One year after acquiring the renowned Byron Bay retreat SOMA, Lorna Jane Clarkson has unveiled the next chapter of one of Australia's most recognised wellness destinations.
Officially launching its first retreat season in September 2026, SOMA Lorna Jane is the evolution of Clarkson's Active Living philosophy, extending beyond product into practice.
More than a wellness retreat, it represents the culmination of a 37-year mission dedicated to helping women live healthier, more fulfilling lives.
Long before wellness became a global industry, Clarkson was encouraging women to move their bodies, prioritise their wellbeing and invest in themselves. Through activewear, books, events, and education, she built one of Australia's most influential wellness brands around a simple yet enduring belief: when women feel their best, they live differently.
Over the past year, Clarkson has reimagined SOMA around the conversations women are having today - navigating changing hormones, building habits that last, managing burnout, redefining success, supporting longevity and finding greater balance in increasingly demanding lives.
While the wellness industry has no shortage of quick fixes and fleeting trends, Clarkson believes women are searching for something more substantial: credible education, practical tools, and meaningful support that extends beyond a weekend away. That philosophy sits at the heart of SOMA Lorna Jane.
Designed as an immersive destination for personal growth and transformation, the retreat has been created to help women reconnect with themselves while gaining the knowledge, confidence and practical strategies required to create lasting change.
Every aspect of the experience has been carefully considered through the lens of Clarkson's Active Living philosophy, with a focus on ensuring guests leave not only feeling restored but equipped to make meaningful changes once they return home.
At a time when wellness is increasingly becoming synonymous with luxury travel, Clarkson believes the true value of a retreat lies in what happens after guests leave. For her, wellness has never been about stepping away from life. It has always been about learning how to live it better.
Through a series of expert-led retreats, guests can explore everything from behaviour change with Dr Gina Cleo to nervous system health with Tracy Whitton, to hormonal wellbeing through traditional Chinese medicine with Dr Keri Krieger and Aiko Neligan, among others.
Guests are immersed in programs designed to educate, challenge and inspire. The experience combines evidence-informed learning with practical application, ensuring that insights gained during the retreat can be integrated into everyday life long after the experience concludes.
With just 10 guest suites, SOMA Lorna Jane has been intentionally designed to offer a level of intimacy rarely found within larger wellness destinations.
The smaller scale allows for deeper engagement with facilitators, personalised support throughout the experience and meaningful connection among guests, creating an environment where true transformation can occur. This commitment to depth over scale extends to the calibre of experts leading each retreat.
Clarkson has assembled a carefully curated collective of respected practitioners, educators and specialists whose work sits at the forefront of modern wellbeing.
Spanning women's health, hormone health, nervous system regulation, behavioural change, longevity, leadership and performance, facilitators have been selected not only for their expertise but for their ability to translate complex ideas into practical tools that can be applied in everyday life.
While each retreat explores a different area of wellbeing, every program shares a common objective - helping women bridge the gap between inspiration and action. Guests leave with personalised frameworks, greater self-awareness and practical strategies designed to support sustainable change, ensuring the experience continues to resonate long after they return home.
Set across 22 acres of lush Byron Bay hinterland, the property itself has undergone extensive enhancements under Clarkson's direction. Thoughtfully redesigned to reflect a softer and more feminine aesthetic, the retreat balances understated luxury with the natural beauty of its surroundings.
Guests can spend their days exploring newly landscaped walking trails, unwinding in the dedicated bathhouse and sauna, relaxing in the saltwater pool, enjoying restorative treatments, or gathering within one of two purpose-built wellness domes designed for movement, education, and reflection.
Alongside its consumer retreat offering, SOMA Lorna Jane will also introduce a corporate wellbeing program designed for leaders and executive teams seeking healthier, more sustainable approaches to performance. The program combines leadership development with wellbeing practices that recognise the growing connection between personal wellbeing and professional success.
As wellness tourism continues to evolve globally, SOMA Lorna Jane reflects a broader shift taking place across the industry.
The SOMA Lorna Jane brand officially launches on Wednesday, the 17th of June, with bookings for the September 2026 retreat season now open.
