After years of lockdowns and COVID stress, 2023 is the year individuals and communities can create and embrace more meaningful, sustainable social connections and respectful relationships to improve health and wellbeing. Connections don’t just happen. They take effort. Often it is the small things which make a difference.

Neighbour Day, which is on Sunday 26 March 2023, is Relationships Australia’s social connection campaign that encourages people to reach out and make sustainable connections with those around them.

The Neighbour Day 2023 official theme is "Create Belonging", providing the perfect opportunity to create social connection in our local area. We can all work to create belonging: for ourselves, for our families and for our neighbours. We can do this by focusing on inclusion and connection, making others welcome, and by building respectful relationships with those around us.

Research shows that communities where people know each other have better mental health, are safer, and are more resilient. Neighbour Day is a practical and effective way to help address loneliness across our communities. Loneliness is detrimental to our overall wellbeing. Social connection and increasing sustainable respectful relationships is the key to better outcomes for individuals and communities alike.

Neighbour Day is the perfect opportunity to connect with your community

Local Neighbour Day Events

Deckchair Sunsets

Deckchair Sunsets is a local Neighbour Day initiative which started in 2013 with a vision of the local community coming together to share food and conversation to foster wellbeing and resilience.

"We started off with a few Deckchairs, picnic blankets and a single small trestle. Now we have a few tables for food and drinks and a marquee shade-cover to anchor the event. We all enjoy taking a couple of hours to catch up with the neighbours," said Deckchair Sunsets founder Angela Galgut.

"Over the years, The Reserve has gone from a drought stricken patch of brown grass into a luscious Native Garden for all to enjoy, thanks to several volunteer Community Gardeners.

"The warmth of communal spirit is always alive and well in our neighbourhood. We stand together to support each other in the face of challenges," said Angela.

Connecting with local community at Deckchair Sunsets

The benefits of Deckchair Sunsets

Angela explains that there are a number of reasons why Deckchair Sunsets was originally set up, including reaching out to people who live on their own, to avoid them being isolated as well as to utilise local greenspace as a neighbourhood hub for communal gatherings - thereby anchoring the community.

Angela said that there have been many benefits of these community gettogethers. She said that great friendships have been forged between residents from the different streets and some even socialise together outside of the Deckchair Sunsets events.

The neighbourhood events have built bridges between the different streets, creating a cohesive community who aim for a balanced, harmonious neighbourhood. Another positive spin-off being a communal native garden in Derby Street Reserve and street projects improving the amenity of the streets.

The spectacular sunset at Deckchair Sunsets

Community Gardens Neighbour Day: Sunday 26 March

Celebrate our Community Gardens and connect with your local green thumbs this Neighbour Day. Head over to Paddington, Cooper Park or Rose Bay Community Garden for an informal tour, activities, talks and refreshments.

Cooper Park Community Garden: 10am-1pm

• Garden tours
• Propagation demonstration – how to grow from seeds and cuttings
• Taste testing garden produce, snacks and BBQ
• Kids activities in the reserve with Woollahra Library

Paddington Community Garden: 1.30-3.30pm

• Garden tours
• Bush foods talk with Koori Kinnections
• Taste testing garden produce and bush tucker foods

Rose Bay Community Garden: 2-4pm

• Garden tours
• Activity - paint a pot and plant a cutting
• Taste testing garden produce, snacks and BBQ

Cost: Free.

Bookings essential

Celebrating Bellevue Hill 2023: Cooper Park Walking Tour

This free event is part of the Woollahra Council’s ‘Celebrate Bellevue Hill 2023' festival and takes place on Neighbour Day, 26 March 2022. This is a wonderful way to connect with like-minded nature and history enthusiasts.

Woollahra Library is conducting a walking tour covering some highlights of the area. Join members of the Local History staff to revisit the suburb’s industrial past while strolling through the picturesque Cooper Park gully! Meet at the bus stop above Cooper Park close to the intersection of Bellevue Road and Victoria Road at 1.45pm. Tour concludes at the foot of the gully.

Cost: Free

Bookings essential online

Pound Paws Day at the Golden Sheaf: Sunday, 26 March

Since Neighbour Day is all about creating belonging, bonding over our fur babies is the perfect way to bring our community together.

Pound Paws Dog Day events are aimed to raise awareness to the local community about the importance of choosing to adopt instead of shop.

Red Carpet Arrivals commence at 12pm, with pup-arazzi & gift bags for the doggie socialites!

The event will be held in The Golden Sheaf dog-friendly beer garden, with live entertainment, rescue dogs for adoption, paw-tini's & a wide variety of pet market stalls both in the dog-friendly beer garden.

With dogs available for adoption from a variety of dog rescue groups around NSW - there will be plenty of opportunities to find a fur-ever friend.

This community event is supported by a Woollahra Council Placemaking Grant, and is guaranteed to get tails waggin' amongst the Eastern Suburbs neighbourhood community.

General admission is free. Register here.

Buy a ticket to enter your dog in the Best dog costume and the Best dog trick competition ($6,61).

How you can be a good neighbour on Neighbour Day (and every other day too)

• Organise a driveway dinner, drinks or dancing (in each of your driveways at the same time).
• Leave a connection card for your neighbours.
• Set up a ‘Bear Hunt’ or other observation type activity for children.
• Set up a contact / buddy program to support older neighbours.
• Chalk art / neighbourly messages on driveway / footpath or a hopscotch game!
• Create an art display in your neighbourhood.
• Help a neighbour with their garden / yard or garage clean up.
• Drop off ‘bags of hugs’ care packages; chocolates or fruit; ‘appreciation notes’; home baked goods or a meal; your contact details; flowers, spare eggs, veggies, plant cuttings, seedlings; notes / letters; activities for kids e.g. colouring in pages.
• Run an errand for a neighbour, volunteer at a local community organisation, pay it forward at a café and buy the next person’s coffee, do some ‘Random Acts of Kindness.’
• Text a nearby neighbour to check how they are feeling.
• Call a neighbour for a general chat.
• Check your contacts and call people you haven’t spoken with in more than a few months.
• Start a Facebook or Instagram or WhatsApp group to connect to your neighbours.

Host your own Neighbour Day event

Neighbour Day is a time to encourage social connections so it's a great opportunity to organise a Neighbour Day get together. Think of something your neighbours might enjoy - for example a BBQ, morning tea or some friendly games. The Neighbour Day website has lots of resources to provide ideas and inspiration for Neighbour Day local events and how to set these up.

For more information about Neighbour Day or to find an event near you, visit neighbourday.org