From a lakeside stroll to a national movement: MEGA celebrates 12 years!
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It started small, as these things often do.
Back in 2014, amid the beautiful chaos of newborn triplets and the fog of postnatal isolation, Canberra mum Jenelle McAppion posted a simple call-out on the Canberra Mums Due Facebook page to see if anyone was up for a casual lakeside stroll.
That first walk sparked something special. Bound by a shared need for connection, the circle of mums grew with each meet-up. Before long, members were suggesting everything from bootcamps to aqua fitness sessions.
Recognising they were onto something, the initiative transformed into the Canberra Mums Exercise Group (CMEG), before blossoming into the national success story it is today: Mums Exercise Group Australia (MEGA Mums), launching branches across Australia to meet nationwide interest.
Just two years after that first stroll around the lake, the Canberra flagship group had swelled to around 5,000 members with a huge array of activities on offer, from yoga and Pilates to high-energy boxing classes and weekend mountain hikes, all run by volunteer mums.
“That flexibility has always been a big part of MEGA,” says MEGA Volunteer Director Lyndal Lammers.
“It’s not about being a certain level of fitness or having childcare; it’s about creating realistic opportunities for mums to move and connect. Getting out of the house, moving your body and having a conversation with another mum can make a huge difference. Sometimes a mum comes along because she wants to get fitter, but what she really needs that day is to talk to someone who understands what motherhood is like.”
This month, MEGA celebrates its milestone 12th birthday.
“Twelve years is a long time, particularly for a volunteer-run organisation,” Lyndal says.
“We’ve seen so many things come and go over the years, and we’ve survived some incredibly challenging periods.”
One of those challenges, of course, was the COVID lockdowns in 2021.
“Our volunteers continued to run online sessions through Zoom so mums could still exercise, see familiar faces and have a chat when we couldn’t physically meet,” Lyndal says.
“But the lockdowns went on for a long time, and the impact was significant. Volunteers’ lives changed, many returned to work, children grew older and some simply didn’t have the capacity to continue volunteering. Slowly, events stopped, and branches closed.”
Pre-Covid, MEGA had more than 30 branches nationally. By 2023, the exhausting toll of the lockdowns saw that number shrink to just four.
“Financially, it was incredibly difficult as our operational expenses had always been covered through our low-cost membership fees, with membership costing a maximum of $40 a year for access to our in-person events,” Lyndal says.
“We offer very low-cost membership options and have always had a Pay It Forward option, allowing members who can afford to contribute a little more to help another mum access MEGA.”
But demonstrating the very heart of the group, the MEGA community rallied and raised around $10,000 to keep their beloved network thriving.
“Covid showed us just how much the community valued MEGA, and how determined our volunteers were to keep it going,” Lyndal says.
“We’re now in a rebuilding phase, with branches in Canberra, Far North Queensland, Orange and Illawarra, and our goal is to continue growing again.”
Of all the beautiful feedback they have received from members over the years, Lyndal says the most common thread is always “connection.”
“One mum who had moved to Canberra from overseas with her two young children described feeling completely lost and lonely,” she says.
“She said her first MEGA session was the first time someone had spoken to her for more than two minutes since she arrived. She went on to make lifelong friends, and her children did too.
“Another mum said once she found MEGA, it provided the space to meet up with other mums, move her body, and not feel so alone.”
Last year, MEGA was recognised at the Volunteering ACT Awards for Community Support, which Lyndal calls “a huge honour.”
However, she says their biggest achievement is knowing that MEGA has helped thousands of mums feel less alone.
“Knowing that I have personally been one of those mums makes that achievement even more meaningful to me,” she says.
“MEGA wouldn’t exist without the mums who have turned up, volunteered, encouraged a friend to come along, donated, shared a post or simply made another mum feel welcome.
“Twelve years of MEGA is really 12 years of mums supporting mums — and we’re incredibly proud of that.”
To celebrate MEGA’s 12th birthday, they’re offering a 12-month membership for just $22 (the same price as their usual six-month membership). Find out more: megamums.com.au
