As a 4 week Canberra 'expert' here's my top 10!

[Guest Katc78]

Good points Ann.

 

Aah, I remember when that IGA at Yarralumla was a cheap and cheerful little supermarket (back when Yarralumla was just a relatively ordinary suburb of Canberra, unlike these days where it's expensive and exclusive!). LOL, love it 'recession chic'!!! You are dead right, Ann - head to Woden Woolies or Coles and grab a Fly Buys card (should be able to order online) to clock up airmiles. Do they still do the petrol vouchers? Those were worth it! Also there's a decent enough Woolies at Weston Creek (Cooleman Court shopping centre, just off Hindmarsh Drive next to the Irish Club and McDonalds) - when we lived in Yarralumla we used to often go to that one and avoid the 'craziness' (I use that term loosely after experiencing true craziness in London) of Woden, esp on weekends.

 

Wig & Pen is great - closer to the uni, so you get a lot of phd type students in there (I used to go when I was in my first year of uni). Closest thing to an English pub in Canberra... Ooh, just had a thought: has anyone been out to the George Harcourt Inn (north Canberra, next to Cockington Green, the miniature village, off Barton Hwy)? That's meant to be an olde worlde style pub and might have decent beer, not sure... last time I went was about ten years ago...

 

One more food tip for anyone who works around the city: check out the tiny and easily missable Indo Cafe, a Malaysian takeaway place around the back of the Waldorf Hotel, corner of Akuna St and London Cct. I hope it's still there! At lunch they used to do $6 lunchboxes with fresh curry and rice - their peanut satay is THE best I've ever tasted in my life!! This is making me miss Canberra! :v_SPIN:

[Quoll]

The petrol voucher wars have sort of hotted up - Woolies have now joined the Qantas Frequent Flyer program and still give the petrol discounts which is a bonus. Even IGA give discount if you front up with a petrol voucher less than 4(?) weeks old so it is possible to get double discount on petrol! There is also an IGA in the Civic bus interchange now too!

 

The Wig and Pen has been getting a bit of a bad rap lately on the Riotact - not really a pub goer so dont know if it has gone downhill or just had a few bad incidents. The George Harcourt is still there doing good bangers and mash! There has been a huge building program in the Marcus Clarke St area so if you went to uni in the old days, the car park is now a range of 5 storey university housing and asisan restaurants precinct. Car parking on that side of town is a nightmare!

 

There are a load of new places in Civic - the Tongue and Groove looks good and seems to be well patronized and I intend to pop in one day as there menu generally looks delicious! It seems to be the Happy Hour place to go these days. My favourite is still Milk and Honey but there are so many other good places to eat in town that we are spoilt for choice really.

[Guest destinationoz]

Hi all

 

Just a few comments from someone who grew up in Canberra (but has been living in the UK for a couple of years).

 

1. Cars: You will have to give up on the idea of owning a European car unless you are prepared to pay through the nose. I would steer clear of anything manufactured locally (ie. in Australia) although that may be improving now. Don't get a Falcon (Ford) or a Commodore (Holden/Vauxhall) as they are gas guzzlers and you don't need a V8 engine for driving round Canberra. I'd recommend a Korean car like a Kia or Hyundai if you want cheap and cheerful, or a Toyota/Mazda/Honda for decent (don't buy it brand new, get one a year or so old that's still under warranty, private sale if poss.) Having said that, my parents always had Renaults and Peugeots, and if you get one of them, go to Alpine Motors in Philip - those guys are absolutely awesome for all French cars and won't rip you off! Don't EVER go to a dealership if you can avoid it - they are rip off merchants and will charge you double for a regular service, citing that 'only we can provide genuine replacement parts' - yeah right, total lie. You are better of going with a private mechanic who is certified to do warranty services - I used to take my car Lex Courage, an amazing guy who worked out of his home in Yarralumla and charged be literally half of what the dealer charged for services of higher quality. I don't know if they still do it, but there used to be a car fair type thing in the carpark next to CIT at Woden (opposite the multistorey carpark that leads to the shopping centre) - it used to be Saturday mornings and you could go and check out all the cars and take them for test drives, very cool.

 

2. Accommodation: first port of call is www.allhomes.com.au - this is where the majority of Canberra (and surrounding area) rentals and homes for sale are advertised. There is also a classifieds parter site - www.allclassifieds.com.au - which can be handy too, if you want to buy bits and pieces to furnish your house etc. Try the ANU (university) accommodation site, as there are houses advertised there too. If you know anyone working for the Department of Defence, they have their own classifieds system, very comprehensive and worth looking into for rental places and buying stuff, as Defence people tend to move around a lot so are always buying and selling. I own a house in Canberra - three bedroom, two storey 'townhouse' (like a bungalow but with stairs? hard to explain!) in Rivett (south west suburb, about 15 mins drive from centre of Canberra) and my tenants pay $380/week, which I think is relatively good value (they've been paying that same amount since July 07). Another thing to note about renting: tenants don't pay 'rates' (Council tax) or water/sewerage - this is the landlord's responsibility. You will pay just your rent and phone/electricity/gas bills. The only time they can make you pay for water is if you use excess water, but this almost never happens. The Residental Tenancies Act, which governs all rental properties in the ACT, is geared towards the tenant, not the landlord (unlike in the UK where you have limited rights as a tenant). Read 'the renting book', issued by the ACT Government (check www.act.gov.au and log on to Canberra Connect, this should lead you in the right direction, the booklet and other info is online) - the book will tell you all your rights as a tenant, and there is a free advice line if you get stuck.

 

3. Locations in the ACT: One thing you'll get to know once you settle in - there's a divide between north and south in Canberra. If you're a 'southsider', you generally get lost when going anywhere in the northern suburbs, and vice versa. You are either a southsider or a northsider, and you have loyalty to your 'side'! It's not a war or anything, but there is often banter between Canberrans on this topic. That said, the north and south have all the same aspects - eg. Chisolm or Isabella Plains is the 'dodgy' sort of area of the south, and Charnwood is the dodgy area of the north (visit the Chisolm Tavern or the Charnwood Inn for a first hand experience!) In terms of where to live, I've biased (southsider!) - my fave suburb is Yarralumla, but it's very expensive. in the north, if I couldn't afford inner north like Watson, Hackett, Lyneham, I'd go for Aranda or Hawker perhaps. In the south, if I couldn't afford Yarralumla, Narrabundah, Kingston, I'd look at Mawson, Farrer, Rivett, Fisher and surrounding areas. Don't be too concerned about distance as everything is close in Canberra and there really isn't anything you could consider a traffic jam, if you've lived in the UK (especially in London!)

 

4. Beer and socialising: I'm told the relatively new Belgian Beer Cafe (somewhere in Civic I believe), is great. I would also put in a vote for Coopers as the best Aussie beer. Go to the Leagues Club (one in the city) or the Workers Club or Labour Club, or even the Canberra Southern Cross Club (in Woden) if you want cheapish drinks and cheapish food. The clubs like these (also RSL clubs) are usually open late, and often have free tea and coffee and cakes quite late at night, so you can retire there after a nice meal at a restaurant or a movie session. Best cinemas are Belconnen or Woden (they're the newest Hoyts ones).

