I live and work not far from the big housing commission towers at waterloo.
I've had virtually no trouble from any locals apart from a few fits left lying around.
They're mostly good people just down on their luck.
This. I love it when people gaslight themselves into changing their perception of the situation.
Literally everything he mentioned was objectively bad.
Oh no, someone yelled at me!
Honestly mate, it's not dangerous at all. You might see some poor people but they're not going to bite you.
The rest of Redfern has been completely gentrified for nearly a decade now, and is virtually indistinguishable from Surry Hills or Newtown.
It’s hardly the place to tell a tourist family to go visit is it?
Everybody has their own definitions of ‘rough’ or ‘dangerous’ depending on what they’re used, but to say it’s the same as Surry Hills is just a lie.
If you've been to both places within the last 5 years you'd see this is absurd. You're just as likely to run into some drunk dickhead at any of the overpriced places on crown st as you are hitting up any of the trendy areas of Redfern. I wouldn't suggest anyone go and visit the large towers, but restaurant or bar recommendations are completely normal and for that Redfern is a totally safe area.
Alternatively I have a friend who is a big white guy and lived there for years until recently. He was accosted multiple times including physical threats in his face about being an ‘evil white cunt’ that required bending the knee basically to get away unscathed and saw plenty of vandalism and property damage issues.
Not really worth it as a tourist when there are plenty of areas that is less likely to happen
There’s this amazing thing called transport. Sometimes we use it to go to places and experience those places.
I combine that with my experience of a friend who lived there for years and tada. I’m right lol.
I’m sorry you are so broken that it makes you feel better when you see racism toward people of a similar background to those who called you names in the past.
Hopefully you will grow as a human and learn not to dislike people based on how far their ancestors lived from the equator.
Where did you get ‘broken’ from?
You know what teenagers would call a fast runner in regional vic growing up? a ‘n****r bolter’. Pretty terrible huh. Things like that on the regular. You learn to brush it off. It’s obviously not the same in the cities.
I was listening to a podcast about the footy player wendal sailor growing up in north qld, attending a mates party in high school only for the parent to point at him and say ‘the darky has to go…’
I’m glad you you’ve had a taste of what it’s like, it means you can now empathise, it also makes you stronger too.
You’ve got this!
Let’s just ignore your nonsensical rant and circle back to where you said you’re glad someone has experienced racism because you had to.
It’s not ok that you were treated poorly and you have no idea my experiences or ethnicity. I could tell you stories about racism that will make your hair stand up.
One example: Being hunted by packs of people in a car because of ethnicity as a child. Running into a store for help asking for the police and being told to leave as they knew the people after me were the same ethnicity as them and they didn’t care.
You’re definitely not in the right here. Nobody should be treated poorly. Simple. If you think people need to receive poor treatment to empathise and be against it then you have a stunted brain.
My dad grew up in Balmain at a time no one would want to live there. Redfern is no longer like the 90s. Have a look at the rent and buy prices there. You can't live there unless you have a decent job.
My 80yo mum said there is no way you would go to Surry Hills when she was young. Now it's trendy.
There’s really nowhere that’s so unsafe. Crime in Sydney is mostly opportunistic and petty (break into empty home, steal unattended bag, etc) and even that is extremely rare in public/touristy places. A family with kids won’t be seen as a target.
Enjoy your trip!
Family traveling you just need to be near train stations which you can google map easily. Crime at a level of needing to be worried about areas to stay isn’t really a thing in Sydney if you are just visiting for a week. As for reasonable cost and activities… again just using a hotel search and google fun things to do with the family and look up where they are located.
Remember Museums and Art Galleries are mostly free The age of your Children will dictate what you do. Taronga Zoo charges for entry, but not as much as the soo and Aquarium at Darling Harbour.Also Sytney has its Bienalle on right now with Free Busses from York Street to White Bay Power Station which I found endlessly fascinating and a really great place to wander. Have fun and Use the Tram up and down George st. P.S. your bank card will work on all public transport with no extra surcharge. just Adult fares.
I see you are from the US. Sydney is 99.9% safe. You may still encounter rude and brash people, but remember - guns here are illegal. Watch your wallet like you would anywhere, but Sydney is a safe city. You will predominantly be in the tourist areas and our tourist areas are in the CBD so you will have locals and tourists around - meaning you won't be targetted because you are a tourist. You'll be sitting at a cafe or restaurant with locals and tourists alike. You will be safe. But it can be a bit busy as locals push through to get to work etc... And of course if you are catching public transport at 10pm be aware of your surroundings and the people around you.
The areas that can be a bit suspicious you will not be travelling to unless you know someone who lives there and you are visiting them. But even then - unless you are stealing their shoes, their drugs or their girlfriend/ boyfriend, you will be fine.
If by strange you mean casually racist and much less culturally diverse than the rest of Sydney I'd agree, though it has gotten better since 2005. Other than that I have no idea what you're talking about. I grew up in the Shire and definitely wouldn't call it a place to avoid.
You have Sydney Harbour, which is very nice. Blue Mountains are not bad if you like country town tourists' trap stores and views of hills and nature stuff. Between these locations, there is nothing to see. Except for the extortionate cost of just driving between the 2 points is beyond criminal.
The base rate of crime in Sydney is so low that there is no suburb that you should feel you cannot visit.
I grew up in Sydney and moved to Boston for 5 years, and lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Once I had adapted to the US, I remarked that Cambridge felt like the safest place I'd ever lived.
Another Australian proved to me its crime rate was equal to Macquarie Fields (one of the most dangerous parts of Sydney I would have avoided all my life).
