A luxury hot springs spa hotel and retreat is planned for Victoria, Australia, with Six Senses, GOCO Hospitality and Banyan Tree Spa all vying for the project, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The AU$100m luxury project – called Nunduk (which translates into ‘the bark of a tree’ in the native Gunnai-Kurnai language) – will be located on a 2,480-hectare sheep farm on the banks of the Gippsland Lakes, and developer Seacombe West says it aims to become "the benchmark premier luxury resort and wellbeing spa facility in Australia".

The project will have sustainability as a key focus, and will include a hot springs spa hotel and retreat powered by renewable energy, and with a focus on Aboriginal culture through art, songs and stories, along with Aboriginal medicinal experiences. It will include 36 luxury bedrooms in the hotel and 45 villa units, as well as restaurants, galleries, lounges and a deck alongside the hot springs spas.

Thermal waters lie 1,300 metres below the surface of the location, which will provide a source for the thermal bathing pools.

The Nunduk Spa Retreat will be purpose-built to the principles of regenerative design, with leading academics and industry experts guiding the process. It is the flagship design project with the Thrive Research Hub at the University of Melbourne, and is designed to be a six-star resort that is both off-grid and self-sufficient.

Self-sufficient renewable energy options will include solar panels, biodiesel generators and integrated water cycle management. The main hotel will include a green roof to allow local animals, such as kangaroos, to graze there.

The Herald reports that indigenous culture will be championed through a cultural centre and a “bush tucker trail”, which will highlight local medicines and food.

Subject to local planning permission, the project will start construction in May 2019 and completed by December 2020.