By Michael Burt
The much-loved old church at 8 Church Street is destined to be transformed into a luxurious bathhouse and restaurant.
The church’s new owner, northern NSW publican Brenden Lawless, is bringing his popular Banya Bathhouse concept from Mullumbimby to Bellingen.
The project has received Bellingen Shire Council approval and is now in the process of getting construction certificates to start renovations.
Mr Lawless describes the Banya Bathhouse as a health orientated experience featuring mineral pools, saunas, steam rooms and massage rooms coupled with fine food and good times at an accompanying restaurant.
“We like to make it a historic, beautiful and calming space with lots of health benefits,” Mr Lawless said.
“I have become quite obsessed with old buildings. I have been in hospitality for 35 years and that has all been in historic venues.”
“It’s one of the things I love about Bellingen. I fell in love in with the Emporium building when I visited around 10 years ago, so Bellingen has been on the radar for a while.”
Mr Lawless said the Bellingen valley is also akin to the Byron Hinterland in both beauty and community, making it the ideal location for his next step into the booming wellness industry.
“I saw the old church was up for sale and all the stars started to align from there.”
Mr Lawless purchased the church in November 2023 through selling agents Bellingen Property, who have temporarily moved in as caretakers of the property. Construction works are expected to start within the next six months, leading to an opening at the end of 2026.
The Bathhouse will be modelled on The Banya at Mullumbimby, which was born out of an old bank building and opened in 2022.
“The old bank in Mullumbimby was perfect. It was a long project, but I knew as soon as it was done that I wanted to do another one.”
The Banya at Mullumbimby is a bathhouse, restaurant, bar, and sauna. The multi-million development includes outdoor hot mineral pools, tubs, lap pool, cold plunge pools, a steam room, massage rooms and wood-fired sauna. It employs up to 50 staff, including 25 massage therapists
“We’ve found in Mullumbimby that people come from places like Brisbane to go Banya and spend the day in town and touring around the Byron shire. It definitely has helped tourism and local businesses in Mullumbimby.”
“The locals in Mullumbimby have also really embraced Banya when it opened, partly because the historic bank building was reserved and it became quite a social place to go to.”
“Of all the new industries that could come to a shire, the wellness one is a nice one for the local community. Everyone leaves Banya happy and calm and that spreads into the town.”
Mr Lawless was inspired to enter the booming wellness industry after reluctantly attending a 10-day detox getaway.
“I came away from that absolutely loving the healing benefits of things like mineral pools and started to develop a ritual of saunas and steaming.”
“That developed into a bit of an obsession and started looking bathhouses in places like Russia, Finland and Japan. The Russian and the Finns do it very well.”
The Banya Bathhouse in Mullumbimby opened in 2022.