Southbank Evening Walking Group steps out for safety and connection

What began as a small fitness idea among neighbours has quickly grown into one of Southbank’s most positive community movements.

The Southbank Evening Walking Group, founded by residents Zeel Patel and Kaewkor (Kel) Sucharitchan earlier this year, has been gathering steady momentum – bringing locals together each night to walk, talk and reclaim their neighbourhood streets after dark.

Supported by Southbank Neighbourhood Watch, the group hosted its biggest event yet on October 20, when around 30 residents joined Lord Mayor Nick Reece and members from Southbank Police Station for a community walk through the precinct.

Ms Patel said the idea for the group started simply: to stay active and meet people during winter.
“I started this because I wanted to keep fit, get to know my community, and feel safe walking in the evenings,” she said. “It started with just a few of us chatting online, and very quickly, it turned into something meaningful – people meeting every night, connecting, and exploring Southbank together.”

The group meets Monday to Friday at 7.30pm outside Boyd Community Hub, setting off on an hour-long walk along different local routes depending on the night. Some go as far as MSAC or across the Yarra River to Docklands. Attendance typically ranges between two and 10 people per walk, but the October 20 event drew a much larger crowd.

Ms Patel said the presence of the Lord Mayor and local police was an important show of support for a community-led initiative focused on safety and inclusion.
“It was fantastic to see so many people come together, especially women, to talk about what safety means to us in our own neighbourhood,” she said. “The Lord Mayor was very supportive and spoke about how great it is to see residents taking the lead on creating safer spaces.”

Women’s safety has become one of the group’s biggest drivers. Many participants, Ms Patel said, had avoided walking alone at night before joining.

“As a woman, you’re always conscious about being out alone after dark,” she said. “Now we have this group that’s open to everyone – people bring their kids, their dogs, their partners – and it’s just a really safe and friendly space.”

Ms Patel’s own dog, Coco, has also become a familiar face on the nightly walks. “It’s good motivation,” she said, laughing. “Even on cold nights, I can’t skip a walk when Coco’s waiting.”

Chris Milner, convenor of Southbank Neighbourhood Watch, said the group had become an inspiring example of how residents could build stronger, safer communities from the ground up.

“We’re obviously proud to support them, because it’s such a good initiative,” Mr Milner said. “It’s great for physical and mental health, it gets people out of their apartments, and most importantly, it connects people who might otherwise not know their neighbours.”

The walking group has been attracting growing interest on local social media, with new members joining each week. Walks will continue until late November, before taking a short break over the Christmas period and returning in mid-January.

Ms Patel said she and her co-organiser hoped to apply for a small community grant next year to host another large group event.
“This has shown us that there’s a real appetite for connection in Southbank,” she said. 

“We’ve gone from a small walking group to a network of friends who look out for one another – and that’s exactly what makes a community stronger.” •