The Health Retreat - Kiels Mountain, Queensland

Matthew O.

My experiences at The Health Retreat has been life-changing. From the first time I arrived I felt supported, safe, and cared for. The staff are not only professional and knowledgeable, but also deeply compassionate—going above and beyond.

I’ve stayed at The Retreat a number of times now, and I can honestly say it has saved and transformed my life in ways I never thought possible. I came seeking recovery from addiction and support with my mental health, and what I found was so much more than just a rehabilitation program—it was healing on every level.

The environment is peaceful and surrounded by nature it helped me reconnect mind, body, and spirit.

The holistic approach, mindfulness practices, grounding, therapeutic activities, right nutrition, having my bodys minerals balanced any many other things they did  helped realign with my true self and break free from old patterns.

The team listen, support, and guide without judgment.
Each time I’ve returned, I’ve felt welcomed with open arms. It wasn't just about treating the symptoms—it was about getting to the root cause, rebuilding from the inside out, and reconnecting with who i truly am.
The Health Retreat is more than a rehab to me—it’s a place of transformation. I’ll forever be grateful.

I can't thank Francis, Carol & the team enough.

Matthew Osborne

Tania T.

My best friend went to the retreat in a particularly fragile state. She had so much to process and address including DV, addiction and others. This place, without a doubt saved her life.
I attended a two day seminar on stress, depression and anxiety over a two day period with this same friend ( who 14 months later- is still utilising the skills she learnt).
I honestly did not have any expectations for the weekend, at best I thought it would get the family off my back for a while, I did not expect to have so many profound pieces of information join together to create those ' light bulb moments'.
Each of the guests there had only positive feedback ( which were out of earshot of staff). After 2 days I feel so much better equipped to deal with life. I am sure I will go back, even if for just a week because the content made sense. I am sick of being told what to do without the why or because behind it. The presenter, was AMAZING! Personal experience and his delivery was so impressive. It was so easy to open up in this environment because I felt safe and at ease ( which is rare for me). I ate the food and soaked up the serene environment - it's energising.
Thankyou for allowing me to join in on the weekend, it had already changed my perspective and I am confident that I have the skills to change my patterns and life.
Blessings to you all
Regards, Tania

Lisa M.

I first went to The Health Retreat in 2021 after trying several private hospitals. I was not coping with life, my depression and anxiety were crippling and I used alcohol everyday to just to escape my own feelings and the constant noise in my head. I was barely existing, let alone able to be a wife and mum.
I was so scared driving up to that driveway. I need not have been. The kindness and empathy I was shown the moment I stepped into reception did not waiver for my entire 28 night stay.
I cannot emphasise enough how life changing this place is.
From the councillors to the seminar facilitators to the hosts to the chefs - I was shown nothing but kindness and understanding.
I was given a new perspective on how I look at myself and my beliefs. The Health Retreat helped me see something I never knew I had - self worth.
The program focuses on mind and body and the person I was when I left was so very different to the hollow, ashamed, scared of life person I was when I arrived.
I left with a tool kit that worked for me and a new found love for being alive and for believing in myself.

In December 2024, after several large life events I unfortunately listened to my negative self talk and I relapsed, badly.
After 2 weeks of hell I knew what I needed to do. I called The Health Retreat on a Monday and they had me there on the Wednesday. I was embarrassed and ashamed and my self doubt had returned. Again I received nothing but kindness and understanding. Actually more than that I was commended for having the courage to put my hand back up to ask for help.
As the owner said to me, it is not about how many times you fall down, it is about how many times you pick yourself back up.
My embarrassment vanished and I knew I was where I needed and wanted to be.
Not only did my second stay reinforce every thing I had learnt 3 years before, it taught me so much more.
We are so quick to criticise ourselves and to fall into the incorrect belief we are not enough. We are!
I had to spent Christmas away from my 3 beautiful children, which was so very hard. Again, the entire staff were amazing and it was a beautiful Christmas.