 

5. Food: go to Dickson if you want authentic Asian food (we mean Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai when we say Asian). There is a vietnamese vegetarian place called Au Lac (hope it's still there!) which is delicious, fresh and cheap. The Asian Noodle House is yum (also one in the city on Northbourne Ave) - if you've never had it before, try Laksa, a Malaysian soup, soooo good! In Canberra, Chinese places won't serve you chips with curry sauce like they do here! And hangover food or drunken food is less likely to be kebabs and more likely to be burgers (the infamous Chicken Gourmet in the city, next to King O'Malley's pub is the god of dodgy, late night takeaway food). Best kebabs are at Ali Baba (a chain of takeaway places, only in Canberra I believe - ask for humous and tabouleh with yours, yum!) Best takeaway in general is Kingsley's Chicken, another Canberra-specific gem - chicken fillet burget with coleslaw and gravy - heaven! Definitely go the Fyshwick Markets (just off Canberra Ave after you go through the big roundabout intersecting with Sturt Ave and Wentworth Ave) - cheapest and freshest fruit and veg and great for fresh seafood and meats. Best coffee will be had at Cafe Essen, just off Garema Place, and they have the best range of fresh coffee beans to buy there, plus the most delicious cakes ever. Also try Gus', which is next door, for lovely long breakfasts and brunches, and for chats and whiling away hours in the sun, with good coffee and good atmosphere, you can't go past Tilley's Divine Cafe in Lyneham. Go to Debacle (Mort St or Lonsdale St in the city) for pizzas and sport watching (favourite hang out of professionals after work)...

 

6. Transport: the only form of public transport in Canberra is buses. These are ACTION buses (acronym, ACT something Omnibus Network), government run, and generally clean and efficient. Cycle paths are excellent in Canberra and a lot of people cycle to work - fewer issues with risking your life in traffic there. However, as a rule, everyone drives!! You'd be doing it tough not to have a car in Canberra.

 

There's plenty more advice I can offer, and I'm sure fellow Canberrans would have slightly differing views - there are always different perspectives - but there you go, hope you got to the end and you found it helpful.

 

Kat

 

 

Fantastic info - Thanks loads Kat ....

I'd happily read more if you got more ....

including more on best areas to live ....

Cheers!!!

[nik_kershaw]

Hi all

 

1. Cars: You will have to give up on the idea of owning a European car unless you are prepared to pay through the nose. I would steer clear of anything manufactured locally (ie. in Australia) although that may be improving now. Don't get a Falcon (Ford) or a Commodore (Holden/Vauxhall) as they are gas guzzlers and you don't need a V8 engine for driving round Canberra. I'd recommend a Korean car like a Kia or Hyundai if you want cheap and cheerful, or a Toyota/Mazda/Honda for decent (don't buy it brand new, get one a year or so old that's still under warranty, private sale if poss.) Having said that, my parents always had Renaults and Peugeots, and if you get one of them, go to Alpine Motors in Philip - those guys are absolutely awesome for all French cars and won't rip you off! Don't EVER go to a dealership if you can avoid it - they are rip off merchants and will charge you double for a regular service, citing that 'only we can provide genuine replacement parts' - yeah right, total lie. You are better of going with a private mechanic who is certified to do warranty services - I used to take my car Lex Courage, an amazing guy who worked out of his home in Yarralumla and charged be literally half of what the dealer charged for services of higher quality. I don't know if they still do it, but there used to be a car fair type thing in the carpark next to CIT at Woden (opposite the multistorey carpark that leads to the shopping centre) - it used to be Saturday mornings and you could go and check out all the cars and take them for test drives, very cool.

 

 

 

This is true about the cars, no one needs a big V8 and if you want one then you are going to have to pay the money. The Volvos, BMW's and Mini's are going to cost a packet. The car I can't recommend enough is Mitsubishi. New cars come with a 5 year warenty and for some strange reason they are not held in high regard as the Fords and Holdens on the road but you'll get alot more for your money. Dealers will charge a small fortune but shop around and if you can buy private. Same goes for Bikes as well. I am travelling up to Brisbane to pick up a bike I bought this week and then I am going to ride back to Queanbeyan on it. At lease it means I am going to see a bit of Australia. Be aware though you'll have to pay stamp duty on all cars and also if they are from another state you'll have to get new REGO etc. This is a bit of a problem with the ACT being so small, you may end up with a NSW plate car and have to do all the messing around. I had to do it but the other way around as I live just over the border in NSW. The car park you are talking about in Woden is no longer there, it's all being dug up for something else. There is something around the corner which does what you say but I would google it and see what you can find. There is also something that goes on at EPIC on a weekend, some sort of auto mart but I have never been there, then there is always my work, Pickles Auctions so you could buy a car at the Auctions thousands cheaper than the dealers as they also buy from us as well

[Guest Katc78]

Fantastic info - Thanks loads Kat ....

I'd happily read more if you got more ....

including more on best areas to live ....

Cheers!!!

 

Alright, you asked for it! Before I write an 'essay' on best places to live in Canberra, let me just reply to Quoll. Yes, knew about all that re-development of Marcus Clarke St area - madness, was already crazy! I always said it was a mistake for them to build apartment blocks in Canberra - no one in Australia would move to a place like Canberra just to live in an apartment, that's what Sydney and Melbourne are for! In Canberra you expect a nice big house with plenty of space! Hmm, maybe that's an outdated notion... Re. Milk & Honey, you know, when this place first opened, I thought it was a bit pretentious and overpriced, but it did manage to carve a nice niche - the food was always decent. I'd still go across the way (literally opposite) to Cafe Essen if I wanted good coffe and amazing cake (probably cheaper too, not sure). Depends if you're in the 'artsy alternative' type scene (Essen) or the more 'professional chic city' type scene really (Milk & Honey is more conservative I'd say). But then again, who am I to make such fine judgments - I've been in the UK two years! Re. Fly Buys - I must have about a million, used to use that card all the time and never checked the balance, but I know people who got free flights etc - used to be best used at Coles, Myer and Target, from memory...

 

Anyway, onto where to live in Canberra (the biased southsider version).

First thing to understand about Canberra is that it is a planned city. There was a conscious decision to avoid the development of 'ghetto' type areas or whole suburbs of questionable repute, so that's why you'll find that there is only one suburb in the whole of Canberra that doesn't have government housing (translation: council flats) - that suburb, I believe, is on the north side - Weetangera I think? So, the idea is that every suburb is generally pleasant. And to some degree, this is true. Secondly, Canberra is new. The oldest school (my old highschool, incidentally), Telopea Park School, was opened in 1923. So because it's a new city, the infrastructure is generally decent and things haven't gotten out of hand (eg. like in London, where you'd have to literally level the place and begin again to develop simple organisation and good infrastructure - but you wouldn't want to do that, the history is amazing).

 

I'll start with places I've lived:

- Narrabundah, Red Hill: lovely areas (Red Hill being the more expensive). These are inner south suburbs, some of the older suburbs of Canberra, where you get those beautiful leafy streets (stunning in Autumn), some hilly areas, beautiful older, well-constructed houses, some what we call 'ex-govvie' (ie. ex council). Ex-govvies are a real find because the rooms are huge and they are very solidly built and well-planned. These inner south areas (also includes suburbs like Griffith, Kingston, Barton, Forrest, Manuka area) are some of the best places to live in Canberra. Excellent local shops (Griffith is especially lovely) and 10 mins from Woden, where you've got great shopping, cinemas, places to eat and drink. Great restaurants at local shops (Griffith - Peppertree I think it's called, Manuka - Santa Lucia, La Capana, First Floor).

