This report is about more than milestones — it's about the birth of a movement.
It's about the mum who left the house for the first time in weeks because she knew someone was waiting for her at her local Mum Walk, the mum who was shut-out of her local mother's group but Mum Walk gave her a second chance, or the mum who thought she'd never find her people in motherhood — and then did at her local Mum Walk. It's about thousands of small moments of mums stepping out of isolation and into connection and community.
At Mum Walk, we know that peer-led social support is one of the most protective, preventive and powerful ways we can improve the mental health outcomes of mums.
That's why Mum Walk was built on a simple belief: that mothers shouldn't have to navigate one of life's hardest seasons alone. That connection isn't a luxury, it's a lifeline. And that the village doesn't appear by accident. It has to be built.
This is the story of our first year building it.
Founder and CEO
At a glance — Year 1
The momentum of Mum Walk has been unmatched by any other peer-led support group in the country's history.
Over 800 mums have applied to start a Mum Walk. Each community sees a minimum of 300 active mums join each year — that's over 210,000 mums currently being left on hold.
Who we reached
Mum Walk reaches mums when it matters most — many navigating early parenthood for the first time, from every corner of Australia and every walk of life.
The problem: Australia's maternal loneliness crisis
Australia is navigating a national loneliness epidemic, and at its epicentre are mothers.
Scored per UCLA Loneliness Scale v3 (Never = 1 … Often = 4; positively-worded items reversed). Point-in-time measure.
The momentum behind Mum Walk saw us mentioned across all major TV news stations, top parenting podcasts, front covers of newspapers and our volunteers' stories shared across local media.
Key moments that moved us
Our signature community event brought over 500 mums and families to the streets of Melbourne to walk together and raise awareness for motherhood loneliness.
Mum Walk was mentioned in Parliament by Federal Member for Melbourne Sarah Witty.
We launched "Don't Let Motherhood Become The Loneliest Job In Australia" to a room of experts and community leaders.
In their own words
Statistics tell part of the story. But mums consistently tell us Mum Walk has changed their experience of motherhood.
Mum Walk gave me that — something just for mums, with very low pressure and no cost. It's been a lifesaver.
Peer-led models remove the very barriers that keep mothers isolated — cost, clinical pressure, rigid timing, and the feeling of being in a space designed for your baby, not for you.
Mum Walk exists because brand-aligned parenting and health brands back our mission.
"We know that creating new social connections — especially through relatable group activities — is one of the strongest protective factors for new parents."
Meet the team
Mum Walk is a registered Australian charity governed by a Board of Directors. The Board provides strategic oversight, financial stewardship and governance to support Mum Walk's mission and long-term sustainability, while day-to-day operations are led by the Founder and CEO.
Looking ahead
In Year 2, we're focused on growing capacity to meet more mums where they are, deepening our evidence base, and making the case that peer-led community connection deserves a place at the centre of Australia's maternal health infrastructure — not on the margins of it.