Living in Canberra?

[llamatron]

Hello all,

Anyone here ever lived in Canberra? Or even just visited? I've been once when I was 5 and I don't remember much. Might end up there working though so what's it like? It seems to have a bit of a bad rep but I feel like it's probably actually pretty decent - good demographics at least (low unemployment, high education, high average wage). Are there any suburbs or areas best not lived in (aka dumps)?

[Omega Supreme]

I have lived here for quite a few years now and like you came from Perth originally. As for bad neighbourhoods its hard to say, for example: There is a suburb called Manuka which has a rep for being abit snobby, everything there is really nice & well presented but not even a KM from these lovely shops is a place called Stuart flats which is notorious for having hard drug users & that wonderful stuff that goes with those types of people. The point is no matter how great the suburb seems to be it doesnt take long to realise that close by there is some less than desirable people lurking about. That said nowhere here in Canberra could come close to Midland train station on a friday night :).

As far as Canberra having a bad rep, the only thing I can think of that is bad here is the lack of things to do and the weather, but that really depends on what types of things your into. Straight up the night life here is crap and it gets cold beyond belief. When I first moved here I thought I would be back in Perth by the end of the year but this place has grown on me over time. Things that im into such as toy collecting is much easier here than other states, because we dont have such a vast population it becomes quite easy to obtain every single figure that gets released here (Assuming you want them). Im also a big traveller, Canberra is a great home base for quick & cheap flights to the eastern states.

If you wind up moving here give me a yell, we can go for a beer :)

[Doubledealer]

I grew up in Canberra and lived there for 20 years. Coming from Perth, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. In fact, if you don't care about beaches and can put up with the atrocious Canberra cold weather, you'll probably much prefer it.

Canberra also has some awesome food eg.

Tudo's (located in the suburb, O'Connor) - Best Vietnamese ever
Elaine's Pies (located in the suburb Dickson - don't go to the Fyshwick one as it's terrible!)
La Scala (restaurant in the city)
La Capana (pizza restaurant in the suburb, Kingston)
Legends (restaurant in the suburb, Manuka)
Cornocopia (bakery in the suburb, Braddon)

When choosing where to live, I'm a fan of Northside - If you can get a place in Campbell then you're laughing. :)

[Hursticon]

It also has a little thing called Summernats... :D
(Been a while since I've attended though :o)

Canberra is nice, I found as a tourist and shopper of things from Fishwick at a time :p, but as Omega Supreme mentioned it can be quite a boring place otherwise but as he also said - It's totally dependant on what you like to do. :)

[GoktimusPrime]

And you can always drive up to Sydney to attend a meet or too! :)

[Doubledealer]

If you're into computers they have bloody awesome computer markets once a month too (haven't been to any here but the ones in Brisbane were embarrassing)! :cool:

[optimus1]

Canberra is a great place for museums - The Australian War Memorial will always be great to see. The National Museum is not bad.
But a fun place is Questacon if you want to learn about science and are young/young at heart :p

I also tend to think Canberra has better outlet shops than Sydney - The DFO at Fyshwick is better than Homebush.

I recommend the eateries at Manuka as well :)

[Hursticon]

Canberra is a great place for museums

That's a great point and I myself wouldn't mind re-visiting the National Dinosaur Museum as I've not seen it since I was in the 5th grade, about 15 years ago... :o
Cockington Green was also pretty darn cool by memory, but that's a little more tourist-y though. ;)

[llamatron]

That said nowhere here in Canberra could come close to Midland train station on a friday night :).

:D


As far as Canberra having a bad rep, the only thing I can think of that is bad here is the lack of things to do and the weather, but that really depends on what types of things your into. Straight up the night life here is crap and it gets cold beyond belief.

If you wind up moving here give me a yell, we can go for a beer :)

I can live without a "fully sick" nightlife scene and I way way way prefer cold weather to hot.

Will get in touch if I do end up over there for sure.


I grew up in Canberra and lived there for 20 years. Coming from Perth, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. In fact, if you don't care about beaches and can put up with the atrocious Canberra cold weather, you'll probably much prefer it.

I probably only visit the beach once or twice a year so I should survive!

Thanks for all the advice. Just looking on googlemaps it seems like a fairly small city. Pretty high rent but not much worse than Perth!

[Doubledealer]

Sounds like you'll enjoy it, I say go for it!

I'm hoping I can convince my girlfriend to leave Perth within the next few years so I can escape this place too...Missing Brisvegas something savage