 

- Yarralumla: easily my favourite suburb in Canberra. One of the older ones, quite close to the lake (Lake Burley Griffin), picnics to be had on lazy Sundays on the sandy shores under the willow trees. Excellent for kids, as Weston Park is close by, which has some of the best kids' play equipment in Canberra (big call!), the 'mouse house', a maze, a little train, and a nursery (Yarralumla Nursery). Drawback: it's expensive! The diplomat houses and embassies are in the area (down the other end of Schlich St, follow the road around the lake) and I'd go driving around there just to check out the spectacular houses, so beautiful. Again, close to Woden, and easy access to Manuka and the city, really only 10 mins drive away from any of those, and even Tuggeranong is fairly quick to get to (past the hospital or down Hindmarsh Dr). Exclusive Deakin is nearby - lovely, but yes, pricey! Oh, and these are the kind of suburbs where people who send their children to Grammar live - personally, I would rather send my child to a zoo than to either boys or girls grammar schools in Canberra (the girls is a breeding groups for b!tches and the boys is rough and tough, probably better than the girls though) - just my personal opinion though, obviously this is a generalisation!

 

- Weston Creek area: I own a house in Rivett, which I think is lovely, as you've got walking tracks and a reserve area (ie. bushland) right next door. This is where the infamous bushfires happened, but don't be turned off by that as it was a freak thing. Rivett is reasonably priced, and surrounded by expensive areas like Chapman, Stirling, and up and coming areas like Duffy and Holder. Nearby Fisher and Waramanga used to be average suburbs, but their proximity to Woden and the city now make them highly sought after. I'd easily live in any of these suburbs, they're all lovely. Then joining these suburbs (the area is collectively known as Weston Creek), you've got Kambah, which is a little further south, closer to Tuggeranong and a huge suburb, probably the biggest in Canberra. Kambah kind of has two sides - the good and the bad. The good is really good and the bad is really bad, although this is evening out and the bad is not as scummy as it used to be. You've got Kambah Pool nearby (which is not really a pool, more of a river that you can swim in), and in summer there's easy access to Pine Island and Point Hut (both riverside bbq areas where you can swim and enjoy a summer's day - any kid growing up in Canberra will tell you about the summers they spent at Pine Island or Point Hut or Uriarra Crossing).

 

Mawson: fantastic suburb - wish my parents never sold the house we owned there! Very close to Woden, and not far from Tuggeranong, Mawson - and surrounding suburbs Farrer, Pearce, Torrens - are great areas. Isaacs (across the big highway) is a relatively new suburb and I don't like it that much, mainly because it's very much 'cookie cutter architecture' (and we used to walk our dogs in the beautiful bushland there which was destroyed when they built the suburb). O'Malley is not even a consideration - most houses there look like the White House, no idea what people do who live there but they're probably crazily rich diplomats (so go for your life if you're one of them!)

 

Phillip: I lived here for a couple of years - strange suburb actually, as it's predominantly apartments and townhouses (ie. kind of like a London Victorian house, style-wise). This area is right next to Woden and the hospital, perfect for professionals (and usually those with no kids) or singles. Areas nearby like Garran and Hughes, Lyons and Curtin are really lovely, would live in any of them (although Garran and Hughes are now pretty expensive, lots of new, swish developments in Garran).

 

Tuggeranong area: I came so close to living in Monash (best of the Tuggeranong suburbs I think, apart from Kambah). This is a relatively new area. Fadden and Macarthur are quite expensive, but great areas, lovely views from the top of steep streets, houses built into the sides of hills etc. Outer Tuggeranong like Isabella Plains, Calwell, Gordon, Conder, Bonython - I'd steer clear. There are some nice enough houses in Gordon and Banks, say, but it's too far, unless you work in Tuggeranong. It also doesn't have the character of 'true' inner Canberra and a lot of the houses are the same, built in the last 10-20 years and so not as decent as some of the older ones in inner areas. Avoid Chisolm - as I mentioned in a previous post, if you want to see the worst Tuggeranong has to offer, go to the Chisolm Tavern on a Saturday night...

 

Right, so just a short bit on the north side, where I have never technically lived. One of the most beautiful inner north streets is Ijong St in Braddon - this will give you an idea of what it has to offer... but it's hugely expensive! I like Lyneham, O'Connor, Ainslie, Turner, Hackett. Dickson and especially Downer used to be a real dive, dodgy as, but they are improving. Watson is a lovely suburb. I also like Aranda and Cook (more north west) as they are older suburbs. I would steer clear of the new areas like Amaroo and Nicholls and Ngunnawal (northern version of Conder and Banks) - the places are all the same and there is no character. Having said that, Gunghalin is a thriving little town centre now, so whatever floats your boat I guess. And they are certainly cheaper than inner suburbs!

 

So the conclusion to all this is, if you want an experience of true Canberra, seek out the older, inner suburbs. If you just want value for money and convenience and don't care about character and spirit, head to the outer suburbs.

 

Hope this is helpful! :wink:

[nik_kershaw]

Alright, you asked for it! Before I write an 'essay' on best places to live in Canberra, let me just reply to Quoll. Yes, knew about all that re-development of Marcus Clarke St area - madness, was already crazy! I always said it was a mistake for them to build apartment blocks in Canberra - no one in Australia would move to a place like Canberra just to live in an apartment, that's what Sydney and Melbourne are for! In Canberra you expect a nice big house with plenty of space! Hmm, maybe that's an outdated notion... Re. Milk & Honey, you know, when this place first opened, I thought it was a bit pretentious and overpriced, but it did manage to carve a nice niche - the food was always decent. I'd still go across the way (literally opposite) to Cafe Essen if I wanted good coffe and amazing cake (probably cheaper too, not sure). Depends if you're in the 'artsy alternative' type scene (Essen) or the more 'professional chic city' type scene really (Milk & Honey is more conservative I'd say). But then again, who am I to make such fine judgments - I've been in the UK two years! Re. Fly Buys - I must have about a million, used to use that card all the time and never checked the balance, but I know people who got free flights etc - used to be best used at Coles, Myer and Target, from memory...

 

Anyway, onto where to live in Canberra (the biased southsider version).

First thing to understand about Canberra is that it is a planned city. There was a conscious decision to avoid the development of 'ghetto' type areas or whole suburbs of questionable repute, so that's why you'll find that there is only one suburb in the whole of Canberra that doesn't have government housing (translation: council flats) - that suburb, I believe, is on the north side - Weetangera I think? So, the idea is that every suburb is generally pleasant. And to some degree, this is true. Secondly, Canberra is new. The oldest school (my old highschool, incidentally), Telopea Park School, was opened in 1923. So because it's a new city, the infrastructure is generally decent and things haven't gotten out of hand (eg. like in London, where you'd have to literally level the place and begin again to develop simple organisation and good infrastructure - but you wouldn't want to do that, the history is amazing).

