Reach out to someone in your street on Sunday, March 30, as Relationships Australia hosts Neighbour Day – an annual social connection campaign which aims to enhance well-being, improve resilience and address loneliness in the community.
Central Coast council is backing the event.
Since June 2024, Council has been recognised by Relationships Australia as a Very Neighbourly Organisation, committing to uphold and promoting the social connection principles of Neighbours Every Day.
Neighbour Day launched as an annual event in 2003 and to coincide with the 2025 theme of ‘Create, Share, Grow Belonging,’ Council has developed a dedicated web page, Neighbourhoods Connected, offering tips and resources to help build positive relationships with your neighbours.
Director Community and Recreation Services Mel Smith said Neighbourhoods Connected was developed as an initiative to support cohesive community connections.
“Our experience with disaster-impacted communities highlighted the importance of knowing your neighbours for better emergency preparedness and to assist with recovery,” she said.
“The need for increased social connectivity was supported by the findings in the Ending Loneliness Together Report 2023, which discovered one in three Australians feel lonely, with people aged 18-24 and 45-54 reporting feeling most disconnected.
“The key to alleviating loneliness is creating genuine connections.
“Our 2024 Wellbeing Survey revealed that 64% of Central Coast residents either felt somewhat connected (49%) or very connected (15%) with their local area.
“We want to improve these statistics and Neighbour Day creates an opportunity to get to know the people around you and to build inclusive, welcoming neighbourhoods.”
Smith said connecting with neighbours could be as simple as sharing a cup of tea in the front yard, a friendly games afternoon in the park, or a whole street gathering.
“A connected community is a resilient one and the first step to building resilience starts by getting to know the people who live around you,” she said.
“So, visit our Neighbourhoods Connected web page and download the Neighbourhoods Connected guide for practical tips and advice for planning your exciting Neighbour Day get-together.”
Central Coast Mayor Lawrie McKinna said building positive relationships with neighbours can cultivate a strong support system and play a vital role in community resilience, safety and a greater sense of belonging.
“If you’re more engaged with your neighbours, your street can be a better place to live in, your community can thrive and together you can face collective challenges, support each other in times of happiness or crisis, and combat the feeling of isolation and loneliness,” he said.
To learn more, search ‘Neighbourhoods Connected’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au
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