Due to high demand, please call or email reception@livingvalley.com.au for January bookings (online availability may not be accurate).
Due to high demand, please call or email reception@livingvalley.com.au for January bookings (online availability may not be accurate).
Long before Living Valley became one of Australia’s most recognised health retreats, it was simply a piece of land, a vision, and a family willing to build something different.
Giselle Martin grew up inside that vision.
She was ten years old when her parents, Gary and Debbie Martin, established Living Valley in the Noosa Hinterland. What began as an overgrown property and a belief in natural healing slowly evolved into something much more, not just a retreat, but a place where people could come to restore their health and reconnect with themselves.
For Giselle, this wasn’t a business she later stepped into. It was her childhood.
She was home schooled on the property, surrounded by guests, hinterlands and the quiet rhythm of daily life at the retreat. From an early age, she was immersed in an environment where health wasn’t something you learned in theory, it was something you lived.
Growing up at Living Valley meant learning by doing.
Giselle was involved in every part of the retreat from a young age, from gardening and maintenance to reception, sales, product development, therapies and guest care. From these early hands-on experiences, she developed a deep understanding of the business, a strong work ethic, and a genuine passion for helping those in need. In her first role at a young age, she stepped into a full-time position in the kitchen, eventually becoming Head Cook. In this role, she not only developed nourishing menus but also designed and oversaw the construction of a new kitchen, one that would go on to serve and support thousands of guests over the years, later gaining recognised prior learning and becoming a certified Executive Chef.
This hands-on experience shaped her understanding of health in a way that couldn’t be taught in a classroom. It was grounded in service, simplicity and a deep respect for the body’s ability to heal when given the right conditions.
While Living Valley was shaped by the Martin family, its foundations were built on a deeper philosophy of natural healing.
The retreat’s approach draws from principles developed by Master Herbalist Dr Al Wolfsen, whose work focused on supporting the body through detoxification, nutrition and lifestyle change. These methods were brought to Australia and refined through years of practice, forming the basis of what Living Valley is today.
Giselle grew up immersed in these principles, not just learning them, but living them.
Over time, she deepened her understanding through training in natural therapies and nutrition, while continuing to work closely within the retreat itself. This combination of lived experience and ongoing education has shaped the way she approaches health today.
It’s not about quick fixes or surface-level change.
It’s about creating the right conditions for the body to restore itself, in a way that is supported, structured and sustainable.
In 2016, Giselle was appointed Managing Director and CEO, stepping into a leadership role that formalised what she had already been doing for years, guiding and shaping the retreat from within.
Today, she leads a team of more than 40 practitioners, therapists, facilitators and specialists, all working together to support guests through deeply personalised programs, creating a truly holistic and supportive healing environment.
Under her leadership, Living Valley has continued to evolve, expanding its facilities, introducing advanced therapies and refining its programs, while still holding onto the principles it was founded on.
That balance between evolution and integrity is what defines the retreat today.
Giselle’s work extends beyond Living Valley. Through her skincare line, Giselle Eve, she has translated decades of experience in natural health into formulations designed to support skin health from a holistic perspective.
But even here, the philosophy remains the same, working with the body, not against it, and supporting long-term wellbeing rather than quick fixes.
For many guests, Living Valley is more than a retreat.
It’s a place where something shifts.
Where the noise of everyday life softens.
Where the body begins to recalibrate.
Where people feel supported in a way that is both structured and deeply personal.
It’s this experience, repeated thousands of times over more than three decades, that Giselle continues to shape and protect.Because while the retreat has grown, evolved and expanded, its purpose remains unchanged. To create a space where people can step away, restore their health and reconnect with themselves.
After more than 35 years, Living Valley stands as a reflection of both its origins and its future.
A place built on family, shaped by experience and guided by a belief in the body’s ability to heal. And at the centre of it, Giselle Martin, someone who didn’t just inherit the vision, but grew up inside it, helped build it, and continues to carry it forward.
Under her leadership, the retreat has continued to evolve, from the introduction of new programs such as Biohacking, to ongoing renovations and enhancements across the property, all designed to elevate the guest experience while staying true to the retreat’s core philosophy.
Your sanctuary for healing and renewal, where you can step away, restore balance and reconnect with your health.
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