Last Saturday morning, I found myself heading toward Bonython Park for an event called TechWalking Adelaide. It is a recurring monthly gathering organised by volunteers from IT Career in Australia. It takes place on the first Saturday of every month and is completely free to attend. All you need to do is register via the Meetup app to secure your spot. To be honest, heading into it for the first time, I was not entirely sure what to expect.
About the Walk
We started at 10 AM by the Model Boat Pond in Bonython Park and walked 4.5 km along the River Torrens over around two hours, enjoying the scenery and conversations along the way.
A huge thank you to Anna and Solomon for hosting and making everyone feel immediately welcome, as well as to Yana for founding this community.
No name tags, no speeches, just walking and talking.
The People I Met Along the River
What made the walk so special was the great mix of people who joined.
I walked and talked with people working in different IT roles, like cybersecurity, data analytics, and business analysis. There were also people from finance and accounting who use technology or build their own tools for work. The group was very diverse: university students, experienced professionals working for big tech companies, founders starting their own businesses, and people working hard to start their first job in tech.
Because the atmosphere was so friendly and relaxed, everyone spoke openly about their journeys. People with more experience happily shared their stories: what worked well for them, the mistakes they made, and how they solved problems along the way. It was full of practical advice that you usually do not hear at formal events.
Why Walking Makes Conversation Easier
Walking together makes it easier to connect:
- Talking side by side feels more relaxed than meeting in a formal networking room.
- People share their experiences, including what worked and what did not as they built their careers.
- Meeting people from different fields shows how many ways there are to build a career in technology.
The Bigger Picture
For me, events like this are about more than contacts. They give a realistic view of the Adelaide tech scene and the paths people take through it, and they remind me that everyone started somewhere.
With better weather, I expect the group to grow even more. Since it runs on the first Saturday of every month, I will definitely be back for the next one.
Links
Group page on Meetup
TechWalking community
TechWalking group on LinkedIn