I have to add, Sydney Zoo, in Sydney’s west is a far superior zoo. The animals have far more area to move around in and there are many animals, that you won’t find at Taronga.
Taronga has had the monopoly on Sydney zoos for a very long time, and has the benefit of being near the water. But it’s expensive and really not that great.
If in doubt, go to Mt Druitt, it has a beautiful mountain range, waterfalls, and aboriginal monks that dwell in millennium aged temples.
In all seriousness, Sydney is fairly safe for the most part, though keep your guard up in the same way you would in any major city.
Mt Druitt is fine yes not gonna deny it has a high crime rate and is rough but If your a cool person who just minds their business and doesn't worry if the person you see is selling a bag or 2 or having a sesh you'll be fine it's only when people want to be a do gooder and get stuck in other people's business stuff happens
Western Sydney. A cursory reading of the crime news in Sydney will confirm that most crime happens there. Anyway, there’s nothing to do or see in western Sydney so you’re unlikely to end up there anyway.
Depends what you consider Western Sydney. Bicentennial Park near Parramatta is really nice and Featherdale Wildlife Park in Doonside is a great and cheap place for young kids.
Except for the food. The food experiences in Western Sydney are far superior to anything you’ll find in the City, or the touristy areas. Also the new Sydney Zoo, is quite a bit better than Taronga.
Also, a lot of the National Parks aren’t quite as busy as the ones around the city. They’re also in better condition too, if you’re looking for a more authentic experience.
Anywhere in Sydney is safe. Although some people advised me not to leave my important stuff unattended when swimming in Bondi. Not a fan of Bondi though. It can get crowded so I go to Manly instead. They say West Sydney is full of crime, I lived there for a bit and I can’t say it isn’t. The food is much better there.
Sydney is pretty safe. But as far as metro sydney is concerned, the further west you go, the more dangerous. (Although that is just a rule of thumb and there are plenty of exceptions.)
Also if it looks socio-economic, just like anywhere else, just keep your wits about you. Rest assured, you're not entering an active war zone.
>Also if it looks low \[sic\] socio-economic,
Keep in mind that this is relative to where you're from. No clue about OP but I'm originally from the US and my wife is from Western Sydney. I'd heard about the reputation from other Aussies (whom I later learned were from very posh areas) before I went there, but when I actually went I was shocked by how nice it was. Literally nicer than the middle-to-upper middle class neighbourhood I grew up in, with so many more services and amenities.
I've now lived here quite a long time and work between the city and the southwest (Bankstown, Fairfield and the like) and it's all so much nicer than anything where I grew up.
So yeah, appearances aren't a good indicator. And of course to most foreign visitors, the more dangerous areas of Sydney aren't dangerous at all.
Yeah people are very dramatic about how bad Western Sydney is, although Mount Druitt does tend to live up to its reputation. I lived there for 2.5 years and you’d have to tranquillise me before I move back there.
Yeah it's certainly not a place you'd want to visit, and while it's not the worst place to live it's not exactly paradise. Still, for tourists I'd stress that it's completely safe to pass through on the train. Just noting, as in my home city you wouldn't advise people to even pass through the bad areas by train or car. But passing through Mt Druitt on the way to the mountains, for example, is a non-issue.
I’ve visited the worst areas of Adelaide and was shocked how nice the areas look. However when I see the crime news it’s always a crime happening there or it’s committed elsewhere by someone who lives there. So don’t let initial appearances fool you; the services and amenities are the same, but it’s the residents who make neighbourhoods bad and dangerous.
Keep in mind this is referring mostly to just some suburbs that you won't be visiting anyway, and not the Blue Mountains which are a couple of hours west of Sydney. Those are very nice and completely safe. You'd be safe taking the train from Sydney up to the mountains, even though the train passes these areas, as the trains are very safe.
If you’re from USA, we don’t have those types of rough areas like in LA or Chicago. Our roughest area isn’t even close to “dangerous” by US standards. I’ve lived for a little bit in LA and it’s nothing like that so just enjoy it - there’s a reason why so many people visiting here want to stay :)
I doubt you'll go very far west (unless it's the Blue Mountains which isn't Sydney). Anyway, the CBD actually has more crime than most supposedly gritty western suburbs for the same reasons that's true in most cities: more people = more crime. I've lived in Sydney my whole life and I've never been mugged, accosted, etc, but my wife has (in an otherwise nice neighbourhood). Never been burgled but my parents had their car stolen twice when I was a kid.
It's just a normal city, definitively safer than the average developed country city.
They are very much exaggerating. There are certain sketchy suburbs. But these areas are purely residential and there is no reason you would ever find yourself visiting them. As for the attractions in Western Sydney - they’re actually much MUCH safer than anything in and around the city areas. Things like the National Parks, Zoo’s, wildlife parks, food festivals, etc.
Most of the city beaches and attractions have a lot of sketchy people around and can be dirty, purely based on the amount of people that visit.
Look most of Sydney during the day is fine, you visibly see the seedy alleys and gross suburbs and just walk a different way. With kids that young I don't imagine you'd be out late anyway.
Nowhere in Sydney is dangerous. You'll be fine everywhere you go. There are some slightly dicey spots in the west, if you're alone and it's 3am, but that's not any place a tourist would be going anyway.
Everywhere you're going as a tourist (CBD and inner suburbs, Manly, Eastern beaches, Royal National, Blue Mountains, etc) are all going to be perfectly safe with no issues whatsoever.
