Before I moved to Australia, the number one question every family member asked me was, “But… is it safe?” Honestly, I wondered the same thing. Between the dramatic wildlife documentaries, deadly spiders, and the shark stories, Australia gets painted as this wild, unpredictable jungle.

But after living here, I can confidently say this: Australia is genuinely one of the safest places I’ve ever been. I actually feel safer here than I did in many parts of the United States — and that surprised me.

Daily Life Feels Surprisingly Safe

Just the other day, I was at the beach with my friend who’s from Europe. She told me that if she left her bag on the sand in France, it would be gone instantly. Same with taking out her phone at a busy train station — she’d be hyper-aware the entire time.

But here?
People just leave their things.
Walk away.
Come back.
And everything is still there.

This weekend, we joined a run club and left our bags on a random bench outside a café. We were gone for 40 minutes, running all over the place, and when we returned… nothing had moved. Not even an inch.

It doesn’t mean nothing ever happens, of course, but the overall energy here feels calmer and less chaotic.

Walking Alone at Night Is a Different Experience

There are nights when I’m walking back to our apartment alone — about a fifteen-minute walk — and people passing by will genuinely say “hello,” smile, or just give a friendly nod.

Now, as a woman, I’m always going to have some level of caution. That feeling never goes away. But the friendliness makes a difference. There’s this general sense of respect and awareness here that I noticed pretty quickly.

I’m still not out here being careless or assuming nothing bad can happen. But compared to many places in the world, Australia feels noticeably safer.

The Wildlife Reputation Is… Dramatic

The stereotypes about Australia being overrun with deadly creatures definitely cross your mind before you move here. I had the same fear — spiders dropping from ceilings, snakes in every yard, kangaroos boxing people on the street.

But living here paints a totally different picture.

I’ve barely seen any spiders. I’ve seen zero snakes. The only dramatic moment was a huntsman spider at a surf camp — and considering we were literally in the middle of a forest, I can’t say I was shocked. Even locals laugh about Australia’s reputation and say it’s exaggerated to freak tourists out.

So no, you’re not going to be fighting for your life every time you open a door. Most days, you won’t see anything unusual at all.

Sharks… Okay, This Part Is Real

While the land animals are less of a concern than people think, sharks are definitely something Australians take seriously. There have been several fatal shark attacks since I moved here, and that reality hits differently when you’re spending time near the ocean.

I went surfing on my birthday, and later that day, someone posted on Facebook that a tagged shark had been tracked in the exact spot where we were surfing — at the exact same time. That was a moment.

It doesn’t stop people from enjoying the water, but it does make you more aware. Beaches have shark nets, drones, and trackers, but the risk is still there, especially in certain regions.