 

I'll start with places I've lived:

- Narrabundah, Red Hill: lovely areas (Red Hill being the more expensive). These are inner south suburbs, some of the older suburbs of Canberra, where you get those beautiful leafy streets (stunning in Autumn), some hilly areas, beautiful older, well-constructed houses, some what we call 'ex-govvie' (ie. ex council). Ex-govvies are a real find because the rooms are huge and they are very solidly built and well-planned. These inner south areas (also includes suburbs like Griffith, Kingston, Barton, Forrest, Manuka area) are some of the best places to live in Canberra. Excellent local shops (Griffith is especially lovely) and 10 mins from Woden, where you've got great shopping, cinemas, places to eat and drink. Great restaurants at local shops (Griffith - Peppertree I think it's called, Manuka - Santa Lucia, La Capana, First Floor).

 

- Yarralumla: easily my favourite suburb in Canberra. One of the older ones, quite close to the lake (Lake Burley Griffin), picnics to be had on lazy Sundays on the sandy shores under the willow trees. Excellent for kids, as Weston Park is close by, which has some of the best kids' play equipment in Canberra (big call!), the 'mouse house', a maze, a little train, and a nursery (Yarralumla Nursery). Drawback: it's expensive! The diplomat houses and embassies are in the area (down the other end of Schlich St, follow the road around the lake) and I'd go driving around there just to check out the spectacular houses, so beautiful. Again, close to Woden, and easy access to Manuka and the city, really only 10 mins drive away from any of those, and even Tuggeranong is fairly quick to get to (past the hospital or down Hindmarsh Dr). Exclusive Deakin is nearby - lovely, but yes, pricey! Oh, and these are the kind of suburbs where people who send their children to Grammar live - personally, I would rather send my child to a zoo than to either boys or girls grammar schools in Canberra (the girls is a breeding groups for b!tches and the boys is rough and tough, probably better than the girls though) - just my personal opinion though, obviously this is a generalisation!

 

- Weston Creek area: I own a house in Rivett, which I think is lovely, as you've got walking tracks and a reserve area (ie. bushland) right next door. This is where the infamous bushfires happened, but don't be turned off by that as it was a freak thing. Rivett is reasonably priced, and surrounded by expensive areas like Chapman, Stirling, and up and coming areas like Duffy and Holder. Nearby Fisher and Waramanga used to be average suburbs, but their proximity to Woden and the city now make them highly sought after. I'd easily live in any of these suburbs, they're all lovely. Then joining these suburbs (the area is collectively known as Weston Creek), you've got Kambah, which is a little further south, closer to Tuggeranong and a huge suburb, probably the biggest in Canberra. Kambah kind of has two sides - the good and the bad. The good is really good and the bad is really bad, although this is evening out and the bad is not as scummy as it used to be. You've got Kambah Pool nearby (which is not really a pool, more of a river that you can swim in), and in summer there's easy access to Pine Island and Point Hut (both riverside bbq areas where you can swim and enjoy a summer's day - any kid growing up in Canberra will tell you about the summers they spent at Pine Island or Point Hut or Uriarra Crossing).

 

Mawson: fantastic suburb - wish my parents never sold the house we owned there! Very close to Woden, and not far from Tuggeranong, Mawson - and surrounding suburbs Farrer, Pearce, Torrens - are great areas. Isaacs (across the big highway) is a relatively new suburb and I don't like it that much, mainly because it's very much 'cookie cutter architecture' (and we used to walk our dogs in the beautiful bushland there which was destroyed when they built the suburb). O'Malley is not even a consideration - most houses there look like the White House, no idea what people do who live there but they're probably crazily rich diplomats (so go for your life if you're one of them!)

 

Phillip: I lived here for a couple of years - strange suburb actually, as it's predominantly apartments and townhouses (ie. kind of like a London Victorian house, style-wise). This area is right next to Woden and the hospital, perfect for professionals (and usually those with no kids) or singles. Areas nearby like Garran and Hughes, Lyons and Curtin are really lovely, would live in any of them (although Garran and Hughes are now pretty expensive, lots of new, swish developments in Garran).

 

Tuggeranong area: I came so close to living in Monash (best of the Tuggeranong suburbs I think, apart from Kambah). This is a relatively new area. Fadden and Macarthur are quite expensive, but great areas, lovely views from the top of steep streets, houses built into the sides of hills etc. Outer Tuggeranong like Isabella Plains, Calwell, Gordon, Conder, Bonython - I'd steer clear. There are some nice enough houses in Gordon and Banks, say, but it's too far, unless you work in Tuggeranong. It also doesn't have the character of 'true' inner Canberra and a lot of the houses are the same, built in the last 10-20 years and so not as decent as some of the older ones in inner areas. Avoid Chisolm - as I mentioned in a previous post, if you want to see the worst Tuggeranong has to offer, go to the Chisolm Tavern on a Saturday night...

 

Right, so just a short bit on the north side, where I have never technically lived. One of the most beautiful inner north streets is Ijong St in Braddon - this will give you an idea of what it has to offer... but it's hugely expensive! I like Lyneham, O'Connor, Ainslie, Turner, Hackett. Dickson and especially Downer used to be a real dive, dodgy as, but they are improving. Watson is a lovely suburb. I also like Aranda and Cook (more north west) as they are older suburbs. I would steer clear of the new areas like Amaroo and Nicholls and Ngunnawal (northern version of Conder and Banks) - the places are all the same and there is no character. Having said that, Gunghalin is a thriving little town centre now, so whatever floats your boat I guess. And they are certainly cheaper than inner suburbs!

 

So the conclusion to all this is, if you want an experience of true Canberra, seek out the older, inner suburbs. If you just want value for money and convenience and don't care about character and spirit, head to the outer suburbs.

 

Hope this is helpful! :wink:

 

You didn't mention Queanbeyan, although not a suburb of canberra and a city in it's own right, it is slightly cheaper place to live with a friendly atmosphere. The city used to have a bad reputation but apparently it has improved loads. Queanbeyan is closer to the city than some of the the ACT suburbs like Richardson and Thawra. I'm sure you'd be surprised with the city

[Guest destinationoz]

WOW!! Excellent information - thanks a million Kat - this kind of inforamtion is "priceless" !!!

 

Congratulations on the wedding - good luck with the planning! I've done that one so if I can helpwith advice in return - just let me know!!

[Guest Katc78]

You didn't mention Queanbeyan, although not a suburb of canberra and a city in it's own right, it is slightly cheaper place to live with a friendly atmosphere. The city used to have a bad reputation but apparently it has improved loads. Queanbeyan is closer to the city than some of the the ACT suburbs like Richardson and Thawra. I'm sure you'd be surprised with the city

 

Actually I lived in Queanbeyan more than anywhere - for about 13 years. And yes, Nik, you are correct - it used to be dodgy (known as 'struggle town') but it has improved a million times over in the last few years and is definitely a great place to live. So here's my view on Queanbeyan, which seems to be waffling on into some surrounding areas...

 

Queanbeyan is over the border, so actually in NSW. This doesn't have too much of an impact - just some slightly different rules for, say, drivers licenses or car registration, local services like rubbish collection and that sort of thing. The ACT is unique in that it doesn't have a local council, it has a joint state and local government set up (ask a Canberran what they think of 'self government' - you'l get an earful!), whereas because Queanbeyan is in NSW it has a local council and 'shire' (yes, like Lord of the Rings!) which sets the rules and provides local services. The NSW state government looks after things like schools etc.