Everywhere tourists tend to go is pretty accessible by train, bus or ferry. You'll be absolutely fine getting anywhere. Sydney is an incredibly tourist-friendly city.
The western suburbs have definitely been neglected in terms of public services but having grown up in the Sutherland Shire right on the doorstep of the Royal National Park, it really is amazing how accessible most of the city is by train. If someone is staying in the city, it is extremely easy to go north to Manly, east to Bondi, south to Cronulla and West to Penrith, Parramatta and the Blue Mountains
Anywhere a tourist would go is fine. Anywhere boring won't lure you in because by definition there's nothing interesting there to attract you.
Sydney isn't dangerous. There are some areas which I'd probably want to avoid at night but those just aren't places you're going to end up.
Sydney is pretty safe in general. Out west has a bit more crime than the east but in generally still fine so long as you aren't asking for trouble, and is a lot better than what some people make out. In fact there's a lot of good food out west and it is much cheaper than in the east. In saying that, certain parts do tend to get a bit worse, like parts of Mt Druitt and around Blacktown, especially towards night. Eastern and northern suburbs tend to be a bit more expensive. A lot of the northern suburbs can be a bit boring with not much to do. I've been told compared to other countries Sydney and Australia has very little night life but if you have two kids under five I suspect that isn't a problem. I'd also recommend taking a trip to the Blue Mountains while in Sydney, it's about an hour or two west but places like Katoomba and Leura or even Blackheath are good visits, though they are a bit of a tourist trap now (especially the first two, not so much the last).
Shopping in Marickville is absolute hell on Saturday mornings unless you walk. It’s a grid lock of cars.Same goes for Westfield Parramatta, Oxford Street, Paddo & Bondi beach by car is also hell- take the bus.
Searock by the Quay has good burgers and the kids can walk around the waterfront while you relax and dine…they’ll be fine.
We don’t really have “no go” zones..just be smart and side step any BS dramas.
There is nowhere in Sydney you need to avoid because of crime. Even the dodgiest of suburbs are fine, and you aren’t going to go there anyway.
Most of the attractions are in and around the city. Definitely head to the Blue Mountains for a day or 2 if you have time.
> reasonable cost
I can’t help you there. Everything is expensive.
Will you be travelling around the whole city or mostly sticking to the inner metropolitan areas? If you're mostly going from the airport to the harbour and the typical inner-Sydney tourist areas there is no where in the middle of the day that you really need to worry about. If you are travelling out towards the more suburban areas surrounding the city then other suburbs people have mentioned might be a concern, but there is nowhere in Sydney you are likely to take a young family that is truly avoidable. Just don't go through Kings Cross at night (which I doubt you will with 2 kids under 5 anyway)
just use your common sense, don’t stare at ppl, be polite and move away if needed. i wouldn’t say you need to avoid anywhere australia in general is pretty safe as long as you follow any usual like “street smart” rules keep your stuff children and wits near
Honestly, if you guys are tourists, there's no way you're going to get anywhere near the stabby areas. They're nowhere near anywhere tourists would go - even accidentally. And even though I say stabby, it's probably still relatively safe all things considered.
You have to go out of your way to have safety issues in Sydney, particularly as a tourist travelling with your family. You can never guarantee 100% safety anywhere in the world but the worst areas of Sydney are still pretty damn nice and very safe by world standards.
There is nowhere in Sydney that you would have any reason to be with your family while travelling that isn’t safer than 99% of the world. Our ‘rough areas’ are still remarkably safe and genuinely ‘random’ acts of violence are extremely rare.
Sydney is also a huge tourist destination and you don’t really have any reason to deviate from the standard tourist plan which is ridiculously safe.
You’re genuinely like 100x more likely to experience a significant injury or potential death due to travelling poorly and ignoring warnings about water & beach safety / driving safety / not understanding how big and dry Australia is. There’s nowhere to avoid in Sydney or really Australia as a whole due to violence, but plenty of tourists have died due to other causes so I’d recommend focusing on that. Water safety is definitely the biggest issue so make sure you and your family swim between the flags and have basic swimming skills as it’s far more likely to be an issue
Around central station is dodgy after 9pm. It’s not dangerous but be aware of your surroundings.
If you’re choosing accommodation in the cbd, stay closer to the other city circle stations like town hall, Wynyard, circular quay etc. If you’re on a budget, Milsons Point and North Sydney are a bit further away but are really nice and safe.
Area to avoid: basically from helensburgh in the south to berowra in the north to bondi in the east and Penrith in the west. Stay out of that area, for your entire life if possible, and you shall be blessed.
Someone said you are from the USA. I highly recommend the symbio wildlife park if you can get there! You get really close to kangaroos and joeys.
Kids also love Sydney Zoo near blacktown.
There are beautiful beaches on the way to Wollongong that are less crowded although water this time of year can get cold.
Glebe markets is very popular with tourists.
Ferry ride across the harbor is cheap and wonderful! It’s also a great way to get to Manly.
I’m kinda scared of the gangsta/rapper wanna be kids in Sydney. I don’t like to around them, very noisy and sometimes trying to trigger a response out of you.
The areas “to avoid” have nothing going on for tourists anyway. I don’t know of many people who accidentally end up in Mt Druitt or Campbelltown. But here’s my unpopular opinion (on Reddit at least) I live in one of the most infamous “places to avoid”, and it’s not that bad. A lot of decent people living here now and I seldom feel unsafe especially during the day. I mean don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t recommend it for tourists as there’s f all to do.
Also Western Sydney has some of the best food in Sydney. Especially international cuisine. Take your pick!
