Local Place-Based Social Connection in Urban Fringe Areas: Learning from Resident Experiences

The urban fringe local government areas of Australian capital cities have some of the fastest- growing populations in the world. Incorporating new housing developments with established urban and rural settlements, these locations are home to a diverse mix of international immigrants, long- term Australians and Indigenous Peoples. Despite long- standing policy approaches seeking to consolidate development in Australia’s inner cities, building on previously ‘greenfield’ urban fringe sites remains the primary location for new affordable housing. The rapid growth of these fringe suburbs is not adequately supported by social infrastructure (that is, places where people can meet, such as community hubs, leisure centres, libraries and cafés) or services focused on social wellbeing (Henderson, 2019). There are also delays in providing public transport (Kroen et al, 2023), and local employment opportunities are often limited. This results in long commutes – typically by car – to reach distant workplaces (Nicholls et al, 2018). These challenges of suburban living limit the time available for local social interactions.<p></p>