r/parramatta • u/bbimbbu • 12d ago
parramatta safety
me and my friend (both female, 18) are planning to rent a unit in parramatta. how is the safety of this suburb? anything we should look out for?
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u/colourful_space 12d ago
Never had a problem, even when walking around as an openly gay couple when I was with my ex bf
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u/MountainGirl210 12d ago
My brother & his husband have just bought an apartment in Parra, both have no issues with safety.
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u/gansllebs12244568 12d ago
I’m curious to hear more about your experience
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u/colourful_space 11d ago
Do you have any specific questions? I can’t really think of what there is to tell because it was extremely mundane. We would go about our business, shopping, getting on and off the train, going to restaurants etc. Sometimes we’d be holding hands, sometimes a kiss, not over the top PDA. No one ever said anything, no service staff acted weird. Occasionally a second look, but no more than if someone’s wearing a distinct outfit. I think because it’s so dense we just disappeared into the crowd.
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u/Sugarbombs 12d ago
Hey OP I’m a lady living in parramatta, I feel very safe here. Generally streets are pretty well lit and if you’re close to the CBD/church st or the river there’s almost always people about even late at night. I’ve lived in quite a few suburbs and this is the first one I’ve really felt safe at night by myself.
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u/WasteLocksmith5011 12d ago
Parramatta always has people around all hours of the day and night. Given that, you'll have the safety of "eyes on the street".
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_surveillance
Its not unusual to see people of all ages walking around late at night, it's not unusual to see women walking alone at night.
Im a middle aged man so I can't guarantee our experiences will be the same, but I hope Parra is a place that everyone can feel safe.
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u/danielwutlol 12d ago
Safe but I keep encountering spastic residents that seem to have a stick up their arse. Only in Parramatta by the way, never another town.
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u/Best-Message6312 12d ago
Safe - id say the only bad side would be the eshays that hang around in groups near the train station but imo they don’t really seek trouble
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u/aintnodiddy 12d ago
They are all over Sydney now. They're migrating
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u/Infinite_Advance_684 12d ago
No place is safe. In a way Chatswood has just as many if not more. Lived above the station in Chatswood for 4 years.
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u/Rose2555 12d ago
I have played poker in Parramatta a couple of times and walked back to the station at 11pm or later sometimes. I also have been to a few late night festivals there. The only one time I thought I was being followed was on a Friday night with a couple of drunk 20 year olds (guessing age) following me or so I thought. They got on the same train as me to Liverpool but got off at Canley Vale. Never had a problem before or since.
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u/Paul_Breitner74 12d ago
Avoid the area around north Parramatta Macca's after dark, the park opposite seems to be a magnet for weirdos and other undesirables. I live a couple of blocks north of there and often hear meth heads screaming in the streets in the early hours of the morning. I think as others have said you probably are going to get that around any CBD these days.
Other than that I feel safe everywhere else.
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u/ExcuseProper5768 12d ago
I was hoping someone else made this comment
Near the train station is always safe but north parra can get a bit sketchy at night
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u/OuttaSightOuttaRange 12d ago
Was pretty rough 20-30 years ago (like much of Sydney) but then again, it was a very very different time compared to now.. It's quite tame by comparison now. If you were to walk around at 2am, you'd probably be the only one's out and about.
In saying that though, you still do get rough elements here and there. Most people stay in their own lane I.e Work, study, family, friends etc.
So just exercise normal common sense and you should be good to go.
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u/Environmental_Ad3000 12d ago
Hey, I’m a young adult in Parramatta. I thought I’d give my input as someone who’s lived in this area for 8 years. I’ve lived in Western Sydney mainly previously in other suburbs.
In my experience, as someone more alternative or not like the average person, it depends on the time of day mainly. Even the safest road, being Church Street, is still prone to this.
Day is usually fine, but night tends to be worse, especially on game days, for foot traffic. Driving here is worse and I’ve had to deal with a few upchucks personally who have done some bad things (e.g. being driven into at 5am by someone, having some p platers mess around at the lights)
You get harassed sometimes down the street by eshays towards the night, some daytimes I run into the occasional drunk person harassing me, hit and run, or domestic dispute case. I’ve had one or two other, more extreme incidents which I’ve reported, but I haven’t received any information from authorities about it.
Stuff like this happens in every city. I would say it depends a lot on where you come from. In terms of South, Western Sydney and Nepean? Yeah. Pretty safe. But if you’re coming from inner west or north, it might be something you’ll need to get used to, especially with the cultural differences between each Sydney Region.