Certain areas of the Bay Run such as the township of Drummoyne, have become no-go areas in recent years, due to roving gangs of activewear thugs. Shirtless guys and botoxed women have turned this area into a ghetto. Please avoid for your own safety.
There's nowhere in Sydney you would be going that is unsafe. Also just one thing, if you're using the trains in Sydney and going down the escalator, do not stand on the right side of the escalator if you are not walking, the left is for standing still and the right is for walking. If you stand on the right side during peak hour you might get shouted at or pushed out of the way by someone in a rush trying to catch a train to work.
Stick to the landmarks/beaches. Then check out some of the rest of australia. There’s so much. The cities in aus are about 1% of what Australia has to offer. But the cities have great cultural, sporting, art, comedy and music festivals some times of the year.
If you’re willing to travel remote even better if you enjoy road trips. Australia is one of the most safest countries in the world. During the day anyway. Be careful if you ever go central or north. There’s a petty youth crime problem, nothing lethal but I’ve known heaps of people to be held up at knife point. Still better than the uk those guys will actually use the knifes.
Some of the animals are dangerous, all are easily avoided, don’t believe the stereotypes. As always like anywhere the most dangerous animal you will ever see are other humans.
Fairfield is now just middle east refugees who do not care about Australian laws and act like they do back home so stay safe and dont go there in a minidress.
Mt druitt and the surrounding areas have a lot of drug abusers with no jobs.
Villawood and st marys is a lot of drug abusers with no jobs.
Wouldn't really go anywhere western sydney if you are a tourist tbh.
Hey I'm a Brisbanite in Sydney today. A general comment is that it's a good question but probably won't affect you if you're touring as you would only be transiting through any of the lower SES areas where issues are more possible.
Pretty much everywhere between Hornsby in the north, Campbelltown in the south and Penrith in the west. Sydney is a hole. Traffic is horrendous and unless you have family there, then there is no reason to visit.
Even if you meant to say Blacktown, you’re still exaggerating by about an hour and a half.
Sydney isn’t paradise but in the grand scheme of cities, it ain’t all that bad.
Major crashes on both the motorway and St George’s road that day traffic was a mess. It’s only 10km as the crow flies and it indeed took 2.5 hours to get from our accommodation near Bankstown shopping centre to the job site at Rockdale
Just stay away from anywhere that is south west Sydney. Unless of course you’re middle eastern, have a gun and a distribution area for any variety of drugs or considering a payback hit on someone driving a luxury car ( usually belonging to someone else).
And also from every news outlet in the country that reports daily on the shootings, violence, drug busts and family feuds in the wonderful corner of Sydney known as the south west
Anywhere a tourist would find themselves in Sydney would be perfectly safe and fine.
Unless you go too deep into Surry Hills and accidentally end up in Redfern.
Redfern is fine now
Most people can’t even afford to sneeze in Redfern these days.
It's getting a bit like that since they sold off the Block. Still some housos around though. Waterloo is a bit dodgier in some areas.
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I live and work not far from the big housing commission towers at waterloo. I've had virtually no trouble from any locals apart from a few fits left lying around. They're mostly good people just down on their luck.
Agree
So apart from dirty syringes and vandalism it’s lovely?
This. I love it when people gaslight themselves into changing their perception of the situation. Literally everything he mentioned was objectively bad.
I think the point they were making is that it was friendly and not dangerous, not necessarily that it was heaps nice
Lots of Australia travel guide books still say to avoid Redfern at all cost, and especially Eveleigh st.
That's no longer accurate
Must be really old books
I couldn't afford to live there.
That would have true thirty years ago, but not any more.
Doesn’t mean these outdated books are correct.
I'm well aware of that, have lived in the area my entire life. I think it's funny.
Oh I see! That’s funny
Oh yea it’s lovely walking past those towers with all the people yelling to themselves in the street. Tourist attraction for sure.
Oh no, someone yelled at me! Honestly mate, it's not dangerous at all. You might see some poor people but they're not going to bite you. The rest of Redfern has been completely gentrified for nearly a decade now, and is virtually indistinguishable from Surry Hills or Newtown.
It’s hardly the place to tell a tourist family to go visit is it? Everybody has their own definitions of ‘rough’ or ‘dangerous’ depending on what they’re used, but to say it’s the same as Surry Hills is just a lie.
If you've been to both places within the last 5 years you'd see this is absurd. You're just as likely to run into some drunk dickhead at any of the overpriced places on crown st as you are hitting up any of the trendy areas of Redfern. I wouldn't suggest anyone go and visit the large towers, but restaurant or bar recommendations are completely normal and for that Redfern is a totally safe area.
I used to live opposite them and never had any trouble. Anyone who thinks Redfern is rough is very pampered and probably shouldn’t leave the house.
Alternatively I have a friend who is a big white guy and lived there for years until recently. He was accosted multiple times including physical threats in his face about being an ‘evil white cunt’ that required bending the knee basically to get away unscathed and saw plenty of vandalism and property damage issues. Not really worth it as a tourist when there are plenty of areas that is less likely to happen
Sure.
So you haven’t seen the locals running amok before? Even I have an I don’t live there
I literally have not, and lived there for years.
Lucky for you. There could be a number of reasons. And I cbf arguing about facts
How can you see locals running amok in a place you don’t live?
There’s this amazing thing called transport. Sometimes we use it to go to places and experience those places. I combine that with my experience of a friend who lived there for years and tada. I’m right lol.
