Cabramatta (NSW) - Are people still afraid?

HAL on 13/04/2014 - 01:43

Hi All,

Had an interesting chat with a few people recently, it seems some of them have never been to Cabramatta! The overall view was that it is a dangerous and violent part of Sydney that should be avoided.

I found that amazing… Cabramatta to me is a huge gem! In my humble opinion it is a very unique part of Sydney's culture and something that should be promoted and cherished. I understand that it can be pretty full on the first time, like being transported to SE Asia but Cabramatta has really cleaned up its act and shares very little with its infamous past.

A few things I love about Cabramatta:

  • Food ( Amazing variety of Vietnamese + SE Asian food)
  • Drinks (Fruit smoothies and Sugar Cane juice)
  • Groceries (cheap and fresh!)
  • Everything is CHEAP!!!

I'm curious to see other views on Cabramatta…

Have you been? if not why not?
What's your favourite things?
Anything to recommend?

General Discussion

Comments

  • beesa888 on 15/04/2014 - 13:45

    I literally just came back from cabramatta post office to pick up my Rebel Sport gift card hahaha, its nothing like the 90's all clean and safe now. Parking is a nightmare though, everyday…

    • watty on 15/04/2014 - 16:25
      +1

      Yeah, it's not like there isn't enough parking spots but there's just way too many people swarming down to Cabramatta.

      • mafmouf on 15/04/2014 - 20:16

        The relatively new car park on Fisher Street didn't really help. Most people will say "where is that?"

        • watty on 15/04/2014 - 21:04

          Doesn't matter, they will park there regardless. People will park anywhere honestly in Cabra, even on private* property and it's very annoying. I've personally have had to leave a note saying to please not park here just to find my windows smashed in the next morning (a dumb move on my end I'd have to say). Anyway, sorry for getting a bit off topic lol

        • NamandSpam on 16/04/2014 - 00:57

          Are you exaggerating a false claim?

        • Baghern on 16/04/2014 - 09:13
          +1

          He's screen shotting it for his insurance claim

  • Karaxela on 15/04/2014 - 16:51
    +1

    Like all have said.. cabra is moving away from that percieved drug and crime theme.With those cops and sniff dogs guarding the station occasionally doing their checks, its wise for them not to be there anyways. Night life is quiet and decreasing due to the booming restaurants in canley heights. Safety wise.. would avoid going out at night but that goes for most places anyways.
    Daylife is great, although people asking for spare change here and there,doesnt bother me too much. John st is inundated with competitve asian restaurants so u can expect quality and decent prices (dont expect a 5 star environment and 5 star service though). And who remembers that michael jackson imposter that attempts to entertain people dancing infront of redlea/commonwealth bank everyday? where did he go..i always raise an eyebrow and throw in a laugh when i walk by.
    For those that heard of the moon festival but never attented, do drop by around september as you would be blown away in a good way and experience a great taste of the vietnamese/asian culture with the food and performances while spending the day among 50,000 people.

  • Archi on 15/04/2014 - 16:58
    +5

    Michael Jackson dude… I saw in front of woollies on George opposite QVB on the weekend.

  • Archi on 15/04/2014 - 17:01

    I grew up near Cabramatta, and I go back there almost every week to visit the olds.. and parking is never an issue (and I park in the multi storey car park). I guess you just get use to it.. you go there enough it's just normal…

  • neostarsx on 15/04/2014 - 17:01

    After the politician John Newman got assassinated, Cabra was cleaned up hard.
    Cabra is very safe now.

    Sad thing was John Newman had to be killed for Canberra to wake up.

    • Baghern on 15/04/2014 - 20:44

      The Canberra/cops preferred the heroin was out in the west than at Kings Cross

      The fact that a lot of the dealing was in the open and lack of police for such a big issue is evidence of that

      • HAL on 15/04/2014 - 20:52

        There was quite a bit of police corruption then too… everyone had a finger in the pie

  • Davo1111 on 15/04/2014 - 19:39
    +1

    I always wear my best shirt for cabra

  • [Deactivated] on 15/04/2014 - 19:51

    When I moved to Sydney, I lived in 2166 for a few years. It was around 2007. I lived in Hughest St.

