The Art of Rest — Northern NSW

2 nights / 3 days — Carool, NSW. Australia
31 October to 2 November 2026


Twenty minutes from Coolangatta airport the city starts to disappear.

Not all at once. Gradually. The roads narrow. The trees get taller. The valley opens up on either side and something in you quietly lets go before you have even arrived.

When the property gates open you know you are somewhere different.

From here you can see the ocean in the distance and the valley in between. Layers of birdsong. Fresh air that actually smells like something. Green so deep it feels like it is doing something to your nervous system before the retreat has even begun.

This is not a place you explore. Everything you need is already here. That is the whole point.

Three days. Two nights. A small group of women. No agenda except to actually stop.

This retreat is for the woman who has been meaning to do something for herself for months. Who keeps saying soon.

Over three days you will move through every type of rest your body has been quietly skipping. Physical rest where the body finally stops bracing. Sensory rest where the noise and the screens and the decisions fall away. Mental rest where the mind finds somewhere soft to land. Emotional rest where you can simply be without holding anything together. Social rest with women who get it without needing it explained. Creative rest where your hands do something your mind cannot. And spiritual rest where you remember who you are underneath everything you are managing.

You leave with real tools. Not just a beautiful memory. Something that actually travels home with you.

Day One — Arrive
Exhale. You are here.

You arrive and the gates open and you are already somewhere else.

Welcome drinks. A long slow lunch together with nowhere to be and nothing to achieve. The afternoon is yours entirely. Time by the pool. A soak in the heated spa as the light shifts gold over the valley. Unlimited fruit, teas and supplements to sip on whenever you want them.

As the evening arrives we gather for a guided breathwork session. Then something creative and slow to bring you into your body and out of your head.

Dinner together as the valley darkens. And then the moment the whole day has been building toward. You float under the stars while sound moves through the water and through you. The birds have gone quiet. The fire burns nearby. The nervous system drops somewhere it has not been in a long time.

Sleep comes easily tonight.

Day Two — soften
Going deeper than the surface.

Sunrise over the valley and the ocean in the distance. There is nothing quite like it.

The morning opens with a slow tea ceremony. Breakfast together. Then somatic fascia movement, gentle and slow, designed to release what the body has been holding without pushing it anywhere.

A long slow lunch together as the afternoon settles in.

Then unstructured time. Nap in the sun. Soak in the spa. Wander. Lie down. No agenda. This is the kind of afternoon most of us never allow ourselves.

Then pasta making together. Hands in flour. No screens. The group, the kitchen and the satisfaction of making something from scratch.

A slow dinner together. And then out into the night for a fire sound bath. Himalayan bowls placed on the body while the fire crackles and the valley breathes around you. The vibration does what words cannot.

Sleep comes even more easily tonight.

Day Three — cARRY HOME
Leaving differently than you arrive.

Cacao by the fire to open the final morning. Warm and ceremonial and slow.

On body vibrational sound massage with Himalayan bowls placed directly on you. A final deep session before you return to the world. The kind of stillness that stays with you on the way home.

Breath and sound to integrate everything that has moved through these three days. A slow breakfast. The group coming together one last time not to wrap things up or achieve anything. Just to sit with what has shifted.

You leave with a toolkit of simple practices for the moments when life gets loud again. For the 3am moments. For the Sunday evenings when the week ahead feels impossible. For the ordinary days when you need to find your way back to yourself.

Depart by 10am.

Please note that this is guide and we may need to moving activities around depending on weather.

"I don't even know where to start. What Zara created was something I didn't know I needed until I was in it.

I've been back home for a while now and I'm still using what I learnt. The practices have quietly become part of my everyday. That doesn't happen after most experiences.

My only wish was that it was longer.

The attention to detail, the pace, the way the whole retreat was held, it was clear that every single element was considered. I felt genuinely cared for from the moment I arrived."

Alexia - Guest from The Art of Rest Retreat 2025

“I was going through a rough time and was under a lot of stress before attending the retreat with Zara. the retreat was out of this world! zara is sweet and considered all details. it was such a sensory experience. the moment i arrived i felt rested, the space was architecturally incredible, the food was so nourishing, everything was gentle, the movement, the breath, the sound baths from floating to vibrating on our bodies. the gift bag.. gosh where do i stop?
honestly if you want to fill your cup then this is the place to do it. highly recommend mellow habits retreats”

Steph - Guest from The Art of Rest Retreat 2025

Who It’s For

Women who are tired in a way that a weekend away stopped fixing.

Who do not need to fly overseas to feel like they have truly escaped.

Who want to be in nature without having to explore it.

Who are ready to be taken care of for three days without having to organise a single thing.

Who want genuine connection with women who just get it.

This is a very small group by design. Depth requires intimacy. This exact group of women will never exist again.

You do not need to know anyone before you arrive. By the time you leave you will know people who understand exactly what you were carrying when you walked through the door.

