Tim brought Parkrun to Australia in 2011, growing it from its first event at Main Beach on the Gold Coast to hundreds of communities around the country. Along the way, he discovered that the real magic wasn't the five-kilometre run. It was consistency, inclusivity, volunteering and the sense of belonging created when people simply showed up for each other.

In this episode of Changemakers, Gavin sits down with Tim to unpack what Parkrun taught him about creating communities that last, why removing friction is one of the most powerful things a community builder can do, and why our need for face-to-face connection has only grown in the age of smartphones and social media.

Tim also shares the next chapter of his mission through the Healthy Kids Project and Rad Run Club, a program designed to get primary school kids moving while building resilience, attitude and determination.

They explore the role schools can play in healthier communities, what Brisbane 2032's real legacy could look like, the good and bad of technology, and why collaboration has shaped Tim's approach to leadership.

Links

• Rad Run Club
• Healthy Kids Project
• Parkrun Australia
• Tim Oberg on LinkedIn

In this episode, we cover:

•  What community means to Tim and how living overseas changed his understanding of belonging 
•  Why digital connection can't completely replace face-to-face human connection 
•  How Parkrun started and the story of bringing it to Australia in 2011 
•  The role consistency, inclusivity and community ownership played in Parkrun's growth 
•  Why removing friction makes it easier for people to join and stay in a community 
•  How gamification and community-created challenges helped Parkrun become more than a weekly 5K 
•  The life-changing impact community can have beyond its original purpose 
•  How to build a community from scratch using lessons from Parkrun 
•  Why Tim shifted his attention towards children's physical and mental wellbeing 
•  How the Healthy Kids Project and Rad Run Club are getting primary school children moving 
•  Why Rad stands for resilience, attitude and determination 
•  The role schools and families play in creating healthier, more connected communities 
•  Why Brisbane 2032's greatest legacy could be getting more Australian children moving 
•  Why elite sporting success doesn't automatically translate into grassroots participation 
•  How technology can help scale communities without keeping people glued to screens 
•  The difference between technology that encourages consumption and technology that encourages participation 
•  Why collaboration is one of Tim's most important lessons in leadership 
•  How shared values can create unexpected partnerships and stronger communities 

Chapters

00:00 Meet Tim Oberg and what community means to him
05:05 Why community matters more than ever
09:14 What is Parkrun?
12:05 How Tim brought Parkrun to Australia
17:40 The ingredients behind Parkrun's success
21:06 When a running event becomes something much bigger
24:46 How to build a community from scratch
27:37 From Parkrun to the Healthy Kids Project and Rad Run Club
38:28 Building healthier communities through schools and Brisbane 2032
45:52 Technology, leadership and the future of community

Michael joins Gavin to unpack how Laracon AU grew from an idea into a major annual gathering for developers across Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific region. They explore why in-person connection remains valuable, especially for people working remotely, and how conferences can create friendships, mentorship opportunities, new careers and even new businesses.

Michael also shares the behind-the-scenes work involved in producing Laracon AU, including responding to difficult feedback, supporting speakers, leading volunteers and learning to delegate. He explains why community builders should start small, stay consistent and resist waiting for the perfect moment.

The conversation also covers how AI is changing software development, why experienced developers will remain important and why human creativity will continue to be fuelled by human connection.

Links

• Laracon AU
• Laracon AU alternative website
• Laravel
• GitHub
• Claude
• Meetup
• Laracon AU on LinkedIn
• Laracon AU on X
• Michael Dyrynda on LinkedIn
• Michael Dyrynda on X

The topics covered

In this episode, we cover:

• What the Laravel framework is and why it has developed such a strong global community
• Why Michael created an Australian Laracon event for the Asia-Pacific region
• Growing Laracon AU from its first Sydney event into a major annual conference
• Why people still travel to conferences when technical information is available online
• Combating isolation and creating human connection for remote software developers
• Designing networking opportunities before, during and after a conference
• The small behind-the-scenes details that make attendees feel welcome
• Using feedback to improve an event, including feedback that is difficult to hear
• Creating a more thoughtful and community-led speaker selection process
• Supporting speakers and building connection before they arrive at the event
• Maintaining community engagement between major annual events
• The challenges of ticket sales, marketing and unpredictable buying behaviour
• Recruiting, communicating with and leading event volunteers
• Delegating responsibilities to avoid community-builder burnout
• Measuring event success through feedback, repeat attendance and community stories
• How Laracon AU helped create opportunities for SixSides co-founder Mitch
• How community events can launch careers, products and businesses
• The future of software development and developer communities in the age of AI
• Why human creativity will continue to rely on human connection
• Michael’s advice to start small, find a sustainable cadence and simply begin

