Lakemba

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Lakemba is the name of two places, and the Sydney one was directly named after the Fijian one.


  • Lakemba, New South Wales is a suburb in the south-west of Sydney. The suburb is a great example of how migration patterns and ethnic clustering has had on the cultural, social, and built environment. Despite the various non-English background groups that call Lakemba home, there is a predominance of Lebanese-heritage and other ethnic groups that practice the religion of Islam. In the 2005 Cronulla riots, Lakemba alongside a neighbouring suburb, Punchbowl, was the site of confrontation between Lebanese and 'aussie' groups in conflict.

In Sydney, Lakemba is not unique in terms of the cultural impact its residents have had on it. Other suburbs, like Cabramatta, which is further south-west to Lakemba has a large Vietnamese-heritage population. Like Lakemba, the impact on the built environment from Vietnamese migrants is significant.

In recent times, these unique neighbourhoods have become a tourist attraction, for local and international travellers. In particular, those wishing to sample authentic foreign foods.