Bolster your mental health during the slow season by embracing the outdoors and taking advantage of nature’s mood-boosting benefits.
Winter is the most yin of seasons. The cooler temperatures and shorter days encourage many of us to retreat from the elements and hunker down indoors. This physical change in gears is often accompanied by a parallel mental shift – away from the externally oriented arena of noise, motion, and activity, and towards a more introspective space that values stillness, silence, and the conservation of energy.
Yet there are sound reasons to resist the call to hibernate. Staying connected to the great outdoors can bolster mental health, reducing the risk of ‘winter blues’. In comparison to countries that have little sunlight in winter, seasonal
affective disorder, a type of depression, is rare in Australia and New Zealand. Nevertheless, people report feeling flat and lethargic at this time of year. If you’re feeling the sap, you might just find that the slow season is the perfect time to forge a deeper bond with nature – benefitting both body and mind. Read on for all the inspiration you’ll need.
Hiking
Winter is the ideal season for hiking. During the cooler months, there is less rain and fewer encounters with leeches and mosquitoes. The Snowy Mountains or Blue Mountains in New South Wales off er trails leading past lakes, ravines, and rocky outcrops. Research suggests that hikers see physical activity as incidental to other goals, such as sightseeing or socialising, which means that simply strolling around your neighbourhood, or meeting up with a friend in a local park, can be good for you too.
Whale watching
Above: Whale Watching, Western Australia; Cooloola Berries, Queensland.
Whales are associated with compassion, solitude, and creativity. Perhaps that explains all the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ that occur on whale-watching boats as people observe these giants of the deep breaching the ocean’s surface during their annual migration north. Around the start of winter, humpback, southern right, and rare blue whales make their way along Western Australia’s coastline, leaving the cool southern oceans behind in search of warmer breeding grounds off the north Kimberley coast. There are many prime spots to witness this miracle of nature, including Ningaloo Reef, Broome, and even Margaret River – for those who can’t resist a glass of wine in hand.
Gardening
From snowdrops to paper daisies, winter blooms brighten the gloomiest of days. Manual labour like digging and weeding supports heart health, while many studies reveal gardening reduces anxiety, tension, confusion, and fatigue.
Community gardening, where folks share soil, space, and supplies, can also strengthen social bonds. Plus, just a few window-box herbs can make your kitchen more self-sufficient. Honing your green thumb during winter means both you and your plants are less likely to wilt.
Hot springs
Above: Peninsula Hot Springs, Victoria.
Soaking in a hot tub soothes tired muscles – and natural thermal springs like Maruia Hot Springs on New Zealand’s South Island or Victoria’s Peninsula Hot Springs make for a divine al fresco experience when the mercury is lower. Public bathing builds relaxation, social connection, and body positivity, and also helps prevent cardiovascular disease according to a study published in The BMJ in 2020.
Other research has identified antidepressant effects and a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. A review even found that regular sauna or hot tub bathing had comparable health benefits to that of low to moderate intensity aerobic exercise, such as walking, or cycling.
“Winter gives the silence we need to listen.” – Terri Guillemets
Sun seeking
Above: Noosa, Sunshine Coast.
Of course, it’s still possible to indulge your inner sunseeker during winter. Queensland’s Sunshine Coast harbours pristine beaches and lush subtropical rainforests complete with winter daytime temperatures regularly above 20 degrees. This region has topped the Tourism Sentiment Index, which taps 1.8 billion online conversations and content pieces to establish what people really feel about a destination. You might consider getting out into the fields to pick strawberries, or sink into a hot tub or cold plunge pool at the Tank Bathhouse at Mooloolaba.
Snow adventure
From June, New Zealand’s alpine landscapes begin to resemble a giant snow dome. Amid this winter wonderland, snow-hopping seems the only sensible thing to do. The list of snow-themed pursuits is many and varied, ranging from skiing, snowboarding, and tobogganing through to snowshoeing and snowmobiling.
There’s also growing demand in the land of the long white cloud for heli-hiking or heli-skiing, where chopper drops to more remote locations amplify the sense of adventure. Once sated, you can warm up in one of the many Queenstown accommodation options, such as Kamana Lakehouse with its luxurious rooms that offer outdoor soaking tubs with views out over Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables mountain range.
Stargazing
Above: Stargazing The Milky Way, Queensland.
Winter’s crisp nights and cloud-free skies are ideal for a bit of stargazing. All you need is a blanket, a pillow, and a comfortable spot in the backyard – though a pair of binoculars or telescope are de rigueur for serious stargazers. If you are keen, you can minimise the effects of harsh city lights by escaping to rural or remote areas. In 2019, the Queensland town of Winton became Australia’s first Dark Sky Sanctuary due to its low humidity and low light pollution.
Aurora magic
Each year, people troop towards the Arctic Circle to view the northern lights, an astronomical phenomenon that turns the night sky into bright, technicoloured bands. But there are just as many opportunities for aurora spotting in the southern hemisphere, particularly during winter.
The trick to seeing the Aurora Australis is to set up in the south, says Tourism Tasmania. Like all good things, the southern lights are ephemeral, says Margaret Sonnemann, who moderates the popular Aurora Australis Tasmania Facebook page. “It’s constantly changing and shifting,” she says. “We never know how long it will last.” Warm up afterwards at The Tasman in Hobart, which boasts galleries, museums, and whisky bars on its doorstep.
WORDS: Denise Cullen
This article was originally published under the title Wild Your Winter in Issue 40 – A Little Abundance. You can purchase previous issues and enjoy more enchanting content here.
