Is it hard to make friends in Australia?

It takes effort at first, like anywhere new, but Australia has a large and welcoming newcomer community. Most people you meet have moved from somewhere too, which makes it easier.

How long does it take to make friends after moving?

For most people it takes a few months of showing up regularly to the same groups or events. Friendships grow from repeated small meetings, not from a single big night out.

Where do newcomers meet people in Australia?

Community events, sports and hobby clubs, language exchanges, volunteering, classes, and local apps are the most common places. Shared interests give you an easy reason to keep meeting.

What are the best apps to meet people after moving?

Community apps built for newcomers, event platforms, and friendship apps all help. Nyvo focuses on people who just moved, with a local feed, events, and communities in your city.

What if I am shy or still learning English?

Start with structured activities like a class, a sport, or a volunteering shift, where there is always something to do and talk about. Language exchanges are made for exactly this.

Newcomer guide

Making friends after moving to Australia

Building a new social circle is one of the hardest parts of moving abroad, and one of the most important. The good news is that Australia is full of newcomers doing exactly the same thing. Here is how to start.

Last updated 13 July 2026

First, know that this is normal

Almost everyone who moves abroad feels the same quiet loneliness in the first few months. It is not a sign that anything is wrong. It simply takes time to rebuild the web of small, familiar faces you left behind. Be patient with yourself, and treat meeting people as something you do a little of each week.

The encouraging part is that Australia is a country of arrivals. In most cities, a large share of the people around you also came from somewhere else. They remember what your first months feel like, and many are still looking for their own people too.

Ways to meet people that actually work

There is no single trick. What works is putting yourself in the same room as the same people, more than once. These are the easiest starting points:

Go to community events. Local meetups, markets, and cultural nights are made for turning up alone and leaving with a new contact.
Join a sport or a club. A weekly team, a running group, or a climbing gym gives you a reason to return each week.
Take a class. A short course in cooking, a language, art, or dance puts you next to the same faces regularly.
Volunteer. Giving a few hours to a local cause is one of the fastest ways to meet warm, open people.
Try a language exchange. If you are still building your English, these are perfect. Everyone is there to talk and no one minds mistakes.
Say yes to invitations. Even the small ones. A coffee after class or a drink after a game is how acquaintances slowly become friends.

Lean on your community

Many people find their first friends among others from their own country or region. That is not "staying in a bubble". It is a soft landing. A shared language and a shared story make the first friendships easier, and those people often introduce you to everyone else.

Look for community groups, cultural associations, and local events in your city. From there, your circle widens naturally.

How Nyvo helps

Nyvo is built for this exact moment. It is a free app for people who just moved, with a local community feed, events near you, and space to find others in your city who understand the journey. Instead of starting from zero, you land somewhere that already has your people in it.

You can join Nyvo for free and start with the events and communities in your city.

Give it time

Friendship after a move is built from repetition. Pick one or two things you genuinely enjoy, show up to them again and again, and be the person who suggests the next coffee. In a few months, a new city stops feeling like a place you moved to and starts feeling like home.

Frequently asked questions

Is it hard to make friends in Australia?: It takes effort at first, like anywhere new, but Australia has a large and welcoming newcomer community. Most people you meet have moved from somewhere too, which makes it easier.
How long does it take to make friends after moving?: For most people it takes a few months of showing up regularly to the same groups or events. Friendships grow from repeated small meetings, not from a single big night out.
Where do newcomers meet people in Australia?: Community events, sports and hobby clubs, language exchanges, volunteering, classes, and local apps are the most common places. Shared interests give you an easy reason to keep meeting.
What are the best apps to meet people after moving?: Community apps built for newcomers, event platforms, and friendship apps all help. Nyvo focuses on people who just moved, with a local feed, events, and communities in your city.
What if I am shy or still learning English?: Start with structured activities like a class, a sport, or a volunteering shift, where there is always something to do and talk about. Language exchanges are made for exactly this.