Two cultures, different climates — guided to show the best of both.
Sauna and banya are not the same thing. A sauna runs hot and dry — around 80–90 °C with low humidity. A banya is gentler and far more humid — 60–80 °C. Its steam comes from pouring water onto overheated stones and cast iron, at 600–700 °C inside the enclosed stove — which is what produces that light, gentle but very warm steam. Each has its own culture, its own pace and its own rituals.
That is why our sessions are guided. A steam master leads you through each tradition so you can fully embrace its culture — and get the most health benefit and enjoyment out of it. Two rituals anchor everything: parenie, the individual steam treatment with oak veniks, and Aufguss, the group round led by a master. Both end the same way — in the cold, then relaxation, then again.
From Aufguss to steam: how a session unfolds.
The Log Banya can run in both climates, so a guided group session moves through both — sauna first, banya after. The steam master sets the pace; you only have to follow.
- 1
Aufguss — the sauna-mode opening
While the room is still drier and hotter, we begin with an Aufguss: two rounds of heat with a round of cold between them, each round exactly ten minutes. A fan moves the heat, an infusion of oils goes onto the stones, music plays — and a touch of group venik fills the room with the natural scent of oak, eucalyptus and herbs. Relaxation follows the second round.
- 2
The steam rises
Water on the enclosed stones, and the room turns into a true banya: humidity up, temperature down to 60–80 °C, the heat now soft and deep.
- 3
Private venik treatments — or learn to do it yourselves
Optional, booked per person: the steam master gives you the full parenie on the bench, one guest at a time. Or take a 30-minute sauna whisk lesson — a very basic introduction — and try it on each other, with your own whisks to take home.
- 4
Contrast and relaxation — self-guided
Ice bath or pool, then tea on the deck with unobstructed views of Mount Bogong, the highest mountain in Victoria. From here the session is yours: steam, cool down, relax — and again, for as long as your booking allows. Fire up the gas BBQ with the view — bring your own food — it is the nicest way to finish a banya session.
Parenie — the heart of the banya.
Bundles of leafy oak twigs — veniks — are soaked and warmed, then used to gather the hot steam from under the ceiling and lay it onto the skin: fanning, pressing, stroking, the compress. It is not a beating. It is intensive, surprisingly gentle and deeply relaxing — many guests say it is the most relaxed they have ever been. Parenie is an individual treatment, but it is not a private room: the rest of the group enjoys the steam in the banya while the master works with one guest — and afterwards you can learn the moves and do it for each other.
- 1
Warm up — or a scrub
Two gentle steams to open the skin and settle the breath — not needed if you have just done the Aufguss, you are already warm. Depending on the ritual you have chosen, a honey-and-salt scrub is applied here, in the same warm banya, before the venik work.
- 2
The venik round
The steam master gathers the hot steam with oak veniks and lays it onto the body — waves, presses, strokes, a compress over the shoulders.
- 3
Contrast
Straight from the steam into the ice bath or the pool to cool down — then the warmth comes back doubled.
- 4
Relaxation
A lounger, a pot of tea, the view. Relaxation is part of the ritual, not an afterthought.
Several ways to take the steam.
Five ways to take the steam at the Log Banya — pick yours when you book.
Contactless: the venik moves the air, not the skin. For children with an adult, and for anyone nervous about the heat.
A short, intense round of oak venik work inside your session — the taste of parenie, for anyone who wants to try it first.
A very basic introduction to the sauna whisk — the venik: how to hold it, warm it and move the steam — then you try it on each other, with the two whisks that come with your session. Extra whisks are $38 each for more people to enjoy the process.
The full ritual: venik work with oak from head to heel, the cold contrast, and relaxation with tea. Our signature — the moment guests remember, retell and return for.
A honey-and-salt scrub first, in the warm banya, washed off — then the full signature parenie on clean, open skin.
Everything here is added inside your Log Banya booking request, and the estimate shows the cost before you send it. Off-peak prices apply Monday to Thursday; peak prices Friday to Sunday and on Victorian public holidays. Parenie is hard physical work for the steam master, who needs rest between treatments: a three-hour session allows up to two treatments and longer bookings up to three, and we give no more than three signature parenie (or parenie with scrub) in a day — for a weekend, book early. Two oak whisks are included with every private session and are used for the group Aufguss and for any parenie you order; additional whisks are $38 each.
