Floating Sauna, Lake Derby, Tasmania : Prices & facilities

The Floating Sauna on Lake Derby brings a Finnish-style sauna experience to Derby, Tasmania. Expect simple facilities and cold water.

The Floating Sauna on Lake Derby, Tasmania, offers a Nordic-style experience in Australia’s smallest state. It’s in the former mining town of Derby, which has reinvented itself as a mountain-biking hotspot.

For those mountain bikers, the Floating Sauna is pitched as a way to relax and rejuvenate after hitting the bike trails. It’s a completely off-the-grid experience, designed for simplicity and reconnecting with nature.

How the Floating Sauna, Lake Derby works

Inside what is effectively a shed on the lake, guests start off with 60 degrees of dry heat for ten minutes. The temperature then ramps up, as does the steam.

Then, after the stint in the Finnish wood-fired sauna, it’s time to get into the lake. Lake Derby – known as Briseis Hole to the locals – is not exactly a warm bath. The contrast in the warmth of the sauna and the chill of the water is the whole point. The contrast jolts your body’s systems, giving them a thorough work out. The idea is that you come out feeling refreshed and alert.

Floating Sauna, Lake Derby facilities and access

Visitors to the Floating Sauna, Lake Derby, shouldn’t expect flashy facilities and pampering. This is not a spa destination. You’ll also need to walk there. The nearest car park is by the Derby Fire Station, and the Floating Sauna is a ten to fifteen minute walk from there. You also need to bring your own towels.

The Floating Sauna on Lake Derby, Tasmania. Photo by Jason Charles Hill.

Hour-long sessions at the Floating Sauna cost $45. Bookings can be made online via the company website. Other lakes near Derby include the photogenic Little Blue Lake, although this one is not safe for swimming.