G’day, we’re Jim and Shelly — a soon-to-be husband-and-wife team passionate about helping others rediscover balance, vitality, and purpose in their lives.

Working in healthcare for over 30 years  or more between us,  we’ve personally experienced and witnessed, fatigue, poor mental health, carer stress and burnout in both ourselves as well as those we work with and the families of those we care for. Seeking a slower, more grounded way of living, we moved to the beautiful Riverina region almost five years ago. Here, surrounded by open skies, natural Australian bushland and the rhythms of nature, we found space to breathe, heal, and reconnect — both with ourselves, our loved ones, our work and each other. The impact on our wellbeing was profound, and it inspired us to create Riverina Retreat: a wellbeing space for others to experience the restorative power that time in nature can have for our health.

As healthcare professionals and partners in life, we’ve combined our backgrounds in medicine, nursing, neuroscience, coaching and leadership, to create a restorative environment where people can reconnect with their health, nature, and sense of purpose.

Jim is a General Practitioner with a background in rural, remote and emergency medicine, anaesthesia and public health. His work in Integrative Medicine blends the best of modern medical care with nutritional, environmental, and lifestyle approaches to health. With deep experience supporting people through complex health conditions, Jim’s focus is on restoring overall wellbeing rather than simply treating disease.

Shelly is a Registered Nurse, certified health and wellbeing coach, and neuroscience graduate with over 20 years’ experience in patient care, leadership and education. Her work bridges healthcare and behavioural science — helping people understand the powerful connection between mind and body, and how small, sustainable changes can create lasting wellbeing. She is especially passionate about supporting others to navigate stress, build resilience, and find balance, through environmental neuroscience, lifestyle medicine and mindset practices.

Our vision is simple: to offer a place where people can pause, reflect, and restore. At its heart, Riverina Retreat is about renewal — of health, of energy, and of connection to self, others, and the natural world.