wellness
Exercise emerges as direct route to anxiety reduction for Moorabbin residents
Walkers on Chesterville Road and members at the Moorabbin Leisure Centre report fewer anxious days after adding steady movement to their weeks.
How we reported this
Surveys from the Bayside Health Network show that 62 percent of Moorabbin adults who added three 45-minute exercise sessions each week recorded lower anxiety scores within eight weeks.
The findings arrive as local residents juggle work commutes along Nepean Highway and family schedules that leave little margin for rest. Moorabbin’s wellness groups have tracked a steady rise in people seeking non-medication options since the start of 2026.
Local venues put the link into practice
Twice-weekly group walks leave from Moorabbin Park on Chesterville Road at 7am, organised by the Moorabbin Striders running club. Participants cover a 4.8-kilometre loop that finishes at the playground near Wannan Street. The same club runs an indoor circuit class at the Moorabbin Leisure Centre on South Road every Tuesday and Thursday evening for $12 a session.
Both programs began in March this year and now list 180 regular members. Instructors keep the pace moderate so newcomers can join without prior fitness experience.
A May 2026 analysis by the Victorian Centre for Mental Health Research tracked 240 adults across similar programs and found anxiety symptoms dropped by an average of 27 percent after six weeks of consistent attendance. The same report noted that sessions held before 8am produced the strongest results for participants who also worked full time.
Simple steps that fit Moorabbin routines
Residents can start with a single 30-minute walk along the footpath beside Balcombe Road before breakfast. Adding one strength circuit at the Leisure Centre later in the week builds the total to the 150 minutes shown to matter most.
Those who prefer indoor options can book the 6pm class at the Leisure Centre, which finishes in time for the 7:10pm train from Moorabbin station. Tracking attendance on the club’s free app helps maintain the habit through winter months.
Local GPs at the Moorabbin Medical Centre on South Road now hand out printed cards listing these two venues and their start times. The cards include a note to check with a doctor before beginning any new routine.