Life can be hard, situations can be unwanted and people say and do things we feel we can’t cope with. Believe me when I say we can!

I choose how I speak to myself and I choose not to allow others words and situations to determine who I am and what I’m worth.
I never thought this possible.
The Health Retreat helped me to love myself for just being me. Sounds so simple, but it’s life changing.
Even after leaving the staff are only ever a phone call away and I have been to a number of day seminars since I have been home, thanks to their amazing open door day seminars for prior guests.

If you are struggling with any mental health issue or any addiction I cannot recommend this Retreat highly enough.
I found the little girl in me who had been lost for so long, and I found the woman I am today - grateful for life, grateful for myself and fully worthy every moment of everyday.

Thank you so very much Francis, Carol, Clint, Hudson and the entire Health Retreat Team!

I will be forever grateful you helped me find me xxx

Allanah F.

This place changed my life. All of the staff go above and beyond to transform your life, no matter how dark of a hole you are in. There is nowhere else like it. All other rehabilitation facilities cannot compare to The Health Retreat. I owe these people my life.

MIKIKO M.

Honestly, I can’t say that staying the health retreat was life changing experience.

I can not believe how much I have learnt and grown such a short period time.

I felt safe and welcoming as soon as I arrived here, peaceful location, clean accommodation, delicious food, supportive team and the program is truly amazing.

I have learnt the new tools and the new way of thinking, now I have the skills to change my old patterns and life.

I can not thank enough to Francis, Carol and the team for all the support.

Paige R.

So much more than a normal rehab that detoxes& dumps you. Can honestly say staying here was the best thing that’s ever happened to me! Everything is lush from the grounds to the rooms to the food. Every staff member is so kind and caring and genuinely passionate about what they do from the chefs to the counsellors and everyone in between. They really go above and beyond even providing one on one sessions with councellors, naturopaths, doctors, hosts, body composition analysts all included in your stay. A program that’s built to work tackling the “why” behind the addiction not just the addiction itself and offering after stay support (free day visits if you’ve fell off track or want a revision, support calls etc). Did a lot of heavy inner work here that helped me understand why I do what I do so that I can change my behaviours and habits to more positive ones. Couldn’t recommend more highly for anyone struggling with substance abuse, depression and/ or anxiety. Phenomenal stuff is achieved here that I will take with me for a lifetime

Sam

Walking into the retreat, I was completely lost. I was broken from addiction, stuck in a dark place, and I couldn’t see a way out. But this place gave me a second chance. The staff actually cared and helped me see that the way I was living life was not putting me in the right direction.
It wasn’t easy, but I found structure, discipline, and a whole new mindset. This place helped me find a version of me I never knew and it helped me become someone I’m proud of.
I’m clean now, focused on positive energy and living with purpose. If you’re ready to change your life, this is where it can happen. I’ll always be grateful.

Sarah B.

Ask a wife of 28 years, a mother of 3 young children, a witness to the challenges of her husbands military service, and witness to him languishing in chronic pain and mental health decline over years without relief; where she'd recommend to go to save him....

It won't be the psyche ward, or the private rehab clinic that puts you on a bus to go to AA meetings.

It won't be the gravy train 1 hour psychologist appointments that you wait months to get into, CBT their primary focus with a touch of mindfulness for good measure....

It won't be the medication prescriptions by psychiatrists that put this man into a waking coma for weeks at a time...'just while you get used to it'....then try another one on him at tge next visit.

It won't be the opiates to relieve the back pain...'it'll help, as long as you don't get addicted'. Or the years of him curling up on a couch in withdrawals while the kids beg for an inch of his love....and he knows he has a mile of it to give.

Nor will it be the booze that somehow helps 'em feel normal for an hour when he can get an hour of solid sleep in any month of the year.

Finding The Health Retreat CHANGED it all in 2 weeks, the biggest step was getting him to go.

That was 5 years ago. Thankyou 💞

If you need help for you or someone you love, make this choice today.