Bendigo walking groups blend peer support as local mental health activities evolve

Bendigo residents have seen participation in structured walking groups rise sharply since early 2025, with sessions now incorporating dedicated mental health check-ins at multiple parks and community venues.

The change comes as local services report sustained pressure on traditional counselling wait times, pushing groups to adapt their formats on the ground rather than wait for new funding rounds. Demand has grown steadily in the past eighteen months, with residents seeking options that fit around work and family schedules in the central suburbs.

Programs expand along established routes

Walks that once started at the gates of Rosalind Park now include a ten-minute peer discussion at the rotunda before heading toward the Bendigo Creek path. A second set of sessions operates from the Bendigo Neighbourhood Centre on Hargreaves Street, where participants meet indoors for a short breathing exercise before moving outdoors along Lyttleton Terrace. Both locations added the mental health component after organisers noticed repeated requests for follow-up support during routine walks.

Coordinators at the Neighbourhood Centre introduced the new format in March 2025, extending each session by fifteen minutes to allow time for confidential one-on-one chats with trained volunteers. The Rosalind Park group followed suit in September, adding a second weekly slot on Thursday evenings to accommodate shift workers from nearby manufacturing sites.

Numbers show steady uptake

Bendigo Health recorded an 18 percent increase in referrals to community programs between July 2024 and June 2025, with walking groups accounting for the largest share of new contacts. Average session attendance at the two sites now sits at 22 people, up from 14 the previous year, according to internal logs kept by the Neighbourhood Centre. No new fees have been introduced; participants contribute a gold-coin donation that covers basic refreshments.

Residents interested in joining can check the Bendigo Neighbourhood Centre noticeboard on Hargreaves Street or the Rosalind Park rotunda information board for updated times. Both groups maintain a simple sign-up sheet at the start of each walk and welcome first-time attendees without prior booking.