deb68

Even though Aussies invented the telly show, are we really a neighbourly nation? Do Australians like to be a part of their neighbours' lives or do we cringe at such an idea, preferring to remain stand-offish?

Melbournite Andrew Heslop organised Neighbour Day and hopes we will be community-minded enough to knock on the door of our neighbours -- especially the elderly who live alone -- and introduce ourselves.


http://blogs.smh.com.au/lifestyle/re...hbour_day.html

Is it so?

Buzzy--Bee

I reckon people here (and I can only speak for my area) are considerably more neighbourly than the very similar area I used to live in in the UK.

Yesterday I walked down to the local shops. It's only one block, yet on the way I exchanged greetings with no less than 5 of my neighbours. In the UK I'm not sure I knew 5 of my neighbours.

BB

deb68

Thats really nice to hear.

kmthor

i agreed a lot of people say HI... but that dosnt really mean you know them in the UK i knew all my neighbours well .... now if you lived rural (OZ) they would say HI offer you a coffee and lift to the shop you soon become friends with people like that..

km

DeadVim

Plenty of neighbourly stuff here ... we horse-sit, dog walk, help out with yardwork, general popping around for a chat.

Yesterday our neighbour helped us rescue a lost baby duckling <cute section ends>. Currently trying to find it a home ...

Some people keep themselves to themselves and that is fine too.

Grayling

....and I have found the opposite

DeadVim

Important Duck News ... new home found in Underwood.

<Bulletin Ends>

mr mover

Of course you would have...........MM

verystormy

In the UK the avenue i lived on would occaisionaly get together and have avenue party, we had a quiz team for the pub and some became our best friends. Here people say the odd hello but thats about it.

micmay3_in_oz

My neighbours are free to a good home if anyone wants them Mx

al150n

I've said hi to the people on one side of us & watched through the curtains the other night as someone got arrested on the driveway opposite but that's it here so far.

We weren't much different in the last couple of houses we lived in in the UK, knew the next door neighbours either side to say hello to & exchange Christmas cards. Although the house prior to that we knew a lot of the neighbours quite well but that may have been more to do with hubby living there for so long.

I did live in a village in the UK for some years & couldn't wait to get out as the 'neighbourly' thing was almost claustrophobic. Great at times, especially with young kids but you couldn't sneeze without it starting gossip around the place.

Alison x

fish.01

Never lived in a village....what sort of things would they gossip about ?

Cheetah7

I like my neighbours, we are very lucky where we live - it is ten times better here for us neighbour wise. I wouldnt swap it for anything.

eddie007

Our neighbours would probably LOVE to swap with you... We're the pommie trash in a well to do australian enclave...

actually they're really nice...

But I do miss bumping into people I've known for thirty odd years when I pop to the shops... But that will. Come with time

micmay3_in_oz

I know what you mean. I miss bumping into people I haven't seen for a while and catching up on all the gossip.

I don't think neighbourliness is or is not an Australian thing more a people thing. The last street we lived in they were all very polite and neighbourly, but it was so quiet and to be honest felt a bit like living in a goldfish bowl. We have been in this house 10 months and have had 10 lots of neighbours in 3 different houses - haven't really had the chance to get to know any of them that much. And let's just say we see a lot more of life down here than we did in the other place. The ones we have at the back of us at the minute, well let's just say both him and her have a very restricted vocabulary and must both be deaf becuase they need to shout all the time

Mx