Aufguss — two rounds of heat, led by a sauna master.
An Aufguss is a group ritual in sauna mode. The master pours an infusion of water and essential oils over the stones and works the heat through the room — two rounds of heat, exactly ten minutes each, with a round of cold between them. The relaxation comes after the second round. You sit, breathe and let it come to you.
At the Log Banya every group session opens with an Aufguss — a fan to move the heat, an infusion of oils, music, and a touch of group venik for the natural scent of oak, eucalyptus and herbs. In Bright, a similar banya is on its way — with a firepit for the relaxation afterwards.
- 1
The infusion
Water and oils on the stones — eucalyptus, pine, citrus, whatever the master has chosen. The room fills with scent before the heat arrives.
- 2
First round of heat
Ten minutes. The fan moves the heat down from the ceiling onto the benches; the master reads the room, and you can leave at any time.
- 3
The cold round
Out into the air and into the ice bath or the pool to cool down.
- 4
Second round of heat
Ten minutes again, a little stronger — then the long relaxation: loungers, tea, the view (and in Bright, the firepit). Then the steam rises and the banya begins.
What the steam does — body and mind together.
Venik work drives heat deep into the muscles and gets the blood moving — the sauna's brisk walk, lying down.
Heat loosens tight muscles after the trails, the slopes or the bike; the cold then heat leaves the body reset.
Soft, humid steam and oak leaves open the skin and the airways — and leave their own aroma on you.
The rhythm of heat, whisk, rest and plunge drops even the busiest head into stillness. Most guests sleep like a log that night.
Take care: if you have a heart condition, blood pressure problems, are pregnant or have been unwell recently, check with your doctor first. No alcohol before the heat, drink water, and tell your steam master how you feel — the ritual adapts to you.
Parenie and Aufguss now, in Mount Beauty. Bright soon.
Every Log Banya group session opens with a guided Aufguss. Private parenie, a sauna whisk lesson and oak whisks to take home are added in the booking request form, and the estimate shows the cost before you send it. Bright dates are announced on Instagram first. Planning a gathering? See Banya for your events.
Before your first steam.
Does parenie hurt?
No. The venik gathers steam and lays heat onto the skin; it is pressed and stroked, not struck. Most people describe it as intense and then deeply calming.
How hot is it?
A banya runs cooler than a Finnish sauna — around 60–80 °C — but the steam is dense and soft, so it feels deeper. The master controls the heat round by round.
Who shouldn't do it?
Check with your doctor first if you have a heart condition, blood pressure problems, are pregnant or have recently been unwell. Come sober and well-hydrated, and tell the steam master about anything that matters.
What do I wear?
In the banya itself, swimwear or a towel wrap — whichever you're comfortable in. Swimwear is required in the pool, the spa, the ice bath and all outdoor areas. We lend felt hats.
How many of us can have a private treatment?
Parenie is hard physical work for the steam master, who needs rest between treatments: a three-hour session allows up to two treatments and longer bookings up to three, and we give no more than three signature parenie (or parenie with scrub) in a day — for a weekend, book early. The guided Aufguss opening with group venik is included for everyone.
What's the difference between sauna and banya?
Climate. A sauna is hot and dry — 80–90 °C, low humidity. A banya is gentler and much more humid — 60–80 °C with dense, soft steam. The Log Banya can do both, which is why a session starts in sauna mode with an Aufguss and moves into banya mode for parenie.
Is Aufguss available now?
Yes — every Log Banya group session opens with an Aufguss. Bright, with a similar banya and a firepit for the relaxation, is coming; follow @thebanyaplace for dates.
What should I bring?
Swimwear; two towels — one to sit on, one to dry yourself at the end; a refillable water bottle; thongs or slippers; and a dressing gown for the colder weather. We lend felt hats.
Can we learn to give parenie ourselves?
Yes — add a 30-minute sauna whisk lesson to your session in the request form. It is a very basic introduction to using the whisk; then you try it on each other. You can buy your own oak whisks to take home.
