Every Saturday morning at 9.30am, something a little unusual – and wonderfully uplifting – happens under the skies of Nangawooka Floral Reserve, just outside Victor Harbor. A group of people of all ages gather, not with yoga mats or meditation cushions, but with one simple mission: to laugh together. This is the home of the South Coast Laughter Club, a weekly community event where joy is intentional, laughter is shared and wellbeing is a natural outcome.
The club was started in March 2025 by Melissa, a local massage therapist whose own journey with laughter began in a surprisingly ordinary place — a physiotherapy appointment. Plagued by persistent back pain, Melissa was encouraged to consider stress and tension as contributing factors. “Relax more,” her physio told her. That suggestion led her down a path of deep breathing techniques and self-reflection on her innate tendencies — including her habit of laughing spontaneously, sometimes at completely inappropriate moments, something she now jokingly refers to as, “emotional incontinence”.
Melissa’s research led her to discover laughter yoga, a wellness practice that blends purposeful breathing with sustained laughter. Intrigued, she attended a class run by the Laughter Club of South Australia in Eastwood. The experience was transformative. “I felt fantastic,” she recalls. Before long, she had signed up for laughter facilitator training — led by a former clown doctor who works with children’s hospitals, reinforcing the idea that laughter truly is medicine.
Unlike traditional yoga, laughter yoga doesn’t involve complex postures or spiritual discipline. It’s a playful, group-based practice rooted in the idea that intentional laughter – even when ‘forced’ – quickly becomes genuine. The principle is this: the brain doesn’t know the difference between fake laughter and real laughter. Whether it starts as a deliberate ‘ho-ho, ha-ha’ or an authentic belly laugh, the nervous system responds the same way — with chemical and emotional uplift. At the Southern Laughter Club, sessions typically begin with simple breathing techniques and playful laughter prompts. Before long, these ‘fake’ laughs naturally evolve into real, joyful sounds — which triggers the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain, including endorphins and dopamine. These neurochemicals help reduce stress, improve mood and even ease the perception of pain.
Melissa says research into laughter yoga and similar practices supports what she and her members have experienced anecdotally: sustained laughter — even for as little as 15 to 20 minutes — can have measurable benefits for wellbeing. She says studies suggest that laughter is linked with reductions in stress hormones, increased oxygen intake and improved circulation and elevated immune activity. These physiological changes can enhance mood, reduce tension and improve resilience to mental and physical stress.
For many regulars, these Saturday mornings have become more than a weekly ritual — they’re a space to connect, play, and feel genuinely supported by a community. Participants say the laughter helps quiet the mind, lift mood and build a sense of shared fun that’s hard to find elsewhere. Whether you’re feeling physically stiff, emotionally drained, or just in need of a mid-week boost, the laughter sessions offer a lightness of spirit as much as a boost to wellbeing.
Melissa emphasises that all are welcome, whether you want to jump right in or just watch. “You can come along as an observer at first,” she says, “and if you feel like joining in, that’s great — but there’s no pressure.” What matters most is the intention to participate in a community of laughter and shared joy.
Part of what makes laughter yoga unique is its accessibility — no humour, jokes, or performance skills are required. You don’t have to be naturally funny to benefit; the practice works by combining playful laughter with conscious breathing, which itself helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, calming the body and mind. This dual action — breath and laughter — is key to why so many people feel a mood uplift, a drop in tension and a collective sense of wellbeing after a session.
One of the guiding philosophies Melissa learned during her training is that four essential pillars of joy are laughter, play, singing and dancing. It’s a holistic idea that encourages participation in joyful activities as a core part of everyday living. This principle has become central to the club’s culture, where every session is not just about laughter, but about reconnecting with a playful, expressive part of ourselves that many adults struggle to access.
For those curious about experiencing it firsthand, the Southern Laughter Club’s weekly gatherings are a perfect starting point. Held in the gentle surrounds of the floral reserve, there’s no need for special equipment — just bring yourself, an open mind, and a willingness to laugh without reservation.
And for those wanting a larger dose of joy and connection, there’s an upcoming celebration that’s sure to bring even more laughter to the region: World Laughter Day. Celebrated internationally on the first Sunday of May, this year’s event will take place on Sunday 3 May, from 1pm to 3pm at Light Square in the city, with a free laughter celebration for all ages. World Laughter Day was founded in 1998 as a global movement to promote joy, friendship and wellbeing through shared laughter — a reminder that laughter connects us across boundaries and lifts communities together.
In a world where stress and tension can feel overwhelming, groups like the Southern Laughter Club offer something refreshingly simple: an invitation to laugh — and to laugh together. If wellness is about mind, body, and spirit harmony, then maybe the best place to start is with a laugh.
To learn more or to get in touch head to Laughter Clubs SA Facebook page. Joining the South Coast Laughter Club is free, but they do accept gold coin donations for Nangawooka for allowing them to use the space.