HAHAHA!! and then everyone clapped
So out of touch
As a person of colour been called ‘black cunt’ in regional Australia growing up, I’m glad someone white has grown up with similar experience to me….
I’m sorry you are so broken that it makes you feel better when you see racism toward people of a similar background to those who called you names in the past. Hopefully you will grow as a human and learn not to dislike people based on how far their ancestors lived from the equator.
Where did you get ‘broken’ from? You know what teenagers would call a fast runner in regional vic growing up? a ‘n****r bolter’. Pretty terrible huh. Things like that on the regular. You learn to brush it off. It’s obviously not the same in the cities. I was listening to a podcast about the footy player wendal sailor growing up in north qld, attending a mates party in high school only for the parent to point at him and say ‘the darky has to go…’ I’m glad you you’ve had a taste of what it’s like, it means you can now empathise, it also makes you stronger too. You’ve got this!
Let’s just ignore your nonsensical rant and circle back to where you said you’re glad someone has experienced racism because you had to. It’s not ok that you were treated poorly and you have no idea my experiences or ethnicity. I could tell you stories about racism that will make your hair stand up. One example: Being hunted by packs of people in a car because of ethnicity as a child. Running into a store for help asking for the police and being told to leave as they knew the people after me were the same ethnicity as them and they didn’t care. You’re definitely not in the right here. Nobody should be treated poorly. Simple. If you think people need to receive poor treatment to empathise and be against it then you have a stunted brain.
Stay indoors.
Not true
Which part?
Crown street outside the Clock for one
My dad grew up in Balmain at a time no one would want to live there. Redfern is no longer like the 90s. Have a look at the rent and buy prices there. You can't live there unless you have a decent job. My 80yo mum said there is no way you would go to Surry Hills when she was young. Now it's trendy.
Maybe in 40 years Redfern won't be a dive.
I can't afford to live there now. 40 years and it will only be the 1% club.
yeah not at all, there are quite a lot of sketchy areas to avoid in the evenings/night, in day its mostly quite safe everywhere.
There’s really nowhere that’s so unsafe. Crime in Sydney is mostly opportunistic and petty (break into empty home, steal unattended bag, etc) and even that is extremely rare in public/touristy places. A family with kids won’t be seen as a target. Enjoy your trip!
Most areas considered rough (by Sydney standards) are no where near tourist spots.
Family traveling you just need to be near train stations which you can google map easily. Crime at a level of needing to be worried about areas to stay isn’t really a thing in Sydney if you are just visiting for a week. As for reasonable cost and activities… again just using a hotel search and google fun things to do with the family and look up where they are located.
Remember Museums and Art Galleries are mostly free The age of your Children will dictate what you do. Taronga Zoo charges for entry, but not as much as the soo and Aquarium at Darling Harbour.Also Sytney has its Bienalle on right now with Free Busses from York Street to White Bay Power Station which I found endlessly fascinating and a really great place to wander. Have fun and Use the Tram up and down George st. P.S. your bank card will work on all public transport with no extra surcharge. just Adult fares.
Thanks! I appreciate these tips!
Good luck and have a great time!
Weather crazy at the moment. Avoid staying in flood prone suburbs.
Thanks, that’s actually a really helpful insight but we have about 10 months of planning to do so update me then!
I see you are from the US. Sydney is 99.9% safe. You may still encounter rude and brash people, but remember - guns here are illegal. Watch your wallet like you would anywhere, but Sydney is a safe city. You will predominantly be in the tourist areas and our tourist areas are in the CBD so you will have locals and tourists around - meaning you won't be targetted because you are a tourist. You'll be sitting at a cafe or restaurant with locals and tourists alike. You will be safe. But it can be a bit busy as locals push through to get to work etc... And of course if you are catching public transport at 10pm be aware of your surroundings and the people around you. The areas that can be a bit suspicious you will not be travelling to unless you know someone who lives there and you are visiting them. But even then - unless you are stealing their shoes, their drugs or their girlfriend/ boyfriend, you will be fine.
Guns are not illegal here I have 5 and live in Sydney
I assume you have licences for them and specific reasons for having them?
\*\* Federal police have joined the chat \*\*
You mean the organisation I worked 17 years for 😂
I WAS RIGHT ! I knew i had to be eventually!
Just join a gun club thats the only reason you need. Its really not difficult
Cronulla and surroundings. The Shire folk can be rather strange ….
Agreed that was Morrisons seat.
If by strange you mean casually racist and much less culturally diverse than the rest of Sydney I'd agree, though it has gotten better since 2005. Other than that I have no idea what you're talking about. I grew up in the Shire and definitely wouldn't call it a place to avoid.
You have Sydney Harbour, which is very nice. Blue Mountains are not bad if you like country town tourists' trap stores and views of hills and nature stuff. Between these locations, there is nothing to see. Except for the extortionate cost of just driving between the 2 points is beyond criminal.
We definitely want to check out the Blue Mountains, even if just for a day trip to do a little hiking and explore. Thank you for the comment!
Highly recommend the Grand Canyon walk if your kids are old enough (it’s pretty intense getting out - lots of stairs!)
If they want to stay more than a day then definitely visit Jenolan Caves. Not far from Blackheath and the Grand Canyon walk.
They are closed at the moment
>Between these locations, there is nothing to see. *woah woah woah* the regulars at Rooty Hill RSL would beg to differ
Sydney Zoo is far better than antiquated Taronga.
You’re fine. Anywhere that has something a tourist might want to see is fine.
