Sinking into the sand at Dixon Park beach, Georgie Carson was worried no one was going to come to her very first event.
But she was not alone, and soon she was surrounded by more than 20 people who had found her group through social media.
A free weekly catch-up, Sunrise Social invites people to come down to the water every Sunday, grab a coffee, watch the morning light and make friends.
Advertised on Instagram, the group joins other social catch-ups that have popped up around Newcastle, hoping to forge connections.
"It has been quite lonely having my friends and family on the other side of the world. It is like a feeling of emptiness," Ms Carson said.
Ms Carson moved to Australia from Lancashire in the United Kingdom in 2018, moving from Griffith, Jindabyne, and Forster before settling with her partner in Newcastle in October 2023.
She decided to start up the Newcastle branch of Sunrise Social after finding it hard to make friends as an adult in a new city.
"Having a group that doesn't have to be anything is the best thing about it. No format to it. It is not a yoga group, or running group. It is just to turn up and talk, and see where the conversation goes," she said.
She found a lot of people didn't generally leave Newcastle, and there wasn't a lot of scope to break into those friendship groups.
Sand, sun, and early mornings
Social groups dot the Newcastle coastline along with activity-focused spaces like run clubs.
Alternating locations from Nobbys beach up to Merewether, the 6am Club is a University of Newcastle-affiliated sunrise group.
Hannah Arundell started the group in 2022, after moving to Newcastle from Orange, NSW.
She said moving to a new city was "quite daunting" but having a routine meet-up helped make people feel less alone.
"I feel like once you are in the ocean swimming with random strangers, I can't help but laugh and giggle and be cold together. It is just an easy way to connect," she said.
Attendees could take a dip in the beach, join for tea and coffee or go for a walk, Ms Arundell said.
The Sea Gals is another group, mostly meeting for early morning swims at Merewether ocean baths.
Team member Alice Danby moved to Newcastle from Torquay, Victoria in January 2024. At 30 years old, she was worried she was "too old to make new friends".
"The variety of women that come to the group, different ages, body types, different jobs, it feels really inclusive," Ms Danby said.
"Whether they're mums, or whether they're 20, it's sort of come as you are," she said.
Loneliness crisis
The NSW government launched an inquiry to look at the impact of loneliness on August 12.
The government will look at the cause and impacts of loneliness, identify those most at risk of social isolation and explore the best steps to combat it.
In 2022, 40 per cent of NSW residents experienced loneliness, according to a community well-being survey by the Mental Health Commission.
Belmont-based psychologist, Dr Rickie Elliot said loneliness created a lot of stress and impacted people's psychological and physical health.
"Rates of anxiety and depression are so high and when you're in a highly distressed state, social withdrawal is a symptom," Dr Elliot said.
New research out of the University of Newcastle found that dementia risk almost trebled with persistent feelings of loneliness and doubled with transient loneliness.
Lifeline Hunter and Central Coast CEO Robert Sams said many people called the service because they were lonely and isolated.
"That feeling of belonging is almost the antithesis of loneliness," he said.
He said when people called they wanted to talk to another person, and have that "human to human connection".
Dr Elliot said the marketing of these social groups as a way to reduce loneliness could mean that people might be more willing to get involved.
"I think it is wonderful, absolutely wonderful," she said.
Found family
For Ms Carson, loneliness and homesickness are synonymous, and even now, almost a year later the nagging feeling has not completely dissipated.
"I was actually crying on the phone to my mum three days ago saying like 'when is it ever going to feel like I belong?'" she said.
But her weekly Sundays have helped massively.
"Some days you might not be feeling your best and you turn off and just listen, or some days if you've got a lot going on, it's good to have an out".
Jordan Hitchcock met Ms Carson through Sunrise Social and she said the group felt like a "family" to her.
"It just brightens up my day, and it brightens up my week," she said.
Ms Carson said she hoped more people would take the first step, and get involved.
"If you are feeling lonely, I can guarantee someone else will have experienced that feeling before, and will be there to listen," she said.