No experience with sound, breathwork or movement required. Everything is gentle, guided and optional.

what’s included

3 days 2 nights accommodation in a private property in Carool Northern NSW

Most rooms feature a private marble ensuite

Welcome drinks on arrival
All meals throughout, breakfast, lunch and dinner
Unlimited fruit, teas and supplements throughout

Cacao ceremony by the fire
Tea ceremony
Guided breathwork sessions
Somatic fascia movement
Floating sound bath under the stars
On body vibrational sound massage using Himalayan singing bowls
Sound bath in nature
Creative activity
Pasta/gnocchi making experience
Heated outdoor spa
Sauna and ice bath
Pool access
Pickleball court

Curated gifts from our favourite wellness brands
Practical toolkit for physical, sensory, mental, emotional, creative and spiritual rest
Downtime and unstructured rest throughout
Integration and closing circle

Your only role is to arrive.

Arrive Saturday 31 October from 12pm, depart Monday 2 November by 10am

THE SETTING

Carool, Northern NSW. Twenty minutes from Coolangatta airport. Fifty minutes from Byron Bay. One hour from Brisbane.

As you drive in the city falls away. The trees get taller. The valley opens up on either side. When the property gates open you know you have arrived somewhere worth being.

From the property you can see the ocean in the distance and the valley in between. Layers of birdsong. Fresh air. Deep green in every direction.

There is no need to venture outside the property. Everything you need is already here. A heated outdoor spa. Sauna. Ice bath. Pool. Pickleball court. Beautiful rooms most with private marble ensuites. Unlimited fruit, teas and supplements whenever you want them.

This is a place designed for one thing. Rest.

“This was one of the most grounding, restful days I’ve had in my entire life. Zara led us through several movements of rest, and from the moment we stepped foot in the house, my nervous system felt safe to just be.
I can’t wait to come back again soon, and would highly recommend anyone who needs a break from the everyday rush of life, to spend a day with Zara and have your cup filled.”

Shauna - Guest from The Art of Rest Retreat 2025

About Your Host

This residency is guided by Zara, the founder of Mellow Habits.

I created The Art of Rest because I needed it and could not find it anywhere.

During the Melbourne lockdowns I was working full time from my apartment. I had a view of the ocean from my window. And still I felt completely trapped. My mind was racing, a constant whirlwind I could not slow down. Physically I felt stuck in a way I could not think or meditate my way out of.

So I started exploring differently.

I would lie down, place a Himalayan singing bowl on my body and play it. I would breathe to the sound. And something shifted. Not in my mind first. In my body. The vibration reached somewhere that words and rational practice simply could not access.

That experience became the foundation of everything I now create.

Rest is not one thing. And for most of us the missing piece is not more effort or more discipline. It is an environment that finally gives the body permission to let go.

That is what these three days are.

I hope to welcome you there.

With love and calm,
Zara

Sign up

Add your details below and we will be in touch personally with next steps. Please hold off booking flights until we confirm your spot. We cannot wait to welcome you.

details

TravEL

Coolangatta Airport is approximately twenty minutes from the property. Guests arrange their own flights to Coolangatta. Travel insurance is strongly recommended. Please wait for written confirmation before booking flights.

Cancellation and Transfers

Cancellations more than 30 days before the residency are refundable minus the deposit. Cancellations within 30 days are non refundable. You may transfer your place to another guest at no penalty.

Exclusivity
This residency is limited to a very small group of women to preserve depth, spaciousness and personalised care.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes. Most women who come to Mellow Habits retreats have never done a sound bath, a breathwork session or a somatic movement class before. Everything is guided, gentle and completely optional. You do not need any experience. You just need to arrive.

  • This residency is designed for solo travellers. Most guests come alone. The small group size means connection happens naturally and without effort. By day two you will not feel like strangers.

  • Mornings begin slowly — gentle movement or breathwork, a nourishing breakfast, time by the pool or in nature. Afternoons include sound sessions, somatic work or tea ceremony. Evenings are designed for rest and integration. There is structure but there is always space. Nothing is rushed and nothing is mandatory.

  • Intentionally a lot. Long lunches. Afternoons with nowhere to be. Time to read, swim, walk or simply sit. The unstructured time is not empty — it is where the deepest rest happens.

  • We hear this often. The women who hesitate the longest are usually the ones who need it most. This is not an indulgence. It is three days of deliberate investment in your nervous system, your sleep and your capacity to show up for everything and everyone in your life. You will leave not just rested but more resilient. More able. More yourself. Most guests describe it as the best money they have ever spent on themselves. Not because of what they experienced while they were there. But because of how differently they moved through life when they came home.

  • We will send you an email with all the details but to get you started pack light, loose, comfortable clothing you can move and rest in. A light layer for evenings. Swimwear for the pool. We recommend leaving your laptop at home.

  • Cancellations more than 30 days before the residency are refundable minus the 30% deposit. Cancellations within 30 days are non-refundable due to villa and supplier commitments. You are welcome to transfer your place to another guest at no penalty.

  • The best way is to get in touch directly at rest@mellowhabits.com. We will confirm availability and send you everything you need to know to make your decision.

  • Absolutely. If you would like to talk through the retreat before committing Zara is available for a short call to answer any questions and help you decide if this is the right fit for you.

    Send an email to rest@mellowhabits.com with the subject line Retreat Call and we will find a time that works.