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A stream of almost 60 men in matching maroon shirts dots the eastern shoreline of the Redcliffe Peninsula.
It’s not an unusual sight. The group, which often numbers more than 100 walkers, meets at the Redcliffe Jetty three mornings a week.
“We start at the jetty and then go down to Scarborough, that’s about six kilometres,” says Denis Brennan, gesturing across the esplanade from the Jetty Lounge cafe. “And we go out to Scotts Point another day.”
Brennan is the organiser – or “manbassador” – for Moreton Bay’s The Man Walk, an initiative founded by Kiama man Mark Burns with the simple goal of bringing men together to walk and talk.
“I see the good that comes out of it, the blokes who are really doing it tough,” Brennan says.
“There’s a lot of friendship being created … I get comments from some of the wives that they can see the difference in their husbands since coming here and getting that camaraderie.”
The Man Walk has spread to more than 80 locations across Australia since launching in 2019. Brennan’s Redcliffe group is one of the biggest in the country, attracting anywhere from 50 to 120 walkers each session.
“I tell people you’ve got to have two things: a sick sense of humour and a thick hide,” Brennan laughs, “because if you haven’t got either, you’re not going to make it with this group.”
A study published by Charles Sturt University in November found The Man Walk’s combination of group walks, open conversation and mateship delivered powerful health benefits.
“Participants said that walking together not only improves their physical health, but also creates opportunities for conversation, emotional support and connection,” study lead Dr Nicole Snowdon says.
“These are factors that contribute to reduced anxiety, depression and loneliness.”
Brennan says local organisations and hospitals, including Redcliffe, Caboolture and Chermside, often refer men to the group “if they feel that we could do them some good”.
“A lot of people build up everything inside, that’s the problem,” Brennan says. “They’ve got to let it out and stop harbouring things.”
Sian Anstis’ hiking club is based on similar social foundations, but tends to attract a much younger cohort of women and men looking to meet new people.
“Sometimes we get kids who are fresh out of school, so 18- or 19-year-olds who aren’t friends with their schoolmates any more. They realise their circles are shifting and want to meet new people,” Anstis says.
“But it’s also people in their late thirties and early forties. I had a guy in his seventies the other day.”
Anstis launched Hike Club Social in late 2023 when she found herself at a crossroad in life.
The Auckland native had spent her childhood hiking New Zealand’s North Island with her mum and sisters, but five years after moving to Brisbane, she had lost the motivation to get outdoors.
“I love exercising, but I wasn’t doing anything super adventurous,” she explains. “My world had just gotten a bit small.”
At the same time, she had grown tired of going out and drinking to socialise and meet new people.
“I was 29 and single and just kind of sick of [it],” she says.
“I figured if I wanted to do [the hike club], other people might too.”
Her intuition paid off. Within months, Hike Club Social was flooded with interest from people drawn by the same desire to ditch the bars and make new connections.
“Everyone’s just so on the same page,” Anstis says.
“Finding that connection with someone that you wouldn’t have met outside of doing an outdoorsy, random, courageous thing … it’s never a bad time.”
Friendships – and even some romantic relationships – have blossomed beside thundering waterfalls, while scrambling up mountain peaks, and on trails through ancient rainforest.
“I get the same messages after every hike: ‘That was such a good group today’,” Anstis says. “But it always is.”
Earlier this year, she joined Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s Healthy Is Happening campaign to promote accessible and affordable activities on the back of research showing an increasing number of Queenslanders aged 25-54 are facing cost and support barriers to exercise.
“My goal was to create both a social and active group; to help people increase confidence in hiking, socialising and being active outdoors,” Anstis says.
“The priority is the community … every step I take is community considered, to make sure that the next step I take is for their benefit.”
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