How to make friends in Aussie city voted one of world's loneliest

Sydney has been voted the third worst city in the world for making friends.

After the COVID-19 lockdowns, there is now a loneliness pandemic.

Studies show we've actually never been lonelier.

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Some countries like the UK and Japan, have government ministers for the lonely - and now the push is on for Australia to the get some of our own.

Doctor Michelle Lim said being lonely can have a major health impact.

"Loneliness has been identified as a public health emergency around the globe," she said.

"Before the current public health emergency one in four Australians reported what we call problematic loneliness."

The answer though could be simple.

A US app, called Nextdoor is now attempting to eradicate loneliness here too, one step at a time.

It describes itself as a place to; "give and get help, receive local recommendations and trusted information, and to build real-world connections with those nearby- neighbours, businesses, and public services."

Jennie Sager from Nexdoor says the concept is simple - just say hello to your neighbour for a start.

"I don't necessarily think life is so terrible in Sydney I think people are just a little more caught up in going to work, sticking the headphones and ignoring the rest of the world," she said.

"We saw about a 300 per cent increase in activity on Nextdoor over the past couple of years.

"That hasn't slowed down post COVID, the issues of loneliness and making friends is more important now."

Steve posted a walk on the app, and it has now become one of Sydney's biggest walking groups.

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He says it has changed his life for the better.

"I thought the best thing to do was start a walking, not a club, a group," he said.

Anne Hartley has also met friends on the app.

I saw a woman advertise 'come and see my garden'," she said.

"I thought I'd try it and 18 women turned up.

"Half of them couldn't have cared less about the garden, it was just a chance for them to get together and connect.

"When were younger, we've got the kids schools, we've got work where we're meeting people," she said.

"When we get older all of those go, family members die, so we've got less social life and we need to do something."

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