How to make friends in Australia

Well, since you've asked.

If you intend to stay in Australia for a while, or finding it hard to make (new) friends, then you may be interested to join one of the social activity networks that have been starting up in the last couple of years.

It is a very relax and easy way to meet the locals, and fast track the establishment of a circle of friends in your new (temporary or permanent) home. Plus you get to do the stuff the locals do, let them show you the best beaches & pubs, the grooviest clubs, and the best hiking tracks - without having to go on an overpriced commercial tour.

This is exactly what I have done, 5 years ago - after having arrived in Sydney 7 years earlier (from Belgium). More: I've actually started up the first Australian activity network of its kinds (and probably the first in the world) !

I am not sure if you, or the forum administrator would allow me to mention the name of this site. But a quick Google search on 'liveliest social activity network Australia' should quickly point you in the right direction.

The site's not free - will cost you anywhere between $4 and $10 per month. But in return you get to join 300 local activities per week, meet great people or create your own activities (for which you can claim a free subscription!) - without having to put up with phoney profiles, marriage proposals or spam. If it is free you want: try Yahoo Groups or Facebook ;-)

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Anyway, I like my site because it keeps me real and away from my PC (and my Facebook profile) Instead, I can participate in all kinds of activities that I didn't even know existed, or that had been inaccessible to me for all kinds of reasons.

I have established a very wide network of great friends and contacts.

I have been on helicopter flights, sailing weekends, bush trecks, treasury hunts, gallery tours, private wine tasting nights, dinner dates, snorkeling weekends, the top of Mount Kosciusko, Shark Island, mussel parties, High Tea's, wine tasting tours, deep ocean fishing trips and canoing weekends. I have played kubb, aqua-golf, supa golf, mini golf, roller blading, soccer, basket ball, ten pin bowling, ultimate frisbee. I have been close and personal with grey nurse sharks, orka's and stingrays (the one that got Steve!), ...

Best of all is that all these activities I am doing in the company, and sometimes under the guidance of old and new found friends.

I also like my social activity network because it is informal, personal, non-judgmental, tolerant, empowering, open minded and all inclusive.

And because all activities here are organised by people just like me, who invite me because they enjoy my company (i hope), and not because i am on a bulk email list of some commercial operator.

Meeting new people in OZ is easy. Making friends is very difficult or next to impossible.  After four years here in Sydney I have managed to build a reasonable circle but it was more luck than anything. Most of my friends are also European expatriates although I have found two Australians who have become good friends.

The problem is obviously not with the Australians themselves but with the cultural differences which exist no matter where you come from.  I am German and one might suspect we are similar but I can now only pretemd to imagine what someone from Asia or South America must be experiencing in terms of culture shock. The Aussies have a wonderful thing called mateship which remains a mistery to anyone not raised here.  I believe they make brilliant friends but as a foreigner one stays outside their circle.

We just came from holiday, spent about 2 weeks in Adelaide + Glenelg.
We loved it!
People are so easy going...
After that we went to KL, Malaysia and the good feeling was wiped off...

Best regards to all Australians + expats over there...I'd like to join you!!!

JELLE,
I visited your site - very good idea!
Is it much work daily?
If members are the active ones (organizing happenings) how did you get them active? Normally people want everything done for them, they are so busy, don't have time...

Hi BloGitse

Much work? At the moment it is, but that will ease of once we've rebuilt the site and back-end ;-)

How do i get members active? That is never a problem - Australians are an active and creative bunch. There are members who love organising activities, and those who prefer to just go to them. Put 100 people in a room, and there will always emerge a 'leader' ;-) People who organise activities also get free membership - that helps too. Besides my sites makes it really very easy to create an activity.

More difficult, at least in the beginning when we started the site, was to get people who had put their name down for an event, to actually turn up. I know a lot of sites who fail because they can't get their members to keep a promise. One way of making sure our members and activities are real and honest is by charging a subscription. Not much, but enough top keep the fence sitters and jokers out. They usually end up glued to their Facebook account, where they can superpoke eachother until eternity.. for free ;-!