 

Queanbeyan is much older than Canberra, and in days gone by used to be the central point between Sydney and Melbourne. In terms of distance, don't think it's far away just because it's over the border - it is about 20 minutes drive from the city, and as Nik points out, is closer to the centre of Canberra than a few of the outer suburbs of the ACT. In the last 20 years or so, lots of new developments have sprung up. The prime location (I think) is near the river (Queanbeyan River) which flows down from the Snowy Mountains, so the water is relatively fresh and clean. People even fish there. Houses that back onto the river are highly sought after (those in Fairlane Estate, just past the area known as Karabar) and with good reason; they have neighbours only on each side and their back neighbour is literally the river. The track which follows the river (more or less parallel to River Drive) is actually an official Council 'dog walking' track, which means that you can actually let dogs run around there etc (think this is still the case). There are beautiful weeping willows, little rocky 'fjords' and lots of beautiful areas to explore, real Aussie bushland right on your doorstep.

 

I believe there is still a rule that any child travelling over the border for school will receive free bus travel (Queabeyan runs its own bus services into Canberra, which stop along the way and go to the various Canberra bus interchanges - Woden, Belconnen, Tuggeranong etc).

 

The town of Queanbeyan has everything you would ever need and then some. A big Woolies, Aldi (best place for cheap, bulk groceries and electricals) and Coles in the shopping centre where there are plenty of shops and eateries etc. Spotlight is also out at Queanbeyan - which is a huge warehouse type fabric, furnishings, home decor shop. Best place to look for curtains or kitchen stuff, dressmaking or haberdashery stuff. There are a few schools there - the state highschools (I'd avoid them, but maybe they've improved recently) and Catholic schools (St Gregory's Primary). Queanbeyan also has some charming old buildings, and is quite rustic with a sort of 'country town' feeling in some areas. My mum's argument for preferring Queanbeyan over Canberra was that Qbn is 'real'. Make of that what you will! As a kid, I was embarrassed at having to confess I lived in Queanbeyan and very much concerned about being labelled a 'bogan'. That would probably be less of an issue nowadays. If you want an idea of what Queanbeyan used to be like (hopefully this is still the case), check out the Oaks Estate area - drive down Cooma Rd, cross over Canberra Ave, and keep going and going, past Aldi on your right and the road will curve up and to the left. If you continue on this road, it will eventually join up with Canberra Ave again, but it used to be the only route into Queanbeyan. Some of the side streets off there are still a bit old, kind of sparse, like a ghost town. I hope this is still there so you can get an idea...

 

From Queanbeyan, you can very quickly and easily reach the south coast (Bateman's Bay, Narooma, Broulee, Ulladulla etc - closest beaches to Canberra and stunning all year round). On the way 'down the coast' (as Canberrans say), you will go through the beautiful rural town of Bungendore. A lot of people live here or on nearby farms and commute to Canberra (about 45 mins drive). This is a gorgeous little country town, lovely place to explore on a lazy Sunday, visit the wood-working gallery and check out some of the lovely and quaint cafes etc. Following Bungendore, on the way to the coast, you'll go through Braidwood, which is a heritage listed town (the only one in NSW or possibly Australia, I think - don't quote me on that!) It has a lovely museum and great cafes - most people (especially those travelling with children) will stop there for lunch on the way down the coast. Braidwood is well worth a visit as it is a gorgeous town with beautiful buildings and a great atmosphere.

 

The coast is an average of 2 hours drive from Canberra (depending on where you come from, where you're going and how fast you drive - I once made it to Ulladulla from Tuggeranong in an hour and a half!). Be warned though: the drive involves taking one of two possible routes, both of which involve a very steep, windy road. The most commonly used route is down the Clyde Mountain - this is infamous for breakdowns and being 'stuck' behind some old slow caravan. There are hairpin bends and the windy road seems to take forever, but it can be real fun if you're got a zippy car and you enjoy a driving challenge! Also, look out for 'Pooh Corner' along the way, where there is a little natural cave in the cliff at the side of the road and someone has put some reflectors and other coloured, sparkly things in there which make it look like Winnie the Pooh lives there - sounds weird, but the kids love it! The other route to the coast is via Brown Mountain, which is hairier than the Clyde but some argue quicker and depending on where you're headed on the coast could be more convenient. At some times of year the weather can be shocking - thick mist, heavy rain, and storms as you get further up the mountain (not sure what the elevation is but it's quite high by Aussie standards). I remember some nightmare journeys where we had to pull off the road because the mist was so thick we couldn't see an inch in front. Chances are most of you UK people will know what this is all about and will probably brush it off as nothing - think driving through the Scottish highlands etc!

 

If you head further south, you end up in Eden, almost at the Victorian border; you'll see why it's called Eden when you get there. It's green and gorgeous. There used to be a big whaling community there in the old days and I believe there are some museums and that sort of thing which go into the history of the place.

 

Right, well enough waffling for today - hope someone reached the end of this and found it useful!:chatterbox:

[Guest destinationoz]

I always reach the end of your threads Kat - I love em!! always really helpful and fascinating to read - when you're as keen as we are to go to canberra its great to read the real stories of the real place - thanks loads!

I'm sure there will be others who will find them interesting too - some of whom may be travelling as we speak .. (e.g. Samfire??)

thanks again - keep the info coming!!!!

[Guest Katc78]

Hey thanks destinationoz, I must say I really enjoyed writing some of this stuff - making me miss home actually! I'm not going back to Canberra, going to Sydney instead, which I'm kind of apprehensive about, but oh well... my OH refuses to consider Canberra as he says it's 'boring, except for the War Memorial...' ha ha, that's what everyone who doesn't know it says!

 

Thought I might give some thoughts about general stuff to do in Canberra, the kind of things you wouldn't find out about until you've been there a while.

 

So I mentioned before that there are various swimming holes around the place. There are, I'd say, three or four main ones that Canberrans will frequent. I'm not sure how much people actually swim these days, as everyone's worried about pollution etc, but I personally wouldn't worry about it. Much of the water flows from the Snowy Mountains, and as long as you can see the water is running, it will be relatively clean - you won't catch anything! So, Pine Island is out Tuggeranong way. Go down the Tuggeranong Pkwy, as if you're heading past Kambah to the Hyperdome. When you get to the second turning to the Hyperdome (the one that goes past the bus depot area), turn right down there, and then you'll see some signs pointing left to Pine Island. There are some bbqs (electric ones, sometimes coin operated, sometimes free - just press a button and away you go) all along the banks of the river. It's a dirt road, but not hideous, well maintained, and big parking areas nearby. Most people have their favourite spots I guess. More towards Weston Creek area (turn left onto Hindmarsh off the Tuggeranong Pkwy, if you're coming from Tuggers), there is what's known as 'the Cotter', down the Cotter Road (strangely enough!), which is off Streeton Dr, off Hindmarsh. Turn off the Cotter Road onto Uriarra Rd and you'll eventually get to Uriarra Crossing and Point Hut, which are low lying riverside bbq areas. It's worth exploring the Cotter, Uriarra and PH for yourself, find your favourite bits. Round this area is Stromlo Forest, where people often go mountain biking etc. Out towards that way is the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (anyone see the movie about the mood landing and the Aussie guys who helped out? That was Tidbinbilla Tracking Station!) It burnt down during the bush fires (there's some kind of observatory there too, probably rebuilt by now) The nature reserve is gorgeous, great for kids. It'll be icy cold in winter, massive boulders, beautiful bushland where you can see heaps of wildlife - emus, kangaroos, wallabies, possums (at night), lizards, etc. Great for bushwalking and experiencing just why Canberra is known as 'the bush capital'. The native Aboriginal tribes of the area lived around here and I think there are some paintings to be seen on rocks (also at Namadgi National Park - google it, worth a look). Also out this way (but over an hour's drive) is Corin Forest. Another awesome place for kids, there is a bobsled here (hope it's still there anyway!) and in winter they pump snow into it (might snow a bit, but usually not enough so they top it up with the machines). It's good for getting kids acquainted with snow and it's not as far as the ski fields.

