Celebrating one year of Wombat Walkers

IT started as a casual walking group.

Now Wombat Walkers – co-founded by Venus Bay locals Cheree Dodson and Teresa Davison – has just notched up its first anniversary.

The group recently celebrated the milestone with a barbecue at Jupiter Park.

“The best bit is the friendships and feeling like you’re part of the community,” Teresa said.

Teresa moved permanently to Venus Bay with her partner Bill Karambatsos during the COVID years.

“I became president of the Tarwin Lower Community Health Centre and one of things I wanted to do was set up a walking group,” she said.

Cheree and her husband Adrian relocated from Melbourne to Venus Bay in 2022.

“After the pandemic and the relentless lockdowns, we’d had enough of Melbourne,” she said.

With Cheree and Adrian also working in jobs they no longer enjoyed, they decided a permanent sea change was in order.

Cheree initially struggled to settle into country life.

“We didn’t know many people in Venus Bay as we have no permanent neighbours around us. They’re all holiday homes,” she said.

“I felt quite isolated and felt I needed a connection with the community.”

One day on a local Facebook page, someone suggested forming a walking group.

Cheree and Teresa joined the conversation, keen to make it happen.

“Teresa and I met for a coffee to discuss setting up a group,” Cheree said,

“We didn’t know each other before then.”

Teresa said Cheree set up the page and Joy Lee came up with the great name.

“We got more than 200 members in a couple of weeks,” she said.

One year on, Wombat Walkers now meets two mornings a week at the local shops.

“There’s no divide between people who come on weekends and people who are here full time. Everyone is welcome and looks out for each other,” Teresa said.

“Some people in the group have gone through tough things over the last 12 months but we rally around each other.”

Teresa said Wombat Walkers also introduced people to lots of other local organisations, such as the Angling Club, Men’s Shed, Wildlife Rescue, Landcare and Barefoot Bowls.

Walks are generally dependent on the weather.

“The number of people changes every walk but usually it’s at least six,” Teresa said.

“The most we’ve ever had was on a Saturday just recently when we had around 30 people and dogs.”

Cheree said it’s all very laid back and casual.

“Some days we may have two people turn up and some days we have a big group. There is no requirement to register to join in for a walk – it is a ‘just turn up’ scenario,” she said.

“We either walk along the beach, along the river path towards Tarwin Lower or around the streets of the first estate. We’ve done a few trips down at Doyles Road too.”

Additionally, longer walks at locations including the Prom, Kilcunda and the Great Southern Rail Trail are also in the pipeline.

“We post on our Facebook page to confirm each upcoming walk,” Cheree said.

For Cheree, Wombat Walkers has led to new connections and friendships.

“It’s really lovely to meet new and different people each walk, and have a natter and find out about them, their life history and what brought them to the area,” she said.

“It certainly helped me feel more at ease living in a small regional town.”

Cheree said the walks generally last an hour, covering four to five kilometres, and cater for people with different physical abilities, usually aged between 50 and 73.

“A few of us ‘lead’ each walk to ensure everyone is doing okay,” she said.

“We basically walk for 30 minutes and then turn around and come back to the meeting point at the shops.

“A few people go and enjoy a coffee after the walk too.”

Everyone is welcome to join the group for a walk, event if it’s just a one off.

A spin off group called Wombat Bikers has also launched.

For more information, head to the Wombat Walkers – Venus Bay/Tarwin Lower Walking Group Facebook page.