Jelle,
Commitment - that seems to be a problem...everywhere!
In virtual world people are eager to join a group but forget to be active...

"They usually end up glued to their Facebook account, where they can superpoke eachother until eternity.. for free ;-!"

hahah...I gave up Facebook couple of months ago - not missed!
People seem to spend more time there than doing something really productive! On the other hand, socializing could be productive...I guess you know what I mean!

All the best for your network idea in the future too!

BLOGitse

DEinAUS wrote:

Meeting new people in OZ is easy. Making friends is very difficult or next to impossible.  After four years here in Sydney I have managed to build a reasonable circle but it was more luck than anything. Most of my friends are also European expatriates although I have found two Australians who have become good friends.

The problem is obviously not with the Australians themselves but with the cultural differences which exist no matter where you come from.  I am German and one might suspect we are similar but I can now only pretemd to imagine what someone from Asia or South America must be experiencing in terms of culture shock. The Aussies have a wonderful thing called mateship which remains a mistery to anyone not raised here.  I believe they make brilliant friends but as a foreigner one stays outside their circle.

I am not sure whether or not I agree with this.

I am Australian, but I have spent many years living all over the world. I had so much trouble with people in Britain – they simply do not want to know you unless you grew up with them or work with them. Perhaps some of this carries over into Australian culture?

But in the end, it is difficult to make friends in any new country. I am from a family of expatriates, and I know for a fact that it is the same almost anywhere you go. I also have German friends, and I have found it difficult to have strong friendships with them – simply because the cultures are very different.

I think it is a big mistake to think that just because you look like someone you are going to be like them. My worst experience of culture shock was in England – the culture closest to the one I have come from.

My family is not of British origin, however. They are mostly from Eastern Europe, and my generation is the first to be born in Australia. They speak another language at home. They – of course – had problems when they arrived in Australia as refugees, but as they started to understand Australian society they started to make friends.

I would like to get to know pen pal who living in Australia... I have plans to migrate in Aus in near future so i it will be very usefull to know some culture and social aspects in this country

Hi Guys

am moving to sydney soon and I am wondering how the place is. Is it easy to make friends there(local australians and expatss too)..I am friendly person and love to meet,do sports,clubbing with friends and people.I have heard sydney is nice but dont how the social circule is.As I dont know anyone there and so I am wondering whether I will be able to make friends there or not.

Guys please advise.

I agree with others who have said that it is easier to make friends with other expats than Australians. While I find Sydneysiders incredibly friendly and always willing to chat, it is very difficult to get to the level of friendship - it is hard to break into well-established social circles. This is my experience, anyway. Plus, other expats usually are as interested in making new friends as you are.

I've had lots of luck making friends through introductions from people I know at home - even friends-of-friends from home will make "e-introductions" to people they know in Sydney, which always results in a coffee and then you can see if you hit it off as pals.

I also had some luck making friends in surfing class - we were all beginners and the environment was friendly, so it was easy to say "how'd you go" (as the Australians say!). And then, by the end of class, you have a new friend to go surfing with, as you both learn the ropes. I find it much easier to get out there on the water if I have a "date" to who I am accountable for not backing out at the last minute! I'm sure the same would apply with any new activity that you can take a class in.

True, group study or class activity breeds friendship. But in my view, true friendship only happens when you see hard times with someone. That's a natural trigger for a life long friendship, no matter from where you are.

Ive been here almost 3years and orginally from ireland, i moved here to be with my partner, i find it incrediably hard to find friends that stick around, i have had heaps of english and irish mates but all who have left to go travelling, i find the aussies like to stick within their own friendship group, although in sayin this is till love the aussies, im actually with one LOL, but i guess im just sayin there set in their ways. My patner an I are both not from Sydney so we find it hard not knowing many people here, we've tried the friendships sites and all that jazz but its so hard to find people that you instantly click with. I miss my family and friends

Hi Suz, welcome on Expat.com. I sure hope that you find some friends on this forum

[Moderated: Please register yourself into the Australia Business directory]

I would love getting into intact with serious people with whom to share friendship.well,am a Ugandan from a peasant family back ground,little bit educated and still on with studies at Kampala university  Uganda.and with age or religion,am not ready to discriminate.                                                        but i need serious friends who are even ready or who will be willing to even exchange visits because my country as the pearl of Africa is got a lot to see.say Chimpazees,Gorrilors,Baboons and many more.any way,i will  be happy to receiving from you.

