Our History

Our history: from Pilates & Healing to Body Organics, an ongoing evolution

Our history commenced when the first studio was established in Brisbane at West End more than 10 years ago by Carla Mullins, former lawyer turned small business owner and pilates expert. The business has now evolved into one of Brisbane’s best multidisciplinary health care practices. We were originally known as the Pilates & Healing Centre; back then the Pilates Method was still relatively new to Australia and certainly new to Brisbane, so it made good sense to include ‘pilates’ in our name. Pilates was a solid foundation for the business, being complemented even back then with a handful of health therapies such as physiotherapy. So the seeds were planted for the innovative and integrative health practice you see today.

As we continually evolved and expanded our range of services, we ultimately reached the stage where a new name better reflected the growing range of exercises, therapies, equipment and training services provided at our studios. So in 2012 we officially began trading as Body Organics.

Our facilities: from church to horse stables, always with character and style

Our philosophy has always been to operate in facilities with character that are fitted out with style. We believe in creating an environment that is not only functional but is also welcoming and comfortable. The studios are all non-clinical settings and so are conducive to our holistic approach to your health.

Our first studio was opened at West End in 2002 as the ‘Pilates & Healing Centre’. The old timber church on Dornoch Terrace near Highgate Hill was extensively renovated and it made a great studio. Although it had plenty of character, it also had plenty of chilly drafts on those winter West End mornings!

Then in 2008 the business expanded to open a second studio on Ekibin Rd at Annerley, expanding our reach a little further out into Brisbane’s southern suburbs. The Annerley studio also provided an opportunity to fully renovate the old gable-roofed garage behind the main house and convert it to a lovely creche facility (currently closed).

At the same time as the Annerley studio was opened in 2008, the original West End studio was relocated to premises in Boundary St near the Coles shops. This studio was small and cosy but was closer for our clients in South Brisbane and the CBD.

In late 2010 we opened our third studio on Honour Ave at Chelmer, located to cater for clients in Brisbane’s southwest. We opened our doors just before Brisbane’s major flood of January 2011. Although our Chelmer studio wasn’t directly impacted, unfortunately thousands of residents in the areas of Chelmer, Graceville, Indooroopilly, Yeronga and surrounds were devastated.

By 2012 the business had outgrown its West End studio in Boundary St, so in October that year we relocated into much larger premises in Ambleside St at West End. The studio was originally an old 2-storey weatherboard Queenslander home with horse stables out the back (yes, horse stables in West End!). The horses have long since moved on, so the former stables now provide an ideal space with heaps of character for body movement exercises. Both the house and stables have been beautifully renovated and landscaped, creating a sanctuary for clients and staff.