16 Jun 2026

Mudgee Region Tourism launches Australia's first Rest Rebate

New research reveals Australians are burnt out, and their holidays aren't fixing it. Neuroscience says the problem is how we travel - not just whether we do.

• More than three-quarters (78%) of Australians have gone to work stressed, burnt out or mentally exhausted.
• More than half (59%) check work emails outside of work hours.
• 41% of Australians feel guilty doing nothing while on holiday.
• Almost two-thirds (64%) have come home from holiday more tired than when they left.

15 June, 2026 - Mudgee Region Tourism has today officially launched Australia's first Rest Rebate - a travel initiative backed by brain science that rewards Australians for taking the rest they actually need. It comes as the region releases new national research revealing a country running on empty: burnt out, always-on, and returning from holidays more depleted than when they left.

The research points to a specific problem: it’s not just that Australians are tired - it’s that the way most people travel is making it worse. A quick weekend away has become a box-ticking exercise - jam-packed itineraries, work notifications throughout, and then straight back to the desk.

The Rest Rebate is a direct response - gifting weekend travellers with more time to slow down and rest by offering a complimentary Sunday night extension to their trip.

“The Mudgee Region has always understood the benefits of slow travel, and now we are able to reward Aussies for turning any weekend into a long weekend,” says Beau Kassas, Chief Marketing Officer of Mudgee Region Tourism.

“By removing the cost of the extra night, the Rest Rebate is removing one barrier that often stops us from extending our stay and truly switching off. By focusing on the peace that comes with a slower pace, we aim to change the way Aussies travel - and show how regional travel can be a genuine tool for rest, and a way to address the burnout and exhaustion that so many are experiencing.”

The science of slow
Clinical psychologist Dr Maria-Elena Lukeides is lending her expertise to the campaign, providing the neuroscience framework that underpins the three-night rationale.

"Burnout is not simply tiredness - it is a recognised occupational syndrome that requires structured recovery time, not just a day off," says Dr Lukeides.

"The always-on state actively blocks the brain from recovering. Most Australians are locked in threat and drive mode - scanning for problems, chasing achievement, dopamine-fuelled and urgency-driven. The soothing system, which governs genuine rest through the release of oxytocin, only activates when the brain feels truly safe and unhurried. A rushed two-night trip rarely gets us there - three nights in a slow, unhurried environment does,” adds Dr Lukeides.

Slow, regional travel does something big cities simply can't. It removes the chaos, the noise, the pace, and the always-on pressure long enough for the neurochemical shift to take hold. The towns of Mudgee, Gulgong, Kandos and Rylstone are not built for rushed, activity-to-activity travel. The region's scale, pace and character make it structurally suited to the kind of unhurried three-night experience that neuroscience says actually works.

"This turns a tourism promotion into something closer to a public wellbeing response - and makes the Rest Rebate the first tourism offer in Australia grounded in brain science, not just good scenery and experience," says Kassas. "The Rest Rebate isn't a financial incentive. It's a reward for taking the time to rest the way your brain actually needs.”

The Rest Rebate has officially launched today with a number of long-weekend travel packages available to book through June, July and August via www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au/restrebate.

Key findings 

• More than three-quarters (78%) of Australians have gone to work stressed, burnt out or mentally exhausted.
• Almost three-quarters (72%) have gone to work while physically unwell.
• 63% say they'd benefit from an extra-long weekend just to recover.
• 59% feel too uncomfortable to tell their boss they need a mental health day - rising to 64% of Millennials.
• 59% check work email outside of hours.
• 38% feel anxious when separated from their phone for more than an hour - rising to 49% of Gen Z.
• 1 in 3 Australians check work messages within the first hour of waking - rising to 44% of Gen Z.
• 39% say overthinking and anxiety are the single biggest disruptors of their sleep.
• Almost two-thirds (64%) have needed a 'holiday from the holiday' - returning home more tired than when they left.
• 41% feel guilty doing nothing on holiday - rising to 63% of Gen Z All data from a nationally representative survey of 1,018 Australians