 

Just bear in mind as well, not all these riverside bush paradises are on the south side. Point Hut, for example, is just as close to Belconnen as it is to Weston Creek - you can approach it from both sides (if that makes sense?). I also previously mentioned Kambah Pool (turn off the Tugg Pkwy towards Weston Creek and there is an immediate turn to your left, signposted). This is not a man-made swimming pool, it's more of a reserve on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, really lovely - although unoffically a 'nudie' haunt, so watch out for the wobbly bits!

 

In the olden days (when I were a lad! er, hmm, that doesn't quite work... never mind) we used to swim in the the lake (Lake Burley Griffin) but there were a few scares with blue green algae and the like so I don't think people swim in it any more (shame, great memories). However, the shores of the lake is the perfect setting for a picnic. Best place is Weston Park, that I mentioned in a previous post, as it has all that fabulous kids play equipment - I would spend an entire day there as a kid and never wanted to leave. There are so many lovely areas further around the lake too (standing facing the lake at Weston Park, head to your right, you'll end up at the Yacht Club, lovely areas).

 

Another lovely place to head on a lazy weekend with the kids (or not) is Lanyon. There is a really old (ie. 100 years is old in Aus!) homestead there, still as it was and you can relax and have cream teas, check out the old fashioned stuff. It's out Tuggeranong way, past Gordon etc (used to be soooo far away when I was little, but now it's part of Canberra!) Out that way, round Conder/Gordon, there's an awesome kids playground with a massive flying fox etc in it. If you explore further out into the bush around Lanyon, you'll find an awesome rock formation known as London Bridge (basically a bridge formed in the rock). This is real Aussie bushland, aaah.... :-) Just don't walk through long grass in summer, or if you do, wear boots and stomp your feet hard as you go, to let any snakes know that you're coming - they are more afraid of you than you are of them, just best to be on your guard.

 

I'm neglecting the north side (being a southsider) - great place to check out, especially if you are into sport, is the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport), where the Canberra Stadium is in Bruce. Just head towards Belconnen, you'll find it, there are signs. I'm pretty sure just as a member of the public you can waltz in and have a swim in the Olympic pool (might see Michael Klim or some semi-famous athlete if you're lucky) or have a hit on the superb grass tennis courts. I think there is an entrance fee of some sort, but ask what you get access to - eg. there used to be a spa, sauna, plunge pool there too!

 

For cricket fans, try and get yourselves some tickets to see the Prime Minister's XI at Manuka Oval, well worth it. Often you'll get some AFL teams playing there too - AFL is better live, trust me! Oh, and the sport of choice for Canberrans would probably be Rugby Union (despite the NSW obsession with Rugby League). The Brumbies are revered in Canberra - well worth going to see that at Canberra Stadium if you can. The Canberra rugby league team is the Raiders (awful bright green, white, blue and yellow colours). Basketball used to be big - the Canberra Cannons (mens) and Capitals (womens) I think... god, this is testing my knowledge! The netball team is the best - netball is a huge women's sport in Aus, almost like a rite of passage for Aussie girls. Oooh, and almost forgot my favourite - the ice rink! It's in Phillip (Woden), and also has a swimming pool (yes, weird) - called Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre. On Friday nights it is THE place to be if you're aged 12-15 (or just want to pretend you are) - they run a sort of cheesy disco thing, lights and music on the ice with a big video screen. You can pay just to go in and watch or extra for skate hire. On Saturday mornings there are ice skating lessons. There's a little 'tuck shop' which sells hot drinks, hot chips and lollies etc. On Saturday nights they often have ice hockey games, well worth checking out if you like the sport.

 

Pialligo, near the airport, is lovely for those of you who like home made stuff, rustic sort of 'shabby chic' homewares and preserves and pottery and all that stuff. Great for buying tiles and stuff for home renovation etc. Lovely cafe there.

 

On weekends, in the city, Gorman House Markets are the best place to embrace a bit of chilled out, multicultural, hippy culture. At the Gorman House Arts Centre (I think it's called) in Braddon, literally two blocks away from the Canberra Centre. Best cheap fresh curries, often African or Indian food, excellent second hand books, records etc, THE BEST second hand clothes, great hand made stuff, amazing jewellery (if you like that sort of alternative stuff). The ACT Writers Centre is also there, worth checking out if you're that way inclined. Take a walk up Mt Ainslie, further away from the city - great views of Canberra, lovely bushland in the city.

 

The War Memorial is an absolute must see! There is also the National Library (stunning stained glass windows, see original log books from Captain Cook and stuff like that), Questacon (the Science & Technology Centre, good for kids), the High Court (cool architecture), and the National Gallery (some awesome Australian contemporary or early 20th century art, and also Jackson Pollock's original Blue Poles lives there). Across the road is Old Parliament House and then behind it on Capital Hill, new Parliament House. It's nothing to write home about I guess, although the marble floor has some cool fossils in it...

 

Finally, if you listen to 104.7 (semi-daggy commercial radio station in Canberra), you will hear about Skyfire - annual fireworks display by the lake. As fireworks are illegal (think you can only legally sell and purchase them on the Queen's B'day and even then you need permits) Skyfire is it! Might have to listen to some dodgy 80s classics (they coordinate the fireworks with music) but it's definitely worth going to. Incidentally, my advice re. radio stations? Listen to Triple J (101.5 in Canberra) or Canberra's ABC radio 666 FM. 104.7 and 106.3 are okay if you can put up with inane chatter, too many ads and daggy music (more daggy on 106.3 - ask an Aussie to explain if you don't know what daggy is, or better yet, watch Kath & Kim)... Speaking for myself, I can't deal with the rubbish, prefer music and sensible DJing! :-)

 

That's my ramble for the week... hope someone made it through and found the info useful! :-)

[Guest boothy]

Hey thanks destinationoz, I must say I really enjoyed writing some of this stuff - making me miss home actually! I'm not going back to Canberra, going to Sydney instead, which I'm kind of apprehensive about, but oh well... my OH refuses to consider Canberra as he says it's 'boring, except for the War Memorial...' ha ha, that's what everyone who doesn't know it says!