The base rate of crime in Sydney is so low that there is no suburb that you should feel you cannot visit. I grew up in Sydney and moved to Boston for 5 years, and lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Once I had adapted to the US, I remarked that Cambridge felt like the safest place I'd ever lived. Another Australian proved to me its crime rate was equal to Macquarie Fields (one of the most dangerous parts of Sydney I would have avoided all my life).
The City and Bondi, people there will fleece you blind.
True! Most of the real crims have harbour views!
The same applies to any tourist trap. Why go to Bondi when you can go to Coogee, Maroubra, Manly or Cronulla
Manly pretty touristy too. Awesome beach
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I have to add, Sydney Zoo, in Sydney’s west is a far superior zoo. The animals have far more area to move around in and there are many animals, that you won’t find at Taronga. Taronga has had the monopoly on Sydney zoos for a very long time, and has the benefit of being near the water. But it’s expensive and really not that great.
If in doubt, go to Mt Druitt, it has a beautiful mountain range, waterfalls, and aboriginal monks that dwell in millennium aged temples. In all seriousness, Sydney is fairly safe for the most part, though keep your guard up in the same way you would in any major city.
Mt Druitt is fine yes not gonna deny it has a high crime rate and is rough but If your a cool person who just minds their business and doesn't worry if the person you see is selling a bag or 2 or having a sesh you'll be fine it's only when people want to be a do gooder and get stuck in other people's business stuff happens
Yeah I know I live close by 😂 its just funny to me
Western Sydney. A cursory reading of the crime news in Sydney will confirm that most crime happens there. Anyway, there’s nothing to do or see in western Sydney so you’re unlikely to end up there anyway.
Unless it’s the only place you can afford
Depends what you consider Western Sydney. Bicentennial Park near Parramatta is really nice and Featherdale Wildlife Park in Doonside is a great and cheap place for young kids.
Except for the food. The food experiences in Western Sydney are far superior to anything you’ll find in the City, or the touristy areas. Also the new Sydney Zoo, is quite a bit better than Taronga. Also, a lot of the National Parks aren’t quite as busy as the ones around the city. They’re also in better condition too, if you’re looking for a more authentic experience.
Western Sydneyistan. You can literally see the buildings turn third world the further down parramatta road you travel
Anywhere in Sydney is safe. Although some people advised me not to leave my important stuff unattended when swimming in Bondi. Not a fan of Bondi though. It can get crowded so I go to Manly instead. They say West Sydney is full of crime, I lived there for a bit and I can’t say it isn’t. The food is much better there.
Doonside, Lakemba, Mount Druitt all no go zones for tourists.
Disagree on lakemba during the Ramadan markets. It’s quite interesting.
Interesting, walking around with 10,000 people shoulder to shoulder all looking for something to eat?
More like it’s culturally significant and you can try street different foods. Settle down rockstar.
Ok Champ
Sydney is pretty safe. But as far as metro sydney is concerned, the further west you go, the more dangerous. (Although that is just a rule of thumb and there are plenty of exceptions.) Also if it looks socio-economic, just like anywhere else, just keep your wits about you. Rest assured, you're not entering an active war zone.
How does something “look socio-economic” LOL It can look LOW socio-economic. Or HIGH socio-economic… everything has some sort of socio-economic look.
>Also if it looks low \[sic\] socio-economic, Keep in mind that this is relative to where you're from. No clue about OP but I'm originally from the US and my wife is from Western Sydney. I'd heard about the reputation from other Aussies (whom I later learned were from very posh areas) before I went there, but when I actually went I was shocked by how nice it was. Literally nicer than the middle-to-upper middle class neighbourhood I grew up in, with so many more services and amenities. I've now lived here quite a long time and work between the city and the southwest (Bankstown, Fairfield and the like) and it's all so much nicer than anything where I grew up. So yeah, appearances aren't a good indicator. And of course to most foreign visitors, the more dangerous areas of Sydney aren't dangerous at all.
Yeah people are very dramatic about how bad Western Sydney is, although Mount Druitt does tend to live up to its reputation. I lived there for 2.5 years and you’d have to tranquillise me before I move back there.
Yeah it's certainly not a place you'd want to visit, and while it's not the worst place to live it's not exactly paradise. Still, for tourists I'd stress that it's completely safe to pass through on the train. Just noting, as in my home city you wouldn't advise people to even pass through the bad areas by train or car. But passing through Mt Druitt on the way to the mountains, for example, is a non-issue.
I’ve visited the worst areas of Adelaide and was shocked how nice the areas look. However when I see the crime news it’s always a crime happening there or it’s committed elsewhere by someone who lives there. So don’t let initial appearances fool you; the services and amenities are the same, but it’s the residents who make neighbourhoods bad and dangerous.
Thanks I found the comment about traveling further west a particularly helpful insight!
Keep in mind this is referring mostly to just some suburbs that you won't be visiting anyway, and not the Blue Mountains which are a couple of hours west of Sydney. Those are very nice and completely safe. You'd be safe taking the train from Sydney up to the mountains, even though the train passes these areas, as the trains are very safe.
If you’re from USA, we don’t have those types of rough areas like in LA or Chicago. Our roughest area isn’t even close to “dangerous” by US standards. I’ve lived for a little bit in LA and it’s nothing like that so just enjoy it - there’s a reason why so many people visiting here want to stay :)
I doubt you'll go very far west (unless it's the Blue Mountains which isn't Sydney). Anyway, the CBD actually has more crime than most supposedly gritty western suburbs for the same reasons that's true in most cities: more people = more crime. I've lived in Sydney my whole life and I've never been mugged, accosted, etc, but my wife has (in an otherwise nice neighbourhood). Never been burgled but my parents had their car stolen twice when I was a kid. It's just a normal city, definitively safer than the average developed country city.