Hello wamala and welcome to Expat.com!

Aurélie

Personally, I am having a very difficult time meeting people/ making friends here. It doesn't help that I am very shy, but it is even very hard to get to know/meet people on this site. The group in Moscow was much closer and inviting. I am lost on which way to turn to find someone to talk to and hang out with.

As i said earlier i am a cameroonian citizen living in thailand planning to relocate to Australia

i like a friend from all part of Australia:cool:

i would love getting friends in Australia and am planing to come there lf i get friends there.DIANA.

Hi Suz,

I think we are in same condition. I just moved in Sydney 7 months ago. I have plenty friends from my Husband, as they are actually my husband's friends but I can't find the "click" with the girls in here. My biggest problem is "listening". Sometimes, I asked them to repeat twice or explain it to me about the meaning of they're talking about. But I think, they're not keen anymore to explain it to me. I feel so homesick. Well i don't know can I survive in here? It's really hard to find Indonesia girl friends also, as mostly of my Indonesia girl friends are super duper busy!!

I think friendship should be depend on the origin.Something is something like a thing which work beyond the line I must say that friendship can be started in a couple of min

[Moderated: Off topic]

I will be happy to fine friend in Australia

Whenever I move to a new town in Australia I head for the local library to find out what groups and activities are available.  I then choose what interests me and end up with new friends with similar interests.Another benefit to this strategy is that community activities are usually free or cost very little.

please friends with to be with you guys seriously. it's only the bold that impact their world .....

basyglobal wrote:

please friends with to be with you guys seriously. it's only the bold that impact their world .....

wealth is for the smart not only the brave...

hi dear friends

love is part of life so live for love and enjoy your life and pass it in a good way with best manners and be a symbol of love

ONLY work places where you can develop your social circles.Otherwise clubbing or other places are the ones where people do not trust acquaintances.It is either Australia or uk or usa.

Hi people.
Very interesting topic

My name is Ivan. I'm 27.  I`am and my girlfriend from Russia. We are planning to move to Avstralia. We want to find new friends in Sydney. We are very positive couple. We like everything and want to know all about Sydney. If you are sociable and want to know, how to live another people - please write to us in a mail - [email protected]

hi will u be my friend

Hello Rizwan ali saroya.

Welcome to Expat.com

A little introduction may be?

Thanks

Karen

[Moderated: This forum is not a dating website.]

want to best friend of any one who knows how to be human.

HI am Harris. Am a simple young man

Okay so,

I know this is an old posts but it really did strike at the heart of how I feel.
I am nearly three years here.  Came over ftom Ireland to be with my kiwi partner now husband.  I left an active social life  as I am outgoing and ba bum welcome to oz.
I made a ridiculous amount of effort while living in nsw but to no avail. 
I moved to nt,  alice springs  away from my husband to find the job I want ( he visits alot) and I find the same thing. 
Its strange seeing the years roll by;  watching my mates at home having fun, and me here all alone.  I used to be a party goer,  actually my whole life was a series of social events.  Anyeay now I am afraid after 3 years of this crap I will end up a bit mental.
I have traveled extensively and vlived abroad so I don't buy the view that its always hard to make friends in other countries.  There is a particular difference with Australia. 
Anyway rant over. But...if there is anyone out there... ( I hear an echo) anyone in alice Springs eho likes to share a coffee have a drink a chat a walk anything !!!!! Please throw me a line. 
X m

Hi, now what you mean. We have been in Bundaberg for nearly one yr now (sorry not close to Alice) and although I have wonderful colleagues, it hasn't really appended to meet many friends to hang out with...

I have a Kiwi friend (nurse) in Alice who move there a yr ago and I'm sure she's keen for going for coffees! I can send your link to her if you like....

In the meantime if there is another family with young kids in Bundaberg or surrounds that like to meet up, do send a reply