Peninsula Hot Springs in Australia has become the first Corporate Friend of Mental Health Australia, supporting the peak body in its mission to create the best mental health system in the world.

Mental Health Australia is the charity organisation for the mental health sector in Australia, representing national service providers and advocacy organisations, while also facilitating a voice for local organisations and people who live with mental illness.

Peninsula Hot Springs global and community relationship manager Yuki Davidson said the partnership “signifies the PHS commitment to tangible and active involvement in improving mental health in Australia.”

“This friendship with Mental Health Australia is natural evolution of our wellbeing programme and third stage in PHS growth, where mental and physical wellbeing has been a primary driver to our wellness destination for over 10 years,” she said.

The new relationship also helps Mental Health Australia in its work to encourage businesses to recognise and assist with mental health issues in the workplace.

Peninsula Hot Springs CEO and co-founder Charles Davidson said: “Peninsula Hot Springs welcomes more than 440,000 guests each year seeking relaxation, escape and time out.

Our PHS purpose statement is ‘to create experiences where people relax in nature and connect with the deep well of their being.’ The Mental Health Australia Friendship now signifies our involvement beyond creating the beneficial experiences, to include PHS advocacy, education and research for both mental and physical wellbeing.

“Recent collaborative research with RMIT at PHS has demonstrated that hot springs bathing has a community role; our hot pools are not merely a provider of relaxation and wellbeing,” he continued. “We are increasingly being recognised as a destination for regular therapy of balneology for everything from back pain to depression.

“RMIT research shows us that visitation to PHS has major results for many who report they have stress, anxiety or depression. Among the nearly 4,000 regular visitors surveyed, ‘significant relief’ was reported by 38 per cent of those who said they had depression and 48 per cent of those who said they had stress or anxiety. Over 80 per cent of the total said they had better sleep after visiting PHS.”

Peninsula Hot Springs has also recently announced plans to grow its offerings substantially over the next two years, add overnight accommodations and creating an official hot springs region near its location in Victoria.