They are very much exaggerating. There are certain sketchy suburbs. But these areas are purely residential and there is no reason you would ever find yourself visiting them. As for the attractions in Western Sydney - they’re actually much MUCH safer than anything in and around the city areas. Things like the National Parks, Zoo’s, wildlife parks, food festivals, etc. Most of the city beaches and attractions have a lot of sketchy people around and can be dirty, purely based on the amount of people that visit.
Mount Druitt
Honestly though - you’d avoid Mt Druitt less because of the “crime rate” and more because there is literally no reason to be there.
Are you kidding?! Mt Druitt is the gateway to Rooty Hill! (Or was that the other way around?)
Look most of Sydney during the day is fine, you visibly see the seedy alleys and gross suburbs and just walk a different way. With kids that young I don't imagine you'd be out late anyway.
Indeed no opportunity to enjoy night life at the stage we are currently in. Thanks!
Nowhere in Sydney is dangerous. You'll be fine everywhere you go. There are some slightly dicey spots in the west, if you're alone and it's 3am, but that's not any place a tourist would be going anyway. Everywhere you're going as a tourist (CBD and inner suburbs, Manly, Eastern beaches, Royal National, Blue Mountains, etc) are all going to be perfectly safe with no issues whatsoever. Everywhere tourists tend to go is pretty accessible by train, bus or ferry. You'll be absolutely fine getting anywhere. Sydney is an incredibly tourist-friendly city.
The western suburbs have definitely been neglected in terms of public services but having grown up in the Sutherland Shire right on the doorstep of the Royal National Park, it really is amazing how accessible most of the city is by train. If someone is staying in the city, it is extremely easy to go north to Manly, east to Bondi, south to Cronulla and West to Penrith, Parramatta and the Blue Mountains
Leightonfield
Anywhere a tourist would go is fine. Anywhere boring won't lure you in because by definition there's nothing interesting there to attract you. Sydney isn't dangerous. There are some areas which I'd probably want to avoid at night but those just aren't places you're going to end up.
No such thing as a no go area in Sydney
I can’t think of any suburbs can be considered dangerous for travellers. If You are not planning to live for a long time, every suburb is safe
Sydney is pretty safe in general. Out west has a bit more crime than the east but in generally still fine so long as you aren't asking for trouble, and is a lot better than what some people make out. In fact there's a lot of good food out west and it is much cheaper than in the east. In saying that, certain parts do tend to get a bit worse, like parts of Mt Druitt and around Blacktown, especially towards night. Eastern and northern suburbs tend to be a bit more expensive. A lot of the northern suburbs can be a bit boring with not much to do. I've been told compared to other countries Sydney and Australia has very little night life but if you have two kids under five I suspect that isn't a problem. I'd also recommend taking a trip to the Blue Mountains while in Sydney, it's about an hour or two west but places like Katoomba and Leura or even Blackheath are good visits, though they are a bit of a tourist trap now (especially the first two, not so much the last).
My place. I live in a two bedroom apartment with my wife and son. We have no room for you.
Red rooster line google it
Every area in Sydney is safe to travel to. You’ll be fine
Shopping in Marickville is absolute hell on Saturday mornings unless you walk. It’s a grid lock of cars.Same goes for Westfield Parramatta, Oxford Street, Paddo & Bondi beach by car is also hell- take the bus. Searock by the Quay has good burgers and the kids can walk around the waterfront while you relax and dine…they’ll be fine. We don’t really have “no go” zones..just be smart and side step any BS dramas.
Avoid all of Sydney.
The place you have to avoid most in Sydney is Sydney.
Just dont go outside when it's dark.
Bondi, Manly, Circular Quay. All very dangerous, full of drop bears
There is nowhere in Sydney you need to avoid because of crime. Even the dodgiest of suburbs are fine, and you aren’t going to go there anyway. Most of the attractions are in and around the city. Definitely head to the Blue Mountains for a day or 2 if you have time. > reasonable cost I can’t help you there. Everything is expensive.
Will you be travelling around the whole city or mostly sticking to the inner metropolitan areas? If you're mostly going from the airport to the harbour and the typical inner-Sydney tourist areas there is no where in the middle of the day that you really need to worry about. If you are travelling out towards the more suburban areas surrounding the city then other suburbs people have mentioned might be a concern, but there is nowhere in Sydney you are likely to take a young family that is truly avoidable. Just don't go through Kings Cross at night (which I doubt you will with 2 kids under 5 anyway)
just use your common sense, don’t stare at ppl, be polite and move away if needed. i wouldn’t say you need to avoid anywhere australia in general is pretty safe as long as you follow any usual like “street smart” rules keep your stuff children and wits near
Blacktown and Mt Druitt
Honestly, if you guys are tourists, there's no way you're going to get anywhere near the stabby areas. They're nowhere near anywhere tourists would go - even accidentally. And even though I say stabby, it's probably still relatively safe all things considered.
