Neighbour Day is Australia’s annual celebration of community, bringing together the people next door, across the street or on the next farm for a beer, a barbie or just a cuppa.
It’s time to start planning your Neighbour Day event
Thinking a street party or a community event would be the best way to celebrate this year’s Neighbour Day on Sunday, 30 of March? If so, now is a good time to start talking to your local council or shire.
Founder of Australia’s annual celebration of community, Andrew Heslop, says that it’s important to plan ahead.
“Applying to close off the street to create a mini-festival and to safely allow a game of cricket is a very good idea.
“What varies is the application process and timeframes required by each council and shire. So neighbours who want to hold a street party or major community event in a public space should talk to their local government authority now to find out about local requirements,” Andrew said.
Neighbour Day is growing every year, with more and more Australians deciding to get together with their neighbours and communities.
This year marks a different sort of growth for Neighbour Day as it has found a new home with Relationships Australia.
National Executive Officer of Relationships Australia, Alison Brook, was delighted by Andrew Heslop’s decision to hand responsibility for Neighbour Day to Relationships Australia.
“We were thrilled to take responsibility for Neighbour Day as we really believe in its values and what can be achieved by people connecting with neighbours and feeling a deep belonging in their communities.
“Bringing neighbours together strengthens community, while at the same time helping to break down barriers of loneliness and isolation at the individual level,” Alison said.
“No matter where you live – in a city or the bush, in a house, an apartment or on a farm – knowing who your neighbours are creates community. When you connect with the people who live nearby you care about what happens locally and are directly helping to ensure your suburb or town is safe, friendly, resilient and sustainable,” added Alison.
More information
Everything you need to help facilitate your Neighbour Day event is now available on the neighbourday.org website and everyone is encouraged to contact Relationships Australia or Neighbour Day Twitter or Facebook accounts to share their neighbourhood stories and let us know about your exciting plans.