    I often think back to living there, and I miss it. The major downside to me was how far it was from the city. Crime was a secondary issue,

    Apparently I moved in just after the police station was built. It was like a bomb that cleaned out Cabramatta, but decimated the surrounding suburbs. Every junkie that was cleaned out just went one suburb over. Nothing really got fixed, just moved along.

    I felt very safe walking through the area, and would often go out for a walk to get a bread roll at 1am in the morning. I wouldn't recommend it as the safest place on earth, but the idea that "you're going to get shot" was so far from the experience I had living there.

    After living in Cabra, I moved to Strathfield. I saw crime and heard police sirens far more often in Strathfield. I was surprised to say the least.

    Edit:
    The most important part about living in Cabramatta.

    If you don't have a car, you can go from the Woolworths to your house pushing a shopping trolly the whole way, leave the shopping trolly out the front of your units, and it will get picked up every day. I felt really awkward doing it the first time… Then I realised that Utopia was real and I should embrace it.

    • mafmouf on 15/04/2014 - 20:19

      I got woken up every night cus of people like you! The trolley collector doing the rounds at 2am. Probably got some banh mi beforehand.

      • [Deactivated] on 15/04/2014 - 20:35
        +9

        To be honest, I just found it absolutely hilarious at first and I couldn't believe these people were just dumping trolleys outside their house because they knew it would get picked up. I thought it was a pretty bad habit to have, but then one day… it all changed.

        My groceries were a little beyond carrying weight, and I thought that just once, I should try it once. Part of me just wanted to see if I could get away with it… I can't even recall if the groceries really were that heavy with 100% certainty.

        Let me tell you… The rush was intense. I knew I was doing something wrong, but I didn't care. I went from a once a week on a Saturday afternoon trolley dumping habit to being hooked. I couldn't believe how quickly the addiction took hold. Before I knew it, I was delivering groceries I didn't even need just to get the next trolley outside of my house. I'd even be calling my neighbours on the way home from work asking if they needed bags of rice, just so I could get another hit.

        Eventually I moved out of Cabra and got back on track with my life. Sure I was still using trolleys at the supermarket, but I knew I could take my groceries home in hand, and not feel the need to "go wheeling" one more time.

        I am truly sorry about your sleep being disrupted because of my habit… I am still getting over the experience years afterwards… but the road to recovery is a long one.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/04/2014 - 20:52

      If you don't have a car, you can go from the Woolworths to your house pushing a shopping trolly the whole way, leave the shopping trolly out the front of your units, and it will get picked up every day. I felt really awkward doing it the first time… Then I realised that Utopia was real and I should embrace it.

      LOL. Had no idea. That's amazing.

      Does anyone know whether they still do this bizarre trolley collection?

      • fatal on 16/04/2014 - 00:49

        Yes, yes they do.

        My ex-GF and I used to do this all the time.

  • aal04 on 16/04/2014 - 11:27
    +1

    Cabramatta used to be bad with the old 5T gangs etc 20 years ago. Then it went through a phase where they cleaned it up and it had the best and cheapest food in Sydney. Now several other gems around sydney are now much cheaper and provide just as good food. Cabra in the last 3 years or so has become overpriced and overcrowded. Campsie and Flemington are now cheaper and Ashfield/Eastwood are getting there.

    Australia is perfectly safe EVERYWHERE as long as you have a single clue about being street smart and know how to handle wallet inspectors.

    • HAL on 16/04/2014 - 14:12
      +1

      Cabramatta has been overcrowded as far as I can remember, nothing new… apart from parking it's part of the charm.