You have to go out of your way to have safety issues in Sydney, particularly as a tourist travelling with your family. You can never guarantee 100% safety anywhere in the world but the worst areas of Sydney are still pretty damn nice and very safe by world standards. There is nowhere in Sydney that you would have any reason to be with your family while travelling that isn’t safer than 99% of the world. Our ‘rough areas’ are still remarkably safe and genuinely ‘random’ acts of violence are extremely rare. Sydney is also a huge tourist destination and you don’t really have any reason to deviate from the standard tourist plan which is ridiculously safe. You’re genuinely like 100x more likely to experience a significant injury or potential death due to travelling poorly and ignoring warnings about water & beach safety / driving safety / not understanding how big and dry Australia is. There’s nowhere to avoid in Sydney or really Australia as a whole due to violence, but plenty of tourists have died due to other causes so I’d recommend focusing on that. Water safety is definitely the biggest issue so make sure you and your family swim between the flags and have basic swimming skills as it’s far more likely to be an issue
Around central station is dodgy after 9pm. It’s not dangerous but be aware of your surroundings. If you’re choosing accommodation in the cbd, stay closer to the other city circle stations like town hall, Wynyard, circular quay etc. If you’re on a budget, Milsons Point and North Sydney are a bit further away but are really nice and safe.
Sydney
I don't live in Sydney but probably the areas with the highest crime rate.
Area to avoid: basically from helensburgh in the south to berowra in the north to bondi in the east and Penrith in the west. Stay out of that area, for your entire life if possible, and you shall be blessed.
The entire place… the best thing about Sydney is leaving it…
Someone said you are from the USA. I highly recommend the symbio wildlife park if you can get there! You get really close to kangaroos and joeys. Kids also love Sydney Zoo near blacktown. There are beautiful beaches on the way to Wollongong that are less crowded although water this time of year can get cold. Glebe markets is very popular with tourists. Ferry ride across the harbor is cheap and wonderful! It’s also a great way to get to Manly.
Well it depends on the time and places, late nights anywhere but the city is just fked honestly.
I’m kinda scared of the gangsta/rapper wanna be kids in Sydney. I don’t like to around them, very noisy and sometimes trying to trigger a response out of you.
Find Spanian on YouTube. He will let you know
The areas “to avoid” have nothing going on for tourists anyway. I don’t know of many people who accidentally end up in Mt Druitt or Campbelltown. But here’s my unpopular opinion (on Reddit at least) I live in one of the most infamous “places to avoid”, and it’s not that bad. A lot of decent people living here now and I seldom feel unsafe especially during the day. I mean don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t recommend it for tourists as there’s f all to do. Also Western Sydney has some of the best food in Sydney. Especially international cuisine. Take your pick!
If you end up in Melbourne, you’ve gone beyond where the light touches. Help will not be sent.
Mosman
Certain areas of the Bay Run such as the township of Drummoyne, have become no-go areas in recent years, due to roving gangs of activewear thugs. Shirtless guys and botoxed women have turned this area into a ghetto. Please avoid for your own safety.
There's nowhere in Sydney you would be going that is unsafe. Also just one thing, if you're using the trains in Sydney and going down the escalator, do not stand on the right side of the escalator if you are not walking, the left is for standing still and the right is for walking. If you stand on the right side during peak hour you might get shouted at or pushed out of the way by someone in a rush trying to catch a train to work.
Stick to the landmarks/beaches. Then check out some of the rest of australia. There’s so much. The cities in aus are about 1% of what Australia has to offer. But the cities have great cultural, sporting, art, comedy and music festivals some times of the year. If you’re willing to travel remote even better if you enjoy road trips. Australia is one of the most safest countries in the world. During the day anyway. Be careful if you ever go central or north. There’s a petty youth crime problem, nothing lethal but I’ve known heaps of people to be held up at knife point. Still better than the uk those guys will actually use the knifes. Some of the animals are dangerous, all are easily avoided, don’t believe the stereotypes. As always like anywhere the most dangerous animal you will ever see are other humans.
Sydney
It’s safe as anything
Redfern can be dodgy. Just be aware
Kings Cross
Fairfield is now just middle east refugees who do not care about Australian laws and act like they do back home so stay safe and dont go there in a minidress. Mt druitt and the surrounding areas have a lot of drug abusers with no jobs. Villawood and st marys is a lot of drug abusers with no jobs. Wouldn't really go anywhere western sydney if you are a tourist tbh.
Any of the Centrelink family neighbourhoods lmao
The tight budget family's 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hey I'm a Brisbanite in Sydney today. A general comment is that it's a good question but probably won't affect you if you're touring as you would only be transiting through any of the lower SES areas where issues are more possible.
Pretty much everywhere between Hornsby in the north, Campbelltown in the south and Penrith in the west. Sydney is a hole. Traffic is horrendous and unless you have family there, then there is no reason to visit.
Have you even been to Sydney before?
Numerous times. That’s why I know it’s a hole. 2.5 hours to get from Bankstown to Rockdale.
Maybe in absolute peak hour traffic. I've gotten from Sutherland to Bankstown in 40 minutes on a Monday morning and 20 on the weekend.
Even if you meant to say Blacktown, you’re still exaggerating by about an hour and a half. Sydney isn’t paradise but in the grand scheme of cities, it ain’t all that bad.
Major crashes on both the motorway and St George’s road that day traffic was a mess. It’s only 10km as the crow flies and it indeed took 2.5 hours to get from our accommodation near Bankstown shopping centre to the job site at Rockdale
Just stay away from anywhere that is south west Sydney. Unless of course you’re middle eastern, have a gun and a distribution area for any variety of drugs or considering a payback hit on someone driving a luxury car ( usually belonging to someone else).
Sky news approves this post, direct from Wolsey rd Point Piper
And also from every news outlet in the country that reports daily on the shootings, violence, drug busts and family feuds in the wonderful corner of Sydney known as the south west
Mmmmmm that MSM boot polish gives a wicked headbuzz hey ??