Chapter markers

00:00 Welcome to Changemakers
01:17 What community means to Michael
03:05 Understanding Laravel and Michael’s journey
05:54 Why Australia needed Laracon AU
09:37 Why developers still meet in person
15:04 Designing belonging and meaningful connection
18:39 Feedback, speakers and improving the experience
23:27 Maintaining momentum and selling the event
30:07 Volunteers, delegation and measuring success
37:43 Community impact, AI and advice for new organisers

About SixSides

SixSides is a community-led events platform founded by Gavin Tye and Mitchell Davis to help organisations build stronger, more engaged communities. 

It brings together memberships, events, communication, directories, content, networking and engagement into a single platform, making it easier for community managers to create meaningful connections and measure their impact.

The idea for SixSides began after Mitch built Event Kit, an event app for Laracon AU. The enthusiastic response from the Laravel community showed there was a genuine opportunity to build tools that help communities thrive. 

That initial spark evolved into SixSides, which now powers communities across associations, professional networks, chambers of commerce, not-for-profits and membership organisations.

Links

• SixSides - https://sixsides.co
• Gavin Tye (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavintye/
• Mitch (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchdav/
• Chat with the Team: https://call.sixsides.co/call

When most people think of Orange Sky, they think of washing machines.

But as Nicholas Marchese explains in this episode of Change Makers, the washing machines were never the real innovation.

They simply created space for something far more powerful: conversation.

Nicholas shares the remarkable story of how two teenagers set out to provide free mobile laundry services for people experiencing homelessness, only to discover that the greatest impact wasn't clean clothes—it was the friendships that formed while people waited.

That insight transformed Orange Sky from a hygiene service into one of Australia's most recognised community organisations.

In this conversation, we explore what community really means, why loneliness has become one of society's greatest challenges, and how organisations of any size can intentionally create spaces where people feel seen, heard and understood.

Whether you lead an association, membership organisation, charity, sporting club or business, this episode offers practical lessons on designing communities that create genuine belonging.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why the washing machine was never the innovation
• How one conversation changed the future of Orange Sky
• The hidden cost of loneliness and why connection matters more than ever
• Why volunteers often receive as much as they give
• Building trust through consistency and showing up
• Creating experiences that naturally foster friendship
• Leadership lessons from growing Orange Sky across Australia and New Zealand
• Why community is built through shared moments, not just shared services

One of the most powerful ideas from this conversation is that organisations shouldn't just ask, "What service do we provide?"

They should ask,"What conversations are we creating?"

If you're passionate about building stronger communities, you'll find plenty of practical insights to take back to your own organisation.

About Nicholas Marchese

Nicholas is the Co-Founder of Orange Sky, a not-for-profit that began with one mobile laundry in Brisbane and has grown into a nationwide movement supporting people experiencing homelessness and hardship through free laundry, warm showers and, most importantly, genuine human connection.

Connect

Learn more about Orange Sky:
https://orangesky.org.au
Connect with Nicholas
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasmarchesi/

Connect with Gavin Tye:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavintye/

Learn more about SixSides:
https://sixsides.co

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who's passionate about creating stronger communities.

About SixSides

At SixSides, we believe strong communities don't happen by accident—they're designed through meaningful experiences, genuine human connection and a shared sense of purpose.

We work with associations, membership organisations, charities and purpose-driven businesses to build communities where people don't just participate—they belong.

Whether it's designing member experiences, strengthening volunteer engagement, creating impactful events or developing long-term community strategies, our focus is always the same: helping organisations create spaces where people feel seen, heard and connected.

Our work is grounded in a simple belief: community is one of the most powerful forces for creating positive change. When people trust one another, share experiences and contribute to something bigger than themselves, organisations become stronger, members become more engaged and impact grows naturally.

Through our consulting, workshops, speaking, the Change Makers podcast and the Community Builders Network, we're on a mission to help organisations build communities that people genuinely want to be part of.

Because the strongest communities aren't built through transactions.

They're built through relationships.

Find a time to speak to us: https://call.sixsides.co/call