Two cultures, different climates — guided to show the best of both.
Sauna and banya are not the same thing. A sauna runs hot and dry — around 80–90 °C with low humidity. A banya is gentler and far more humid — 60–80 °C. Its steam comes from pouring water onto overheated stones and cast iron, at 600–700 °C inside the enclosed stove — which is what produces that light, gentle but very warm steam. Each has its own culture, its own pace and its own rituals.
That is why our sessions are guided. A steam master leads you through each tradition so you can fully embrace its culture — and get the most health benefit and enjoyment out of it. Two rituals anchor everything: parenie, the individual steam treatment with oak veniks, and Aufguss, the group round led by a master. Both end the same way — in the cold, then relaxation, then again.
From Aufguss to steam: how a session unfolds.
The Log Banya can run in both climates, so a guided group session moves through both — sauna first, banya after. The steam master sets the pace; you only have to follow.
- 1
Aufguss — the sauna-mode opening
While the room is still drier and hotter, we begin with an Aufguss: two rounds of heat with a round of cold between them, each round exactly ten minutes. A fan moves the heat, an infusion of oils goes onto the stones, music plays — and a touch of group venik fills the room with the natural scent of oak, eucalyptus and herbs. Relaxation follows the second round.
- 2
The steam rises
Water on the enclosed stones, and the room turns into a true banya: humidity up, temperature down to 60–80 °C, the heat now soft and deep.
- 3
Private venik treatments — or learn to do it yourselves
Optional, booked per person: the steam master gives you the full parenie on the bench, one guest at a time. Or take a 30-minute sauna whisk lesson — a very basic introduction — and try it on each other, with your own whisks to take home.
- 4
Contrast and relaxation — self-guided
Ice bath or pool, then tea on the deck with unobstructed views of Mount Bogong, the highest mountain in Victoria. From here the session is yours: steam, cool down, relax — and again, for as long as your booking allows. Fire up the gas BBQ with the view — bring your own food — it is the nicest way to finish a banya session.
Parenie — the heart of the banya.
Bundles of leafy oak twigs — veniks — are soaked and warmed, then used to gather the hot steam from under the ceiling and lay it onto the skin: fanning, pressing, stroking, the compress. It is not a beating. It is intensive, surprisingly gentle and deeply relaxing — many guests say it is the most relaxed they have ever been. Parenie is an individual treatment, but it is not a private room: the rest of the group enjoys the steam in the banya while the master works with one guest — and afterwards you can learn the moves and do it for each other.
- 1
Warm up — or a scrub
Two gentle steams to open the skin and settle the breath — not needed if you have just done the Aufguss, you are already warm. Depending on the ritual you have chosen, a honey-and-salt scrub is applied here, in the same warm banya, before the venik work.
- 2
The venik round
The steam master gathers the hot steam with oak veniks and lays it onto the body — waves, presses, strokes, a compress over the shoulders.
- 3
Contrast
Straight from the steam into the ice bath or the pool to cool down — then the warmth comes back doubled.
- 4
Relaxation
A lounger, a pot of tea, the view. Relaxation is part of the ritual, not an afterthought.
Several ways to take the steam.
Five ways to take the steam at the Log Banya — pick yours when you book.
Contactless: the venik moves the air, not the skin. For children with an adult, and for anyone nervous about the heat.
A short, intense round of oak venik work inside your session — the taste of parenie, for anyone who wants to try it first.
A very basic introduction to the sauna whisk — the venik: how to hold it, warm it and move the steam — then you try it on each other, with the two whisks that come with your session. Extra whisks are $38 each for more people to enjoy the process.
The full ritual: venik work with oak from head to heel, the cold contrast, and relaxation with tea. Our signature — the moment guests remember, retell and return for.
A honey-and-salt scrub first, in the warm banya, washed off — then the full signature parenie on clean, open skin.
Everything here is added inside your Log Banya booking request, and the estimate shows the cost before you send it. Off-peak prices apply Monday to Thursday; peak prices Friday to Sunday and on Victorian public holidays. Parenie is hard physical work for the steam master, who needs rest between treatments: a three-hour session allows up to two treatments and longer bookings up to three, and we give no more than three signature parenie (or parenie with scrub) in a day — for a weekend, book early. Two oak whisks are included with every private session and are used for the group Aufguss and for any parenie you order; additional whisks are $38 each.