      Cabramatta overpriced?!? It has gone up with inflation but nothing more.

      I wouldn't recommend any of the areas you mentioned over Cabramatta, in fact most of the one you mention are more known for Chinese rather than Vietnamese.

      Ashfield: Is being gentrified.
      Flemington: Small and food is bad. (prices are similar to Cabramatta)
      Eastwood: More Chinese + Korean, decent food but lacks the charm. (prices are similar again, apart from the specials at the few Hong Kong cafes)
      Campsie: Not familiar with the area.

      Canley Vale Heights is probably the best if you don't like the hustle and bustle.

      • beesa888 on 17/04/2014 - 00:48
        +1

        Canley Heights its running out of parking fast as well. esp not being close to a train station, means more people are driving there.

      • rlam on 17/04/2014 - 19:53

        HAL - Flemington food is bad?!?!?!?!?!

        Sorry to put a plug here but have you eaten at Happy Snack Cafe House?

        http://www.streetfood.com.au/2014/03/happy-snack-cafe-house-…

        Anyway this place is hands down a winner drools

    • Jaxr on 18/04/2014 - 00:15

      I would say no where is perfectly safe, but OZ is pretty good, as you said as long as you are sensible..

  • Archi on 16/04/2014 - 12:59
    +4

    things that I like and would recommend…

    red lea hot chips with that red chicken salt, seasoning thing

    MMmmm yummy

    • beesa888 on 17/04/2014 - 00:49

      Fried chicken skin anyone? :p

  • [Deactivated] on 16/04/2014 - 15:55

    Never heard of it.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/04/2014 - 16:14
    +3

    I've practically grown up in Cabramatta and drop by around once a week. The worst thing that's happened to me is being over-charged for a haircut.

    • beesa888 on 17/04/2014 - 00:50

      I got sick of all the places there cutting my hair unevenly… went to the good guys and bought a pair of clippers. it paid itself off after i shaved my head twice. I haven't paid for a hair cut in 9 and a half years!!

  • spychiatrist on 16/04/2014 - 22:34
    +1

    Vietnamatta is its correct name I was told

  • Archi on 17/04/2014 - 11:07

    if you guys like spring rolls this place serves them up very differently compared most others

    http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1459476/restaurant/Sydney/Huo…

  • hsk on 17/04/2014 - 13:07

    wonder if anyone can give me a few places to take the family to eat, kids are primary school age, so eat most things, but want good food and good price

  • [Deactivated] on 17/04/2014 - 17:09

    Not only good for food but wife loves the array of material shops. And so cheap as well.

  • Clever Girl on 17/04/2014 - 20:54
    +3

    I don't live around this area but in my personal opinion, people there are beautiful. Recently attended a fund raising function for a cook fresh kitchen for Braeside Hospital, 800 local people turned up to support a worthy cause and raised over $90,000. These are everyday people in the local community, doing their best to give back to the community, I really admire what they did. At the same time, food there is yummy with such a variety to choose from.

  • maximum on 18/04/2014 - 07:57
    +2

    My sons are scared of Cabramatta but only because it means I am going to make them try on suits. I can usually bribe them with a container of little custard filled rolls from the bakery.

  • xWid0wMak3r on 18/04/2014 - 09:46

    Cabramatta is not a place you want to visit. Drugs, violence, etc.

    Stay away so I have more spots to park my car when I get my PHO on. Lol

  • snajper on 18/04/2014 - 18:39

    Ok, i live 10km from Cabramatta and as said before use to be drug and crime capital of Australia? Back in the days I would be approached 5-6 times offering drugs etc…. What nsw gov and police did was just amazing…transforming this suburb into one of the safest in the area..which i thought was impossible. I dont go often to Cabra but when i do i feel pretty safe….ok parking is horrible….some people can feel strange as it does feel as being in different country but not me as i appreciate Cabramatta for what it is

  • cheapsk8t on 19/04/2014 - 07:05
    -1

    Between the late 1980's and early 2000's, Cabramatta was at the height of gang warfare, drug dealings, prostitution and voilent crime was the norm. That era is now gone and Cabramatta is just as safe as any other suburb. The police has done a good job eradicating most of the problems. The area has been regenerated to become a family friendly bustling place to find good food and the like.