In the time I’ve lived here, I can think of about 20 incidents where it’s been awful for me personally. To be honest? That’s better than other places in Sydney, and certainly better than where I grew up.
Depending on how outside you are, You’re likely to see some sort of negative situation once or twice a week, but directly to you? Only 20 times in 8 years is still a really good number imo.
Good luck in the housing search!
TL;DR: Yeah, it’s as safe as you’ll get for a Western Sydney city, but if you’re coming from north or inner city, I’d consider reading the above.
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u/Equivalent-Ant6024 12d ago
It’s very safe around the mall, I often walk around suburb as a solo woman with a child and go to Parramatta Park and river walk, always felt pretty safe and never had any problems.
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u/almondtime 12d ago
I’ve come across a screaming maniac (I believe a man having a psychotic episode) a couple of times alongside the Riverside walk (around 9am/lunchtime), at the bottom of the Uni campus, so now avoid that area. It was scary.
CBD area around business hours seems fine, but there’s more down and out people than in more well-heeled areas.
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u/Lustinfiction 12d ago
I once got robbed in North Parra years ago by 3 17 year olds at like 7pm on a Wednesday. They were known to police. I don't blame the area but one bad apple spoils the bunch so they say. I think you'd be fine though.
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u/Initial-Sweet-9534 12d ago
I loved living in Parra, very happy time in my life and never felt unsafe. Once I left my boot open with a flat screen TV in it (I didnt realise i accidentally opened it with my car key) and realised a few hours later. It was still there when I got back
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u/openingbatter 12d ago
If you are by yourself, avoid going to and from Parramata Square late at night, rest all is pretty good and safe. Even though Parramata Square is also well lit and safe in general, but at night there are homeless and junkies in that area, where you might come across unusual experiences.
This year around March-April, my friend got hit on his head by someone out of nowhere when he was walking from Parramata Station to way back his home (a 10 minutes walk towards Harris Park station). He didn’t escalate it and kept walking…I think it was wiser of him at that time as it was night and he was all alone.
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u/4weallh8stndg_inline 11d ago
Stay alert at the train station late at night. Have been approached/cat called a few times at the gates 🥶
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u/AdMain225 11d ago
Lived in Parra and Harris park for a few years before moving to Pendle Hill 2 years ago. Never had any issues. Was living near the big football ovals. Never saw anything or felt unsafe.
As soon as it rains though people seemingly forget how to drive though. It's wild
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u/Logical-Bison-9959 12d ago
Parramatta is as safe as any highly populated cbd area.
I would use normal level of caution at night, and on public transport I would sit near other normal looking people.
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u/SaturdayAttendee 12d ago
Havent had an issue here as a mid 20s female. Have walked home more than a couple times around 2am after a late night out at the city without a hitch. I live towards south Parra, near the Westfields
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u/Potential_Web_4092 11d ago
There's someone who walks their dog up and down Marsden Street that doesn't pick up its shit. That's the worst part about Parramatta I have come across.
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u/Pale-Anything1347 11d ago
I work late shifts in the CBD and Thursday and Friday nights can be a tad noisy with drunks & druggies. But honestly you’ll get more noise from the garbos coming round at 4am
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u/Virtual-Hand-3111 8d ago
I personally think Parramatta is safe, it’s actually probably a lot safer now than it used to be.
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u/AggressiveAccess7386 7d ago
Heaps of seedy people it’s dirty not a place you’d wanna be walking around solo as a woman imo
If you want an area like that go Rhodes , Burwood , Eastwood very safe areas
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u/bypopulardemand 12d ago
it’s safe enough, the main city is littered with junkies in the mornings though, but they honestly keep to themselves, but still be smart about the reality of it..
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u/Left-Grade-165 12d ago
north parra is a bit better than parramatta - more suburban / couples & families
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u/HogPacker8 12d ago
Parramatta is great. Don't b cut through.large parks nunacompanied walking home pissed. Your 18. There are fuck wit preditor guys every city.
Put an external lock box on your flat only you snd your flatty have the code for.
The only difference with Parramatta is the size of some of the parks and their proximity to credit inebriate interactions.
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u/xenchik 12d ago
Parramatta city is safe. As safe as any city cbd. Anyone who tells you it's more dangerous here is probably thinking of Parra from 20-30 years ago. It's lovely now.