Five things you need to know about making friends in Canberra

Posted on 19 June, 2025

It’s never easy making new friends as an adult, especially if you’ve moved to a new city. Or even if you’re a Canberra lifer.

And it begs the question – where do you even begin? That’s where Friends with Her comes in.

A casual and free networking event series on a mission to combat loneliness in Canberra through fostering connection with like-minded people, Friends with Her was founded in 2023 by Claudia Harrison McKee and Madeline Bonfini.

Creating an inclusive space for people to bond over similar interests, they believe that connection shouldn’t have a cost and host free friend-making events every two months in partnership with HerCanberra. And now, two years later, they’re something of experts when it comes to making friends.

Whether you’ve just moved to Canberra, are looking to expand your friendship circle, or meet like-minded people who are in the same stage of life as you, here are five things they want you to know.

Remember: Canberra isn’t boring

Canberra has a bit of a reputation for being boring compared to the hustle and bustle of Sydney and Melbourne. But if you look under the surface, you might be surprised at what you discover.

Admitting that Canberra can be a hard place make friends if you’re “not into run clubs, sports or trivia,” Claudia and Madeline say that people need to remember that Canberra isn’t boring and one of the things that makes our city unique is its social atmosphere.

It just means that sometimes you just need to put yourself out there.

“Canberra has such a diverse and unique mix of cultures, people and interests. Sometimes it takes meeting someone to find that point of difference to make you see the city in another light, or discover a new hobby or social circle,” says Claudia.

“We have such an incredible, rich mix of people with worldly views and interests. Forming friendships in Canberra can be such great connections that expand outside of these borders too.”

“We have such a transient workforce in Canberra, so you get such a diverse spread of people to meet. You will always be able to find your people in Canberra,” adds Madeline.

Ignore what you think you know about making friends in Canberra

It’s something Canberra locals hear time and time again: we can be a bit standoff-ish, it’s hard to break into friendship groups (especially in the public service), and if you’ve moved here in winter while the city is in hibernation, good luck meeting anyone new.

Other misconceptions Madeline and Claudia often hear?

“That we only socialise on the weekend – try asking a friend to catch up on a weekday or night! You will be surprised who wants to catch up with you,” says Madeline

“There are lots of cliques,” adds Claudia.

“So many people who have been in Canberra for a little or a long time are open to making new friends and learning something new. Don’t overthink it, as adults it can be so hard to make friends. Everyone feels the same way!”

Find something that aligns with your passions, hobbies or interests you

It sounds simple, right? But for the duo at Friends with Her, finding that special spark is key to meeting new people.

“If you are not into sport, don’t join a sporting team just to make friends! You are more likely to find your people if you go along to something that you enjoy and you can meet people with common interests,” says Madeline.

But with that said, don’t be afraid to try something new. Ever wanted to learn French, try Pilates, start volunteering, or get crafty? Moving to a new town means you can create a new you – and sometimes taking up a hobby or joining a networking group can be the best way to meet a friend.

According to Madeline, the most common ways they see people making friends is through, work, trivia nights, sports teams, gyms, run clubs and other group activities or classes.

“Watch this space! For those who want to connect over beauty, health and wellbeing stay tuned for what Friends with Her has coming up later this year,” she says.

“We have some exciting, curated events coming along this year as well as our regular networking drinks,” adds Claudia.

The hardest part is saying ‘hello’

For many people, the hardest part of making friends is taking the first step – which is why they’ve created an inclusive and fun event for people to connect and say ‘hello’.

“This is the hardest part. You can also think about some questions you would like to ask in advance so that if you get nervous you are prepared,” says Madeline

“Don’t talk yourself out of it!”

“I’ve recently adapted a concept to my own social and professional life, ‘Let me’. Let me make the introduction, let me walk over and say hi first, let me try and learn a new skill, let me be a beginner at this,” adds Claudia.

“Assume that there is an amazing story or something to learn from each person you meet too!”

Have fun and push yourself out of your comfort zone

“Making friends as an adult is hard especially if you are new to a city, but you do need to put yourself out there and get outside of your comfort zone,” says Madeline.

“We have multiple people who come along to our events on their own and so often they tell us they thought about not coming but they are so glad they did because they had a great time and met some great people.”

Running every other month in 2025, Friends with Her is open to people of all gender identities (not just those who use her/hers pronouns) and is all about bringing together interesting people to have interesting conversations.

Designed for all ages, there’s no pressure, no cost and is a great way to make a new connection in Canberra.

“We are deliberately an event for anyone as we don’t want to leave anyone out due to the industry they are in or their interests. We often get a broad range of young and mature professionals and business owners,” explains Madeline.

“You can come for a good time or a long time and if it isn’t for you, that’s okay!”

“Since we started in 2023, we have had the opportunity to connect people as their life stage changes, and see them come back, evolve and update us! It’s a very unique space where the value of the network means different things to different people,” adds Claudia.

INTERESTED IN GOING ALONG?

The next Friends with Her event is taking place on Thursday 26 June at Highball.

And make sure to keep an eye out for the upcoming dates!