    I remember witnessing the time when female drug users would prostitute themselves at Fisher street (thats the reason why they installed a surveillance camera there) to obtain the money for drugs. Drug dealers were also prevalent within the vicinity of the train station and they would openly ask alighted passengers if they needed drugs. Timegone amusement centre was a den for them.

    The 'gang/drug' era had come to a close because gang members from that period either disbanded and moved on or have been incarcerated.

    • compound on 19/04/2014 - 12:53

      Pretty sure gang members came to a close because they realised that "Young and Dangerous" fad had faded and anyone who followed it was a joke in themselves. Also they realised the downside of being in a gang involved suffering and stress that even a dodgey lawyer can't live with.

  • uraha on 20/04/2014 - 09:31

    Where can I find the best pho?

  • JayCeeJay on 22/04/2014 - 16:43
    +1

    cabra is ghetto, but I love it, reminds me of other asian countries.
    Food isn't that cheap. still $10 for a lunch meal which you can get most places in the west, even inner west.
    Never had issue with cabra besides parking, also once even an old viet lady will rage at you when you beep them for stopping in the middle of the road so they can finish texting on their phone.
    There are nice places to eat Pho.. plenty.. Flemington, bankstown, canley height/vale, lidcombe. urgh getting a little sick of it tbh.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/04/2014 - 18:31

    Not sure if anyone is still checking up on this thread, but is the old Caucasian guy who looks like a balded Christopher Lloyd still going around collecting cans every night with his wife?

    Every time he used to look at me, I could hear him say "Great Scott!" even though he was completely silent.

  • frutter on 23/04/2014 - 11:25

    havnt had that BBQ chicken at dong ba for a while now, deep fried pork belly pieces with lemon grass chicken char grilled with 'look mum' with a serve of tomato rice, salad and to finish off a good hot bowl of soup which prolly has a load of msg $10 :O00000

    • mafmouf on 23/04/2014 - 21:52

      Dong Ba changed management and got worse. Sorry to ruin your dreams.

      • frutter on 23/04/2014 - 21:59

        theres 2 one in the corner which is not so good and one along john street, but yea been like a year

        • mafmouf on 24/04/2014 - 16:41

          I'm referring to the one on on the corner of Hill and John. Never actually been to the one along John Street. Walked past the corner one about 2 hours ago and they were closed and removed their ongoing "20% opening special" haha.

  • OzCam123 on 08/04/2015 - 16:03

    HI all doing my Geo assignment about cabramatta and i would appreciate it if you guys would tell me about any cultural changes over the past years living there and what its like there.

    Thanks

  • OzCam123 on 08/04/2015 - 16:08

    And also do u think its a positive thing for cabramatta to be south east Asian community or a negative thing. like for example the things they changed for example the food,stores,etc..

    Thanks Again..

  • ozboygsl on 09/04/2015 - 10:27

    slightly ot, the police have just issues a warining in dandenong that if a group of youths { sudanese moslems, but they couldn't say that bit} approach people, they should leave immediately { aka, run like hell}.

  • tonyjzx on 09/04/2015 - 12:37

    that entire area though, is a hub of awesome police activity

    i'm in that area every so often, used to be more often before but it wasnt uncommon to see someone being arrested on the side of the road, or drug sniffer dogs going spastic or cops about to do a dynamic entry into a house

    not singling about just that suburb but i'd say that whole greater area

  • Spooked on 28/12/2015 - 10:56

    Any new recommendation of a good restaurant to eat @ in Cabra? Also, dessert :) the custard rolls mentioned sound goooood

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