatments, the bathing circuit, and the cedar sauna as personal favourites. And when it comes to timing your visit, it’s all about intention. “Morning is great for physical recovery; evenings are better for relaxation and better sleep,” she says. Women are also encouraged to tune in to their cycles and stages of life when choosing how and when to experience the space.
For first-time guests, the About Time team suggests starting with either the full bathing experience or a tailored treatment. “It depends on your goals for the visit,” Emily explains, noting that the team is there to help guide and personalise each journey.
Though still in its early days, About Time has big plans for the future. Expansion of LED and skin treatments is on the horizon, along with the introduction of breathwork, meditation, themed events, and women’s health-focused rituals. “We’re passionate about education,” Emily says. “We want to help people understand their bodies and how to support them through different stages of life.”
Whether you’re there for recovery, reconnection, or pure rest, About Time Bathhouse offers something more than just a wellness treatment. It offers a moment. A moment to be present. A moment to tune in. A moment to make time, just for you. Because as their name gently reminds us, it’s About Time we do.
