Paradise isn’t a place- it’s a feeling, and it’s exactly the feeling I left my Sweet Retreat experience at Sugar Beach Ranch with.
 
It’s where time slows down to remember the joy of play, the joy of being nourished by food prepared with passion and love, and the joy of sharing stories of life with other women. A safe space to disarm and reconnect with yourself, and to connect with other women who might also be needing to ‘leave everything back there’ at home - and ‘be fully here’ for just a few days to reset, and go back to the everyday with an extra sway in your hips and spring in your step, stemming from knowing you’ve made space and time to give back to the most important woman in your life- yourself.
 
On offer to bring laughter, deep nourishment, and to reconnect with your sense of play were some things you’d expect on a ‘wellness’ retreat, but also some things you probably wouldn’t which is what made it an even more special and unique retreat.

Sweet Retreats is the creation of the current owner of Sugar Beach Ranch – Stevey Arena – daughter of music maverick and former Manager of INXS Chris Murphy OAM. Following her father’s passing in late 2021 and taking over the property, Stevey decided to open the white gates of the 60 acre rural haven to share the beauty of The Sugar Ranch with others. It’s a destination for those seeking peace and restoration- either through booking to stay on site or attending a women’s Sweet Retreat experience that integrates Equine Therapy with Maxime Willems Therapy and Training drawing on the unique bond between humans and horses to promote physical, emotional, and psychological healing. 



As I drove into the beachfront property after passing through sugar cane farms- windows wound down and ‘Afterglow’ by INXS playing- the first thing I noticed as soon as I was greeted by Stevey’s warm smile, was that despite the size of the Sugar Ranch property you could see and hear the ocean all the way back to where our bell tent accommodation was set up. This made for a very calming and tranquil backdrop to soak up everything that was planned for us.



Day one of the retreat commenced at the property’s Salt Deck surrounded by resident equine therapy horses Oakley, Sensitivo, and Morocco who we quickly learned had their own unique personalities. We were each given polaroid cameras with the invitation to enjoy the luxury of a digital detox before we flowed into a very gentle and grounding yoga flow with Maxime Willems, followed by individual aura readings by owner of Humane Yoga and human potential expert Robyn Saurine.


 
The afternoon finished with a crystal sound bowl serenade to help us melt into a deeply relaxed state ahead of one of the retreat’s windows of ‘free time’ to go and just ‘be’ and enjoy the Sugar Ranch grounds as we pleased- I chose to pull up a seat beside the heated magnesium pool and get lost in the pages of my book listening to mellow beats being played as our evening meal was prepared.


 
As dinner was served in the candle-lit pool cabana, we were introduced to the creative force behind the amazing food we got to indulge in whilst on retreat- Pip’s Plate by Pip Sumback. The love that was injected into every part of our delicious meals crafted with fresh, locally-sourced and foraged ingredients could not only be tasted but also felt. This teamed up with good conversation and laughter shared by women across a table it was the perfect recipe for a deep restorative sleep before day two of retreat.



There’s nothing quite like starting your day with the backdrop of the moon-lit sky before the sun comes up and the sound of the ocean, and that’s exactly the scene we all got to start the next day of the retreat with which included art therapy, equine therapy, and a bonfire ceremony led by Maxime.
 


On the last day of retreat after a sunrise nature walk with bare feet to soak up the benefits of the ancient practice of grounding and a sand scrub down at the beach which for some also involved a ‘pipi dance’ to find fresh pipis, we were taken to the CM Murphy Memorial Forest created to honour the late Chris Murphy OAM. Here we were each able to plant a tree – a symbol of growth and renewal.


 
This was perhaps the perfect metaphor for the true value of a retreat experience like this one- where you leave with a renewed sense of joy feeling nourished on all levels, and a reminder that there is nothing quite like the afterglow that comes from creating time and space to give back to yourself in a way you’re worthy and deserving of.
 
Registrations are now open for remaining 2024 Sweet Retreat experiences. Use the code SWEET15 for 15% off your retreat investment.



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