Fifteen years after first dreaming of opening a wellness centre in Port Stephens, Mark and Cherrie McDougall have done it.
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The couple, who run The Oasis at One Mile, officially opened the doors to Wellness Centre Port Stephens on Saturday, October 7.
“It’s surreal,” Mr McDougall said, adding his thanks to the team of people who helped get them to this point.
The idea for a wellness centre came after Mr McDougall’s battle with depression in the early 2000s.
He sought out a health retreat, but said there was nothing in the area to help.
“I went up to a health retreat in Queensland and I said ‘this is what we need to do here’.”
The McDougall’s bought Oasis when it was still known as O’Carrollyns Eco Retreat in 2009 with a view of turning it into a wellness centre.
They partially built the centre’s structure in 2009-2010, but that is as far as they got.
“The global financial crisis, working, a few things got in the road,” Mr McDougall said.
“We finally got to the point a few months ago where it was all systems go and finished the structure.”
The now complete centre, located on the grounds of Oasis, features six treatment rooms, an infrared sauna, flotation tank, yoga room and oxygen bar.
Therapists and practitioners specialising in holistic therapy treatments will offer support and services such as remedial massage, kinesiology, naturopathy, nutrition, Reiki, mindfulness, meditation, hypnotherapy, life coaching, personal training and herbal medicine at the centre.
Yoga, meditation and drumming classes will be available midweek.
Workshops and retreats will also be run on a regular basis.
“Even more than what we provide, it’s the place itself,” Mr McDougall said.
“It’s a really healing, welcoming, tranquil place. You walk around and you just feel good.”
The opening was attended by Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and Mayor Ryan Palmer.
The centre was open for inspection, providers showed the public their services they offer and there were demonstrations.
From Monday, October 9:
Nine years after Mark and Cherrie McDougall bought The Oasis at One Mile, formerly O'Carrollyns Eco Retreat, to turn it into a wellness centre the couple have achieved their dream.
The doors to the Port’s first wellness centre was opened on Saturday, October 7.
The opening ceremony was attended by MP Kate Washington and Mayor Ryan Palmer.
The centre has been developed to provide a tranquil, safe and discrete for people to refresh, recharge and reconnect using natural therapies.
It features pre and post treatment areas, six treatment rooms, an infrared sauna, a floatation tank, a yoga room and an oxygen bar.
Therapists and practitioners specialising in holistic therapy treatments will be available to access at the centre.
More to come.