A smiling woman sitting on the ground surrounded by fallen autumn leaves, wearing a beige sweater, white skirt, and earrings.

Our Story

It all started with connection

Sydney Girls Connect started with a simple idea, life feels a little easier when you have people around you.

After moving to Sydney from New Zealand, I experienced first-hand how lonely a new city can feel and how difficult it can be to make genuine friendships as an adult.

I figured there had to be other women feeling the same, so I started organising small creative gatherings at Coogee Beach as an easy, relaxed way for women to meet.

Those little gatherings grew into more events, meet-ups and friendships, and eventually became Sydney Girls Connect.

Today, SGC is a community of more than 15,000 women across Sydney, but the heart of it hasn't changed, helping women feel more connected, supported and less alone.

What's On

Meet Arnika

A young woman with brown hair smiling, sitting outdoors on a bed of fallen autumn leaves with green trees in the background, wearing a beige knit sweater and white skirt, with earrings and necklaces.

Hi, I’m Arnika Ruegg,

Hi, I'm Arnika, although most people around here know me as Arny. I'm the Kiwi behind Sydney Girls Connect. 🤍

My own experiences with grief, anxiety and mental health have shaped a lot of who I am and why creating supportive spaces for women means so much to me.

After losing my mum as a child, I spent years navigating anxiety, stress and feeling disconnected from myself. Over time, that led me to want to understand myself more deeply and eventually to study psychology and counselling.

I'm now a registered counsellor and certified yoga teacher, alongside working full-time and building Sydney Girls Connect.

SGC started because I wanted women to have an easier way to find genuine connection in Sydney. As the community has grown, so has that purpose.

For me, it all comes back to something pretty simple, helping women feel connected, supported and less alone.

Work with me
Group of young women posing outdoors near a pond with trees and cars in the background, some holding painted landscapes and animal illustrations.
A group of people sitting on the grass near a coastline with water and houses in the background.
Three women standing on the beach during sunset, smiling, with ocean waves and a cliff in the background.
Group of young women sitting on the grass at a park near the water, holding paintings of a bright smiling sun with colorful rays, surrounded by art supplies, with trees, a cityscape, and a beach in the background.
A group of women sitting on a blanket at a park picnic, holding colorful plant pots and smiling, with trees and houses in the background.
A group of people standing outdoors near the ocean, holding small paintings, with colorful supplies and canvas boards on a blanket and rugs on the grass in front of them. The background features a clear blue sky and a hillside with houses.