Rookie health retreat takes on Australia’s wellness industry – and wins big

A boutique health retreat in the hinterland has taken out a national award after just 18 months in business, cementing its place as one of Australia’s most talked-about names in holistic health.

Hinterland Health Retreat inMontville has been named the 2026 Australian Small Business Champion Award Winner for Health Improvement Services. This follows an extraordinary first chapter that has already seen the retreat recognised by Body+Soul as one of the “World’s 10 Hottest Health Retreats” in its first 12 months.

For founder Jackie Durnin, the win is deeply personal. The retreat was born from Jackie’s own trauma story and years spent working across multiple retreat environments, where she saw what was missing. Too often, people arrived exhausted, burned out or carrying deep emotional pain, only to be placed into generic programs that did not meet the complexity of what they were actually going through.

So she created the retreat she wished existed.

A private, deeply personalised sanctuary where people are not treated as a diagnosis but as a whole person with a real story.

“We created Hinterland because people need more than a beautiful place to rest,” said Jackie. “They need somewhere they can be truly seen, supported and understood - and somewhere that helps them leave with the tools, insight and confidence to continue living well on their own.”

Set on a private 30-acre property the retreat combines advanced neurotechnology with holistic, whole-person care. Its programs bring together QEEG brain mapping, rTMS, nervous system regulation, functional health support, emotional therapy, nutrition, IV-therapy, movement, body-based therapies and nature.

In 18 months, the retreat has hosted everyone from celebrities and burnt-out CEOs to teenagers struggling with trauma and guests over 80 wanting to feel clearer, calmer and more connected to life again.

But perhaps the most surprising thing about Hinterland Health Retreat is its motto:

“We love you, but we never want to see you again.”

It is not a throwaway line. It is the philosophy behind everything the retreat does.

Hinterland was never designed to be a revolving door. The goal is not for guests to keep returning every time life becomes overwhelming. The goal is to help people feel resourced, supported and empowered enough to take what they learn and live well after they leave.

“We love our guests deeply,” said Jackie. “But success for us is not someone needing us forever. Success is watching someone go home with more understanding, more tools and more trust in themselves.”

That philosophy continues well beyond the stay itself.

Every program includes a substantial aftercare component, designed to support guests as they return home and begin integrating what they have learned into everyday life.

“No one is ever just sent home and forgotten,” said Jackie. “We know that going back into real life can be the hardest part. Our aftercare program is there so people continue to feel supported, guided and connected.”

The Australian Small Business Champion Awards are regarded as one of the country’s leading small business recognition programs, celebrating excellence, innovation and contribution across Australian industries.

“This award tells us that people are ready for something different,” said Jackie. “They are tired of one-size-fits-all wellness. They want care that is human, holistic, data-informed and deeply tailored to who they are.”

For a young business built on the idea that people deserve to be truly seen, this award is proof that the future of health is personal.

About Hinterland Health Retreat

Hinterland Health Retreat is a private, boutique health retreat located in Montville, Queensland. Set on 30 acres the retreat combines advanced neurotechnology, QEEG brain mapping, rTMS, holistic therapies, functional health support, personalised nutrition, emotional wellbeing care and nature-based recovery.

Founded by Jackie Durnin, Hinterland was created as a space where people could be truly seen, deeply supported and empowered to live well beyond their stay. The retreat supports guests experiencing burnout, stress, trauma, nervous system dysregulation, emotional overwhelm and major life transitions through fully tailored residential programs and included aftercare support.

Pictured: Hinterland Health Retreat founder Jackie Durnin with the 2026 Australian Small Business  Award for Health Improvement Services.