 

Thought I might give some thoughts about general stuff to do in Canberra, the kind of things you wouldn't find out about until you've been there a while.

 

So I mentioned before that there are various swimming holes around the place. There are, I'd say, three or four main ones that Canberrans will frequent. I'm not sure how much people actually swim these days, as everyone's worried about pollution etc, but I personally wouldn't worry about it. Much of the water flows from the Snowy Mountains, and as long as you can see the water is running, it will be relatively clean - you won't catch anything! So, Pine Island is out Tuggeranong way. Go down the Tuggeranong Pkwy, as if you're heading past Kambah to the Hyperdome. When you get to the second turning to the Hyperdome (the one that goes past the bus depot area), turn right down there, and then you'll see some signs pointing left to Pine Island. There are some bbqs (electric ones, sometimes coin operated, sometimes free - just press a button and away you go) all along the banks of the river. It's a dirt road, but not hideous, well maintained, and big parking areas nearby. Most people have their favourite spots I guess. More towards Weston Creek area (turn left onto Hindmarsh off the Tuggeranong Pkwy, if you're coming from Tuggers), there is what's known as 'the Cotter', down the Cotter Road (strangely enough!), which is off Streeton Dr, off Hindmarsh. Turn off the Cotter Road onto Uriarra Rd and you'll eventually get to Uriarra Crossing and Point Hut, which are low lying riverside bbq areas. It's worth exploring the Cotter, Uriarra and PH for yourself, find your favourite bits. Round this area is Stromlo Forest, where people often go mountain biking etc. Out towards that way is the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (anyone see the movie about the mood landing and the Aussie guys who helped out? That was Tidbinbilla Tracking Station!) It burnt down during the bush fires (there's some kind of observatory there too, probably rebuilt by now) The nature reserve is gorgeous, great for kids. It'll be icy cold in winter, massive boulders, beautiful bushland where you can see heaps of wildlife - emus, kangaroos, wallabies, possums (at night), lizards, etc. Great for bushwalking and experiencing just why Canberra is known as 'the bush capital'. The native Aboriginal tribes of the area lived around here and I think there are some paintings to be seen on rocks (also at Namadgi National Park - google it, worth a look). Also out this way (but over an hour's drive) is Corin Forest. Another awesome place for kids, there is a bobsled here (hope it's still there anyway!) and in winter they pump snow into it (might snow a bit, but usually not enough so they top it up with the machines). It's good for getting kids acquainted with snow and it's not as far as the ski fields.

 

Just bear in mind as well, not all these riverside bush paradises are on the south side. Point Hut, for example, is just as close to Belconnen as it is to Weston Creek - you can approach it from both sides (if that makes sense?). I also previously mentioned Kambah Pool (turn off the Tugg Pkwy towards Weston Creek and there is an immediate turn to your left, signposted). This is not a man-made swimming pool, it's more of a reserve on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, really lovely - although unoffically a 'nudie' haunt, so watch out for the wobbly bits!

 

In the olden days (when I were a lad! er, hmm, that doesn't quite work... never mind) we used to swim in the the lake (Lake Burley Griffin) but there were a few scares with blue green algae and the like so I don't think people swim in it any more (shame, great memories). However, the shores of the lake is the perfect setting for a picnic. Best place is Weston Park, that I mentioned in a previous post, as it has all that fabulous kids play equipment - I would spend an entire day there as a kid and never wanted to leave. There are so many lovely areas further around the lake too (standing facing the lake at Weston Park, head to your right, you'll end up at the Yacht Club, lovely areas).

 

Another lovely place to head on a lazy weekend with the kids (or not) is Lanyon. There is a really old (ie. 100 years is old in Aus!) homestead there, still as it was and you can relax and have cream teas, check out the old fashioned stuff. It's out Tuggeranong way, past Gordon etc (used to be soooo far away when I was little, but now it's part of Canberra!) Out that way, round Conder/Gordon, there's an awesome kids playground with a massive flying fox etc in it. If you explore further out into the bush around Lanyon, you'll find an awesome rock formation known as London Bridge (basically a bridge formed in the rock). This is real Aussie bushland, aaah.... :-) Just don't walk through long grass in summer, or if you do, wear boots and stomp your feet hard as you go, to let any snakes know that you're coming - they are more afraid of you than you are of them, just best to be on your guard.

 

I'm neglecting the north side (being a southsider) - great place to check out, especially if you are into sport, is the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport), where the Canberra Stadium is in Bruce. Just head towards Belconnen, you'll find it, there are signs. I'm pretty sure just as a member of the public you can waltz in and have a swim in the Olympic pool (might see Michael Klim or some semi-famous athlete if you're lucky) or have a hit on the superb grass tennis courts. I think there is an entrance fee of some sort, but ask what you get access to - eg. there used to be a spa, sauna, plunge pool there too!

 

For cricket fans, try and get yourselves some tickets to see the Prime Minister's XI at Manuka Oval, well worth it. Often you'll get some AFL teams playing there too - AFL is better live, trust me! Oh, and the sport of choice for Canberrans would probably be Rugby Union (despite the NSW obsession with Rugby League). The Brumbies are revered in Canberra - well worth going to see that at Canberra Stadium if you can. The Canberra rugby league team is the Raiders (awful bright green, white, blue and yellow colours). Basketball used to be big - the Canberra Cannons (mens) and Capitals (womens) I think... god, this is testing my knowledge! The netball team is the best - netball is a huge women's sport in Aus, almost like a rite of passage for Aussie girls. Oooh, and almost forgot my favourite - the ice rink! It's in Phillip (Woden), and also has a swimming pool (yes, weird) - called Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre. On Friday nights it is THE place to be if you're aged 12-15 (or just want to pretend you are) - they run a sort of cheesy disco thing, lights and music on the ice with a big video screen. You can pay just to go in and watch or extra for skate hire. On Saturday mornings there are ice skating lessons. There's a little 'tuck shop' which sells hot drinks, hot chips and lollies etc. On Saturday nights they often have ice hockey games, well worth checking out if you like the sport.

 

Pialligo, near the airport, is lovely for those of you who like home made stuff, rustic sort of 'shabby chic' homewares and preserves and pottery and all that stuff. Great for buying tiles and stuff for home renovation etc. Lovely cafe there.

 

On weekends, in the city, Gorman House Markets are the best place to embrace a bit of chilled out, multicultural, hippy culture. At the Gorman House Arts Centre (I think it's called) in Braddon, literally two blocks away from the Canberra Centre. Best cheap fresh curries, often African or Indian food, excellent second hand books, records etc, THE BEST second hand clothes, great hand made stuff, amazing jewellery (if you like that sort of alternative stuff). The ACT Writers Centre is also there, worth checking out if you're that way inclined. Take a walk up Mt Ainslie, further away from the city - great views of Canberra, lovely bushland in the city.

 

The War Memorial is an absolute must see! There is also the National Library (stunning stained glass windows, see original log books from Captain Cook and stuff like that), Questacon (the Science & Technology Centre, good for kids), the High Court (cool architecture), and the National Gallery (some awesome Australian contemporary or early 20th century art, and also Jackson Pollock's original Blue Poles lives there). Across the road is Old Parliament House and then behind it on Capital Hill, new Parliament House. It's nothing to write home about I guess, although the marble floor has some cool fossils in it...

