Winter wellness
with Jessica Eggleston

Sea meets sky along a stretch of shoreline so captivating, it was named Australia’s best beach.

In amongst the gleaming white sand, orange flanked boulders and azure water of the Larapuna / Bay of Fires area on Tasmania’s north-east coast, you’ll find Binalong Bay: home to the understated and luxurious cabin, SABI (formerly known as SABI Stays).

Here, bird call rings out at dawn and the sound of waves lulls guests to sleep. Kookaburras perch outside the window and echidnas wander through the surrounding scrub. During the Off Season, nearby Binalong Bay beach is scant of its summertime crowds. It’s the ideal time to embrace the quietude of SABI.

For Jessica Eggleston, former Melburnian turned host of SABI, Tasmania has become both a home and a haven, particularly during the winter months.

Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, SABI encourages guests to embrace imperfection, simplicity and transience. Step into the space and you might notice what isn’t there, rather than what is. Its pared back minimalism is designed to put guests at ease, offering visitors “a sense of calm,” says Jessica.

The cabin features raw textural elements such as timber shutters, stone walls and linen furnishings, with a roaring woodfire as its centrepiece and two king-size bedrooms accommodating up to four adults.

It is the antithesis of a beachside accommodation.

The rustic, time-worn patina of the space offers a refreshing sense of comfort.

This year, SABI’s three distinctive Off Season offers invite guests to seek wellness and connect more deeply with the wabi-sabi philosophy.

Acknowledging that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to wellness, guests have the choice of a guided shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) experience on nearby trails, an ice-bath plunge overlooking the bush or an indulgent sake tasting; allowing guests to connect with nature, and themselves, this winter.

The holiday that changed it all

Among the melee of parenting young children, renovating a home, moving interstate and finishing a doctorate, Jessica and her husband took a family holiday to Tasmania’s east coast in 2019.

“We actually did a Chevy Chase-inspired Christmas holiday with my husband's family. We had caravans, and the only place that I had on my map that I had to go to was Binalong Bay,” recalls Jessica.

I will go to the ends of the earth to find incredible beaches.

In a move familiar to many holiday goers, the family fell in love with the town and immediately started looking at local real estate. A few days later, the cabin was theirs.

As a forensic psychologist, Jessica’s work is high-pressure, deeply analytical and emotionally consuming. “I’m very much in my head,” says Jessica, “I ended up creating a space that I needed but I didn't realise. I just was led by my own soul.”

What started as a personal antidote to the stress of life is now serving as a refuge for other world-weary travellers.

Winter rituals

Originally planned as a temporary move, Tasmania quickly became home for Jessica and her family.

“The intention was to come for three, maybe four years max, and I think by year two we were sold. We’re not going anywhere; we absolutely love it,” laughs Jessica.

With a few winters under her belt now, she challenges the misconception that winter in Tasmania is dark and wet.

“I think there's a perception, ‘oh, it's winter, there's ominous clouds, there's rain, it's dark, it's gloomy,’ but in actual fact it's some of the stillest and calmest weather that we have all year.”

With the calmer winter weather comes the opportunity to experience apricity (the warmth of the sun, especially in winter) by day, and the sky brimming with constellations by night.

You get to see this plethora of stars – it's mind boggling.

Inside, the rituals of winter take over. Lighting the fire. Pouring a glass of red wine. A board game on the table. “There's a sense of intimacy,” notes Jessica, “we love that time to slow down, reflect, connect with each other and really take a pause.

An experience that guests at SABI are also able to have during their winter stay.

But it’s not all quiet nights in. Winter is also when Jessica and her family set off on road trips and hikes, embracing the wildness of the season.

“Winter for us is the best of both worlds.”