Hike for Happiness

Join a walking group banding together for mental health charity, Project HAND Inc., at New Farm Park each Sunday and get a dose of good brain chemicals while you are at it.

Clayfield local Fraser Lane, who founded Project HAND, said: “Getting out and socialising, connecting with friends, meeting new people, and exercising, releases the four happiness brain chemicals – dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins.”

“It’s always a very inviting environment and our purpose is to build a sense of community and support,” he said.

Founded on Mr Lane’s lived experience, the charity works to improve Australians’ mental health and wellbeing through early intervention, preventative and recovery projects.

They have been running their walking group, Hike 4 Happiness, to build awareness of the charity and promote good mental health for five years in several other Brisbane locations and began in New Farm in July.

He said the charity aims to provide ways for people to maintain their mental wellbeing on a day-to-day basis, especially for those at higher risk.

“We focus on people from 15 – 44, which have the highest rates of mental illness and suicide, and beyond the age of 25, you don’t have access to Headspace anymore,” Mr Lane said.

Hike 4 Happiness New Farm Park meets at 7:30am for a 7:40am start near the river hub at New Farm Park heading along the boardwalk to the Teneriffe Ferry Terminal and back.