pleasantville

Have heard of bashings & stabbings all throughout Sydney, even in "safe" suburbs on the Northern Beaches & North Shore. It's the FREQUENCY you need to look at, and the close-knit areas of Lakemba & Belmore & surrounding areas do tend to look out for each other. You won't find the locals just stepping over an injured or ill person in these areas! More like rushing to help!

People that don't live in the suburb shouldn't be allowed to leave comments as they just make up stories - worried that people won't buy in the area they live in -
Pleasantville must not read too well newspapers if violence happens all over Sydney
and i don't wish to sell my property - it's in a Fantastic Location - I have supermarkets and restaurants, banks 2 mins walk 25mins I'm in the city centre -

You guys above are out of your mind if you think this is a good suburb. White flight to Penrith, Gosford and Wollognong is happening for a reason. This suburb is not multicultural it is segregation at it's absolute worst. I can't think of a worse suburb to live between Lakemba, Punchbowl, Guildford, Bankstown, Greenacre etc. These suburbs are not only a disgrace to Sydney but a disgrace to Western Society anywhere in the world. Most people here have not tried to assimilate into the Australian way of life and it is absolutely disgusting that a Real Estate agent and another poster above would try to say any different. Encouraging anyone who does't want to convert to a certain religion or lead a life of crime to live here is wrong.

Not sure Paul87 how much time you've actually spent in Lakemba. As an employee (that is an office worker employee not a salesperson) I can honestly say I've never had a problem with Lakemba. I've met heaps of people who live here and not all of them are immigrants or Muslim either. Yes you will get some people who won't make an effort when they've moved to a new country such as Australia, but they are all over Sydney and are the loud ones who everyone notices and therefore give all the others a bad name. Shame to tar everyone with the same brush. I highly recommend for people to spend time at a place and get to know it's people before making such statements.

My wife works in lakemba and we live very close by.
I have spent alot of time in the suburb over many years and must confess, i agree with Paul87.
Congratulations Paul on speaking your mind and for saying things a lot of others would be worried about saying.
It is a disgrace indeed!

There is way more to this area than TV shows. Please remember people that TV is all about the ratings and far less about the news. These sensationalist "news" oftens twist or manipulate a certain viewpoint in order to increase their ratings. You may remember that during the Cronulla riots that some news & talkback were criticised for their participation as well.

Being Anglo-Saxon and working in this area every day I have absolutely no problem. I have found that some very "white" areas to be far more judgemental and non-accepting of others than around here. I actually feel that because it is very multicultural that it is MORE accepting of others than a lot of other places.

Don't let TV decide for you. Come find out for yourselves.

Hi Mathew,
On which basis are you saying "you guys are terrorizing"... Its not the ordinary people who tell you about any religion. Before making any comment, its better if you try to understand from Scripture or through Scholars. As per my knowledge, according to holy scriptures, killing of an innocent person in Islam is like killing the whole humanity. Its not only Islam, if you want to understand any religion, go for its authentic scripture. Ordinary people of all religions are similar. You must know that Alcohol and Pork are not even permissible in Christianity BUT lot of Christians are doing so. Should anybody say that Christianity guides like this?

Lakemba is a quiet and peaceful suburb. It is also dirty(noone can claim Haldon st or close by is clean by Australian standards, its not), full of renters and very very conservative Islamic people. Shops blare middle eastern music in the streets and everywhere you will see them pushing the message of Islam.

That being said its no dirtier than nearby Campsie, but the price of house is about 200K less. I think its great buying there still. Especially in good streets closer to nearby Belfield or Belmore where prices already reflect gentrification.

It's such a shame the people who defend this trashed grotty unsafe suburb have never been/ lived anywhere else in Sydney. If you spent 6 months living somewhere decent like the North Shore, you'd then realise. It's not acceptable to have frequent bashings, stabbings and drug deals. I would be embarrassed and ashamed to live somewhere like lakemba, and even more so trying to defend it. It is a disgrace, it is trashed and it is unsafe.

So Good australian! come and live here!!. The place is great and still OK Price and still one of still good location. Blend in the area and make this place equally and multicultural (by the way it is many nationality living here happily too). We need good people like you!! ..it not the suburb is Bad but fews people same like others suburbs has some mad people but they won't carry guns and shoot here everyday..must be bad luck /wrong place & wrong time!! ..the suburb only a land and it is belong to all Australian. The more you run away of course some others will get together like community because they feel the belonging but I don't think they will kill you if you moved in. This Areas used to be full of white Australian but you move out north (expensive now)...so others move in here help this place a better place and peaceful..well.. The more you anti people here you should come and live here so this place won't just has Muslim as you too scared.

