Moving somewhere new can be exciting, but it also often means rebuilding your support and social network from the ground up. For people who relocate for work, study, family or life changes, loneliness can often appear in the quieter moments, after the move is complete, the boxes are unpacked and everyday life begins.
As Belgravia Leisure continues its partnership with Loneliness Australia and prepares to recognise Loneliness Awareness Week (3-9 August), Belgravia Leisure’s Strategic Project Officer, Carly Williams is sharing her own experience of relocation, motherhood and the role local community spaces can play in helping people feel connected.
Originally from New Zealand, Carly moved to Perth at 21 before spending years travelling, working and living in different places across Australia and overseas. While Carly says those experiences gave her independence, resilience and lifelong memories, they also taught her how difficult it can be to maintain deep friendships when people are constantly moving in and out of your life.
“When you move around a lot, you meet amazing people, but people come and go. It really teaches you to value the friendships that last the test of time,” Carly says.
That feeling became more personal when Carly lived in remote Western Australian communities, where distance from family, transient workforces and limited local support made community connection especially important.
Later, Carly moved to New South Wales with her family during the early stages of COVID-19. Pregnant at the time and with a young child, she arrived in a new town as borders were closing and restrictions were being implemented.
With family overseas, a new baby, her husband working and limited opportunities to meet people locally, Carly said it was a challenging and isolating time in her life.
“You are never really alone when you have young children, but you can still feel incredibly lonely and isolated. It was a very challenging postnatal period and not having consistent family support or close friends nearby made it even harder,” Carly said.
Finding connection through community
Ten weeks after having her second daughter, Carly joined a local women’s group training gym. What started as a way to return to movement quickly became one of the most important sources of routine, contact, friendship and support in her life.
“It became more than just a gym,” Carly said.
“Everyone was there for different reasons. Yes, we all want to be fit and healthy, but for me it was equally social and mental. It gave me routine, familiar faces and a place where I felt genuinely supported, even if it was brief conversations in the beginning.”
Over time, those small moments of connection grew into genuine friendships. Carly met people she could lean on during difficult times, share the realities of motherhood, work, study and life with, including her now best friend.
Carly’s personal experience reinforced what she had seen firsthand while working as a Leisure Centre Manager in a remote community and leading a large team.
“I was able to witness and experience every day how local sport and recreation spaces, women’s groups and community hubs can become vital places for people to meet, build routine and feel part of something.”
From the school gate and children’s sport to neighbours and local community groups, Carly said connections often grew through simple moments of showing up, starting small conversations and slowly becoming part of the community.
Creating communities where everyone belongs
Now working as Belgravia Leisure’s Strategic Project Officer while also studying midwifery, Carly said her own experience has strengthened the way she views community engagement, inclusion and projects such as CultureWise, which support more welcoming and inclusive environments for all across the organisation.
For Carly, and for many community members, local leisure, sport and recreation spaces are not only places to be active. They are increasingly becoming wellbeing hubs, where people can feel seen, supported and can build a sense of belonging.
“When people relocate, become parents, change careers or go through different life stages, their support networks can shift,” Carly said.
“That’s why community spaces are incredibly important. Sometimes connection starts with something small, like showing up to the same place each week, seeing the same faces and just having a conversation.”
Carly’s story reinforces a central message of Loneliness Awareness Week Australia: connection doesn’t happen by accident. It grows in the spaces we create for each other.
“Keep showing up for yourself. It can feel daunting at first, but connection builds over time. You never know when one small conversation might become the support you really need,” Carly concluded.
As Belgravia Leisure recognises Loneliness Awareness Week, Carly’s story is a reminder that local leisure, sport and recreation spaces can play a critical role in helping people feel connected, supported and part of their community.
Looking for a place to move, connect or get involved in your local community? Find a Belgravia Leisure venue near you here.
To learn more about Loneliness Awareness Week, visit the website.
