ways to move

No membership, no roster, just showing up. Movement counts whether it's on foot, wheels, or in the water, so here's the full spread of low-friction, mostly free ways to do it.

  • A free, timed 5km walk, jog, or run held every Saturday morning at parks and reserves in every state. Visit parkrun.com.au

  • Over 1,000 free walking groups nationally, at a gentler, chattier pace. Visit heartfoundationwalking.org.au

  • A directory of free, community-led run clubs near you, no membership fee, just show up. Visit runhub.co

cycling

  • Free, volunteer-led group rides across Victoria, Tasmania, and other states, ranging from easygoing coastal routes to city loops. No membership needed to join a ride, most end with coffee. Visit bicyclenetwork.com.au

swimming

  • A national directory of free social ocean swim groups and free public ocean pools around the country, useful for anywhere not listed below. Visit oceanswims.com

  • Over 1,000 free walking groups nationally, at a gentler, chattier pace. Visit heartfoundationwalking.org.au

  • A directory of free, community-led run clubs near you, no membership fee, just show up. Visit runhub.co

Running and walking

"We'd just head back [outside] when we felt like it, and there was never a sense of danger or anything, you'd just get totally absorbed in it. And I really value that freedom and the creativity that you had just from being allowed to go and do what you wanted."

– xname, xage, from Victoria