 

Finally, if you listen to 104.7 (semi-daggy commercial radio station in Canberra), you will hear about Skyfire - annual fireworks display by the lake. As fireworks are illegal (think you can only legally sell and purchase them on the Queen's B'day and even then you need permits) Skyfire is it! Might have to listen to some dodgy 80s classics (they coordinate the fireworks with music) but it's definitely worth going to. Incidentally, my advice re. radio stations? Listen to Triple J (101.5 in Canberra) or Canberra's ABC radio 666 FM. 104.7 and 106.3 are okay if you can put up with inane chatter, too many ads and daggy music (more daggy on 106.3 - ask an Aussie to explain if you don't know what daggy is, or better yet, watch Kath & Kim)... Speaking for myself, I can't deal with the rubbish, prefer music and sensible DJing! :-)

 

That's my ramble for the week... hope someone made it through and found the info useful! :-)

 

 

Fantastic posts, really useful

 

Thanks

Sam

[Quoll]

Ah you forgot Floriade, now in its 22 year and still going relatively strong! We have a ferris wheel attraction this year too. And the Kingston Bus depot markets - probably going to be moved from the Bus Depot but dont know where to.

 

As a northsider - the markets at Jamison on a Sunday morning are worth a visit if you want to pick up something cheaply, just like a massive car boot sale. The Farmers market at the Exhibition Centre every Saturday morning early for good organic stuff. The Hall markets once a month are a bit of an institution for all sorts as well and once a year there is the Murrumbateman Field day.

 

Need to put in a plug too for the twice a year Lifeline Bookfair (on this weekend for the newbies in town) - absolutely the best way to replenish your library which probably didnt make the trip across the world. Starts Friday 10am and finishes Sunday at 4 pm (things are almost given away on Sunday afternoon!)

 

Every year we have the Canberra Show - big produce, craft, stock show which will have all sorts of field demonstrations that most Poms will never have seen - toss the haybale for example and once you have seen woodchopping in action you will never look at an axe quite the same way again. If you are of a craft bent then you can put your creations into the competitions and win ribbons for your knitting or jam or sponge cakes.

 

And today we have RAIN! that is probably the most exciting event on this week's calendar (apart from the bookfair of course). I dont think I have ever seen the wheelbarrow full of water before, it's amazing. Sorry for all you newbies who arent used to it though:biglaugh:

[Guest destinationoz]

Thanks again Kat! Great info and very helpful as usual!!

I'm assuming if you're about to be married (congratulations!!!) you're younger than me & my OH so I can understand why Sydney but I still think Canberra is the best bet !!!!!! (despite never being there!!!!!!!!) but wondered if you know any info on schooling - personally I'm interested in primary schools but any info on education would be great!!!

Thanks lots!

[JacquiB]

Ah you forgot Floriade, now in its 22 year and still going relatively strong! We have a ferris wheel attraction this year too. And the Kingston Bus depot markets - probably going to be moved from the Bus Depot but dont know where to.

 

As a northsider - the markets at Jamison on a Sunday morning are worth a visit if you want to pick up something cheaply, just like a massive car boot sale. The Farmers market at the Exhibition Centre every Saturday morning early for good organic stuff. The Hall markets once a month are a bit of an institution for all sorts as well and once a year there is the Murrumbateman Field day.

 

Need to put in a plug too for the twice a year Lifeline Bookfair (on this weekend for the newbies in town) - absolutely the best way to replenish your library which probably didnt make the trip across the world. Starts Friday 10am and finishes Sunday at 4 pm (things are almost given away on Sunday afternoon!)

 

Every year we have the Canberra Show - big produce, craft, stock show which will have all sorts of field demonstrations that most Poms will never have seen - toss the haybale for example and once you have seen woodchopping in action you will never look at an axe quite the same way again. If you are of a craft bent then you can put your creations into the competitions and win ribbons for your knitting or jam or sponge cakes.

 

And today we have RAIN! that is probably the most exciting event on this week's calendar (apart from the bookfair of course). I dont think I have ever seen the wheelbarrow full of water before, it's amazing. Sorry for all you newbies who arent used to it though:biglaugh:

Hi Quoll

 

You mentioned the Canberra show, when is this held.

I know itss raining today & Canberra needs it but yesterdays Sandstorm was something else, having only been in Canberra a couple of weeks, nearly, I've never seen anything like it & the pictures of Sydney to day, does this happen often?

[Quoll]

Hi Quoll

 

You mentioned the Canberra show, when is this held.

I know itss raining today & Canberra needs it but yesterdays Sandstorm was something else, having only been in Canberra a couple of weeks, nearly, I've never seen anything like it & the pictures of Sydney to day, does this happen often?

 

Canberra Show usually end Feb-ish. Folk Festival over Easter. Summernats early Jan (ah, it's all go here!)

 

I can only recall one other dust storm as big as yesterdays in the past 30 years but Alzheimers is kicking in so I may have missed one or two. Melbourne had a ripper a few years ago as well.

 

This weather is a tad out of the ordinary at the mo - rain is much welcome though as you will have seen from the indicators on the side of the roads telling us what the dam capacities are.

 

We will probably have another couple of frosts before the end of the season - we usually get them just around tomato planting time.

[Guest Mr Happy]

Monster trucks, bikes, fireworks on Saturday night. Bookfair, Floriade, continue. Busy weekend me thinks.

[Quoll]

Yup, another unashamed plug for the Bookfair this weekend - 10 - 5 Sat and 10 - 4 Sun with a big comic stall on Sun as well as the usual puzzles that come out on Sundays.

 

Also the $10 green bag bonanza late on Sun afternoon. You never got books so cheap! Really good quality and top selling authors. Text books, coffee table books, records, dvds, cds you name it we have it!

[Guest Mr Happy]

Forgetting of course the most inportant event this weekend, the Australian Craft Beer Festival with a performance by one of the best bands ever, 'Mental as Anything'. And people say there isn't anything going on in Canberra, locals of course know better but best we keep it a secret eh?.

[Quoll]

Forgetting of course the most inportant event this weekend, the Australian Craft Beer Festival with a performance by one of the best bands ever, 'Mental as Anything'. And people say there isn't anything going on in Canberra, locals of course know better but best we keep it a secret eh?.

 

Probably the one weekend we could do with good weather, huh?! Looking outside I suspect many folk will just rug up with the telly and stay home. Wish I could!!!

[nik_kershaw]

There's also the Car show at Queanbeyan Showground, Think it is just going to be full of Ford's but I'm not sure, I've seen the banner while on my way to work. Shame the weather is up to much though

[Guest Mr Happy]

Wife and daughter had tickets to Floriade Nightfest last night but stayed home. Some awesome snow though for the end of the ski season

[Quoll]

Wife and daughter had tickets to Floriade Nightfest last night but stayed home. Some awesome snow though for the end of the ski season

 

Yup, you would have to have been a bit of a masochist to venture outside last night methinks! Nice views of the snow on the way to work this morning though.

[Rangel]

Thanks for this thread, I've been considering Canberra for a time now.

[Pptrixibell]

Great post Jim, I'm awaiting my visa being processed and will be living with my fiance in Canberra, I was there last month and found it a fab place to be and great people there too !!!!!