Many Australians have struck up friendships during the pandemic

Many Australians have struck up friendships with their neighbours during the pandemic. Have your say on how you’ve been getting on with those nearby.

Neighbourly love has blossomed during the pandemic.

Many Australians have spent more time at home than ever before and have seized the opportunity to get to know those living a stone’s throw away.

New independent research compiled on behalf of QBE quizzed 1000 Australians and found 80 per cent of Australians had found themselves housebound for much of the year.

And strangers living across the street had struck up friendships – one in three now know their neighbours better than they did before COVID-19 hit.

Social analyst David Chalke said many people had “created a whole heap of acquaintances” throughout lockdown.

“For many people our world has been constrained to our backyard particularly in Victoria where there was a lockdown for so long,” he said.

“If you can strike a relationship with those who live nearby to you it’s going to make life a whole lot easier for everybody and you’ll keep an eye out for each other.”

The research also found many were happy to keep watch on their neighbour’s property – 15 per cent more theft claims are made at this time of year.

Michael Bliss, 45, and his next-door neighbour Shell Whitten, 50, said the pandemic had brought them closer together.

This week they are holding their first-ever street party in Melbourne’s Yarraville.

Yarraville residents Michael Bliss, 45, his neighbour Shell Whitten, 51, and her daughter Tori Whitten, 25, have become very good friends during the pandemic. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“There’s been a silver lining to this pandemic, it’s been so nice to be able to connect with my neighbours and build that bond and have support during COVID,” he said.

“In the end I could rock up to their house unannounced, it was really important.”

He said they would now be able to spot if there were any strangers nearby and mitigate the chances of being robbed.

QBE’s chief customer officer of personal lines Eleanor Debelle said “it’s been a tough year” and has urged Australians to “look out for one another”.

“It’s encouraging to see how the year has brought us all closer together and our Australian neighbourly values are getting stronger,” she said.

“It’s a great feeling to know that we can trust our neighbours to look out for each other, particularly when it comes to the security of our homes.

“I know I feel much more comfortable knowing my neighbours are keeping an eye on my home when I’m away.”

@sophieelsworth