I wonder what Im doing so right that I have never had a problem with anyone here?! Im happy for the racists to keep away - you will only give us decent and respectable people a bad name. Ive lived in lots of places and Lakemba is my favourite place live out of all the places Ive lived in Australia.

I spent the first 20 years of my life growing up in Lakemba until the mid 2000s.
2 years ago I moved back to the suburb with my very Australian husband who really enjoys living here, and we're now looking for a place to buy. My family still live here and I have always visited regularly even while I wasnt living here.

For context, Ive always worked in the CBD, am University educated, travel often, am not Muslim, speak perfect English and Ive lived in the inner west (Enmore, Leichhardt), North Sydney and London over the last decade. Just to reassure all the haters that Im not talking from inside a biased and brainwashed Lakemba bubble; but I can insult you in several languages an advantage of going to school with so many cultures.

As an adult, I appreciate how unique and blissfully multicultural the community of Lakemba is, how close to the city and inner west we are (driving or via train) and how incredible Haldon street is. Yes you may see rubbish, and its not sparkling clean. This is not a deal breaker for me. There is far more disgusting rubbish daily on any Manhattan street.

As a female, I have never personally experienced or witnessed any violence or felt unsafe at any time (I need to stress this, as I am someone who is very aware/paranoid about personal safety) and my home is about 15 minutes walk from the station. A walk which I have done alone thousands of times, at virtually every single time of the day and very late at night.

In the last few years Ive noticed a lot more (Anglo) uni students and younger couples/families moving to the area. They dont seem to be walking around in fear, eying the ethnics suspiciously, nor do they seem tense or uncomfortable. A good sign.

In my experience the people who badmouth Lakemba are a combination of the following: racist, ignorant, have never actually spent any real time in Lakemba, are going by the sensationalist news stories they hear, dont like any display of ethnicity beyond delicious food.

If you are suffering from any of the symptoms above, please stay away and leave us in peace. Were doing just fine without your negativity.

I spent the first 20 years of my life growing up in Lakemba until the mid 2000s.
2 years ago I moved back to the suburb with my very Australian husband who really loves living here, and we are actively looking for a place to buy. My family still live here and I have always visited regularly even while I wasnt living here.

For context, Ive always worked in the CBD, am post graduate educated, travel often, am not Muslim, speak perfect English and Ive lived in the inner west (Enmore, Leichhardt), North Sydney and London over the last decade. Just to reassure all the haters that Im not talking from inside a biased and brainwashed Lakemba bubble, but I can insult you in several languages an advantage of going to school with so many cultures.

As an adult, I appreciate how unique and blissfully multicultural the community of Lakemba is, how close to the city and inner west we are (driving or via train) and how incredible Haldon street is. Yes you may see rubbish, and its not sparkling clean. This is not a deal breaker for me. There is far more disgusting rubbish daily on any Manhattan street.

As a female, I have never personally experienced or witnessed any violence or felt unsafe at any time (I need to stress this, as I am someone who is very aware/paranoid about personal safety) and my home is about 15 minutes walk from the station. A walk which I have done alone thousands of times, at virtually every single time of the day and very late at night.

In the last few years Ive noticed a lot more (Anglo) uni students and younger couples/families moving to the area. They dont seem to be walking around in fear, eying the ethnics suspiciously, nor do they seem tense or uncomfortable. A good sign.

In my experience the people who badmouth Lakemba are a combination of the following: racist, ignorant, have never actually spent any real time in Lakemba, are going by the sensationalist news stories they hear, dont like any display of ethnicity beyond delicious food.

If you are suffering from any of the symptoms above, please stay away and leave us in peace. Were doing just fine without your negativity.

Kishore Muthu is people like you that give areas a bad name. Lakemba has more bangladeshi, afghanistan and pakistani than lebanese, however in saying that there is nothing wrong with the suburb. What monoculture? I have walked the streets and like I said I see different cultures on the street and not just one culture. However I do agree that the council should spend more money on the place and the people should be a bit more hygienic and clean up after themselves.

My parents lived in Hampden Road, Lakemba, back in the early 80s, before I was born. They moved out due to somebody coming to their door with a gun (before guns were banned in 96). I then came across a client recently who coincidentally lives in the same unit in Lakemba. He was saying how the area is great and he doesnt see any crime.