Aufguss — two rounds of heat, led by a sauna master.
An Aufguss is a group ritual in sauna mode. The master pours an infusion of water and essential oils over the stones and works the heat through the room — two rounds of heat, exactly ten minutes each, with a round of cold between them. The relaxation comes after the second round. You sit, breathe and let it come to you.
At the Log Banya every group session opens with an Aufguss — a fan to move the heat, an infusion of oils, music, and a touch of group venik for the natural scent of oak, eucalyptus and herbs. In Bright, a similar banya is on its way — with a firepit for the relaxation afterwards.
- 1
The infusion
Water and oils on the stones — eucalyptus, pine, citrus, whatever the master has chosen. The room fills with scent before the heat arrives.
- 2
First round of heat
Ten minutes. The fan moves the heat down from the ceiling onto the benches; the master reads the room, and you can leave at any time.
- 3
The cold round
Out into the air and into the ice bath or the pool to cool down.
- 4
Second round of heat
Ten minutes again, a little stronger — then the long relaxation: loungers, tea, the view (and in Bright, the firepit). Then the steam rises and the banya begins.
What the steam does — body and mind together.
Venik work drives heat deep into the muscles and gets the blood moving — the sauna's brisk walk, lying down.
Heat loosens tight muscles after the trails, the slopes or the bike; the cold then heat leaves the body reset.
Soft, humid steam and oak leaves open the skin and the airways — and leave their own aroma on you.
The rhythm of heat, whisk, rest and plunge drops even the busiest head into stillness. Most guests sleep like a log that night.
Take care: if you have a heart condition, blood pressure problems, are pregnant or have been unwell recently, check with your doctor first. No alcohol before the heat, drink water, and tell your steam master how you feel — the ritual adapts to you.
Parenie and Aufguss now, in Mount Beauty. Bright soon.
Every Log Banya group session opens with a guided Aufguss. Private parenie, a sauna whisk lesson and oak whisks to take home are added in the booking request form, and the estimate shows the cost before you send it. Bright dates are announced on Instagram first. Planning a gathering? See Banya for your events.
Before your first steam.
Does parenie hurt?
No. The venik gathers steam and lays heat onto the skin; it is pressed and stroked, not struck. Most people describe it as intense and then deeply calming.
How hot is it?
A banya runs cooler than a Finnish sauna — around 60–80 °C — but the steam is dense and soft, so it feels deeper. The master controls the heat round by round.
Who shouldn't do it?
Check with your doctor first if you have a heart condition, blood pressure problems, are pregnant or have recently been unwell. Come sober and well-hydrated, and tell the steam master about anything that matters.
What do I wear?
In the banya itself, swimwear or a towel wrap — whichever you're comfortable in. Swimwear is required in the pool, the spa, the ice bath and all outdoor areas. We lend felt hats.
How many of us can have a private treatment?
Parenie is hard physical work for the steam master, who needs rest between treatments: a three-hour session allows up to two treatments and longer bookings up to three, and we give no more than three signature parenie (or parenie with scrub) in a day — for a weekend, book early. The guided Aufguss opening with group venik is included for everyone.
What's the difference between sauna and banya?
Climate. A sauna is hot and dry — 80–90 °C, low humidity. A banya is gentler and much more humid — 60–80 °C with dense, soft steam. The Log Banya can do both, which is why a session starts in sauna mode with an Aufguss and moves into banya mode for parenie.
Is Aufguss available now?
Yes — every Log Banya group session opens with an Aufguss. Bright, with a similar banya and a firepit for the relaxation, is coming; follow @thebanyaplace for dates.
What should I bring?
Swimwear; two towels — one to sit on, one to dry yourself at the end; a refillable water bottle; thongs or slippers; and a dressing gown for the colder weather. We lend felt hats.
Can we learn to give parenie ourselves?
Yes — add a 30-minute sauna whisk lesson to your session in the request form. It is a very basic introduction to using the whisk; then you try it on each other. You can buy your own oak whisks to take home.