The questions we get asked most, all in one place. Still stuck? Email hello@butterland.com.au or call 0411 624 712.
Booking
Do I need to book?
Yes. Everything's booked online ahead of time, and the sauna is wood-fired, so it needs a head start to heat up before you arrive. Book on the bathhouse page.
Do you take walk-ins?
No, for the same reason: the fire needs lighting well before you arrive.
When are you open?
Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Tuesdays there's yoga and sauna for locals, run with yoga teacher Brody; email hello@butterland.com.au for the details.
What can I book, and what does it cost?
- Sauna + Plunge + Bath, 3 hours, $350
- Sauna + Plunge, 1.5 hours, $200
- Bath for 1, 1.5 hours, $120
- Bath for 2, 1.5 hours, $180
The sauna packages are one price for your whole group, so bring a friend (or four) and split it. Five of you on the Sauna + Plunge comes to $40 each.
How far ahead should I book?
As soon as you know. If a time is showing on the booking page, it's yours.
Can I change or move my booking?
Yes. You can move it for free up to 48 hours before your session. Closer to the day than that, call us and we'll do what we can. The detail is in our booking terms.
What if I need to cancel?
Cancel more than 48 hours before your session and you'll get a full refund. Inside that window a change of mind can't be refunded, because your time has been set aside for your group. Get in touch anyway and we'll try to move you to another date. If we ever have to cancel on you, you choose a full refund or a new date.
What happens if I'm running late?
Give us a call on 0411 624 712, and give yourself plenty of time on the drive.
Before you arrive
When should I get here?
Fifteen minutes before your session, so there's time to settle in and change. We're at 2-4 Tivey St, Newstead, 16 km from Castlemaine and 37 km from Daylesford, so check your directions before you leave.
How long do I get?
An hour and a half, or three hours with the full Sauna + Plunge + Bath. Heat, plunge, rest and repeat, as many times as your tired bones and soul require.
What do I wear?
Togs for the sauna and plunge. In the bath, togs are up to you, because the bathhouse is private.
What do I bring?
A towel, your togs, thongs or jandals if you like them, a water bottle, and warm clothes for afterwards. The plunge feels even colder in winter.
What do you provide?
Sauna towels to sit on, herbal tea to sip between rounds, and robes for the bath.
What should I leave at home?
Valuables, since there are no lockers, and anything made of glass. Have a light snack beforehand and skip the big lunch, because the sauna is hard work on an empty or very full stomach.
Is there somewhere to change?
Yes. The sauna has a non-gendered change room and accessible toilets. Bath guests shower and change inside the bathhouse itself, and the toilets are in the main building.
Can I bring my phone?
Of course, it's your session. Take all the photos you like (we'd love a tag, @butterland_). Keep it out of the sauna, though, because the heat is hard on phones.
What if the weather turns?
If the weather turns unsafe or a Total Fire Ban is declared, we'll call you about a new date.
Who can come
Is it private or shared?
Private. No strangers: the sauna, plunge and bathhouse are yours, and whoever you bring, for the whole session.
Can I come on my own?
For the bath, yes, that's what Bath for 1 is for. For the sauna, give us a call.
How many people can come?
Up to five in the sauna and two in the bath.
Can I bring the kids?
Saunas are hard on small bodies, so we don't advise the sauna for small children.
Is it accessible?
Our accessibility page describes getting around Butterland. If you have access needs, call us on 0411 624 712 before you book and we'll talk it through.
Health and safety
Can I use the sauna or bath while pregnant?
We advise against the sauna and hot bath during pregnancy. If you're keen, please check with your doctor or midwife before you book.
I have a medical condition. Can I come?
Please check with your doctor first if you have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, or any condition that heat or cold could affect. Our Before you bathe page has the full list.
What if I'm unwell on the day?
Stay home and call us, and we'll talk about moving your booking. A sauna and a virus are a rough combination.
How hot does it get?
Hot. It's a wood-fired sauna and the heat is the whole point, and the plunge pool is right there when you need it.
How long should I stay in?
As long as it feels good. Start with short rounds of around ten minutes, cool off in the plunge, rest, and go again. Get out straight away if you feel dizzy, faint or sick.
Is the plunge pool clean?
Yes. The water is treated and tested, and it stays in the pool between sessions, so we ask everyone to arrive freshly showered and to skip the body oil and fake tan on the day.
Gift vouchers
How long is a voucher valid?
At least three years from the day it was bought.
How do I use it?
Call or email us to book a time, bring the voucher on the day, and we'll put it through when you arrive.
Can I give it to someone else?
Yes. Whoever has the voucher can use it.
Can I use it on anything?
It works on any bathhouse package. If your booking costs less than the voucher, the rest stays on it for next time, and if it costs more, you pay the difference.
Can I use it across more than one booking?
Yes, as many bookings as you like until the balance runs out.
Can it be extended?
Vouchers last at least three years, which is a lot of saunas. If yours is getting close to its date, call us before it runs out.
Can I buy several?
Yes, as many as you like, and each one comes with its own number.
I've had one in a drawer for ages. Is it still good?
If it's within three years of when it was bought, yes, and this is your sign to use it.
Weddings
What's included?
An on-site venue manager, access from 9am to 5pm the day before to set up, and your celebration running until midnight. In-house floristry is available, and we work with 24 preferred suppliers. The full detail is in our wedding welcome pack, which we'll email on request.
How many guests can you fit?
Up to 120 seated, or 150 for a cocktail or buffet reception. Marquees can go up on the lawn.
Do you have a preferred supplier list?
Yes, 24 suppliers we know and like working with, and we're happy to share it.
What about wet weather?
Marquees can go up on the lawn, and the welcome pack covers the wet-weather options.
Is there accommodation?
Guests book their own, and Castlemaine and Daylesford have plenty close by.
What's the deposit and cancellation position?
Email us and we'll go through deposits and cancellation with you before you book.
Do you have a liquor licence?
Butterland doesn't sell alcohol. Drinks at weddings are BYO, so they're yours to bring.
How much does it cost?
Pricing is in the wedding welcome pack. Email hello@butterland.com.au with your date and numbers and we'll send it over.