Moving to Canberra

[Chadwiko]

As thread title suggests, i'm moving to Canberra with my girlfriend in late January.

Who wants to share some tips, stories, warnings or anectdotes about Canberra?

 

[chaddles]

I have 5 years there - simply, it is a dump. Boring as hell, and the only reason I go back is to see friends.

Winters are unbearably cold - days where it doesn't make it into double digits, and sub zero temps overnight. Summers get very hot which is a plus, especially for a bbq or sitting in a beer garded.

Night life is dead and extremely boring - very sterile and clean place with the most exciting thing about the place is the CSIRO site...

Final word - play footy at Belconnen Magpies and you may be able to handle it for 2-3 years, as it is a very friendly club with lots of good people for you and your misses to hang out with.

 

[fairdinkum]

Government job or furthering your education at ANU, Chadwiko?

 

[Sportman1987]

Where in Canberra are you moving? I live southside at the moment, but will be moving to Turner at the start of the New Year.

I don't know what to tell you. The weather definitely comes in extremes. There's a lot of roundabouts. Working life is piss easy if you're in the public service. Night life is fairly dull. There's the cbd if you want to get smashed or visit our "casino". I like Kingston best when it comes to eating out. ANU is nice.

Prostitution and adult shops are overt in the industrial suburbs like Fyshwick and Mitchell. Main form of public transport is the bus. Most popular pubs are the chains of rugby/social clubs which exist all through Canberra (Vikings, Southern Cross club, tradies etc). A few of these, and service stations are the only places open at 3am on week days.

There's plenty of public golf courses, not too expensive and it's easy to get a round.

I haven't played in the local league in a few years but I think there's currently 4 divisions, it won't be hard to find a team and get a game.

You can post some questions if you need anything specific.

 

[Mr Eagle]

Is it too late to change your mind?

Canberra's not bad...but it's not for everyone.

 

[The Chiefton]

As thread title suggests, i'm moving to Canberra with my girlfriend in late January.

Who wants to share some tips, stories, warnings or anectdotes about Canberra?

You wouldn't be Robert Shirley by any chance would you?

 

[HigginsHawk]

Been here for almost 10 years now - must surely get parole soon.

Apart from the +ives and -ives already mentioned, as far as travel goes, you won't get the lovely traffic delays you get in Syd and Melb. Our trains and trams are never late!

Shops are the equivalent of a reasonable suburban centre.

Best value feeds are usually in the clubs. Belconnen Magpies is about 100m from where I work. I second Chaddles comments about it being a great club.

Housing is hard to get and expensive. I live in Higgins (about 20km from city centre) and we have a 4br ensuite house but nothing special. Could sell it tomorrow for $450k or rent it for $500/w no problems at all. There's not a real lot cheaper than that.

I don't think the summer is as hot as Melbourne. Temp usually drops to mid teens at worst overnight. Most accom is well built to withstand the -3 to -7 you will experience in winter.

You will hate it if you like the water. Nearest reasonable water is Batemans Bay, a potentially ugly 1.5 hr drive from here. Outstanding if you love the snow though. Good drive to Thredbo, Selywin and Perisher. About 2 to 2.5 hrs.

TV is crap too. AFL might as well be NFL for all it matters, Barely rates a mention and the FTA footy and associated shows are rarely shown. Footy Show is on about midnight. One has been a godsend as far as this is concerned. Only game live is usually the Sat afternoon game. Fri and Sat night are usually on delay as is Sunday afernoon. You may not get that until lat eSunday evening. Foxtel is an essential. Footy clubs will usually have at least one AFL screen on.

We don't have 7Two yet either.

Hope this helps.

 

[fairdinkum]

Christ, sounds like a shithouse place to live.



Then again, if the public service is as cruisy as Sportman1987 (and other people I have spoken to) say it is, then I'd probably still consider moving there for a few years.



It would be pretty sweet living near Parliament House.

 

[beez]

Wooot! Lets go to the Civic!

 

[Rocket23]

TV is crap too. AFL might as well be NFL for all it matters, Barely rates a mention and the FTA footy and associated shows are rarely shown. Footy Show is on about midnight. One has been a godsend as far as this is concerned. Only game live is usually the Sat afternoon game. Fri and Sat night are usually on delay as is Sunday afernoon. You may not get that until lat eSunday evening. Foxtel is an essential. Footy clubs will usually have at least one AFL screen on.

We don't have 7Two yet either.

Hope this helps.

Play for Belconnen but go to Ainslie to watch the AFL. They always have the footy live!

I cant say I loved living in Canberra but I have some very good memories!!

 

[red+black]

I don't really have any advice, just wanted to offer my support and say sorry for your loss .

 

[BigBadCam]

Fishwick. lol

 

[Mr Eagle]

One good thing: traffic (or rather the total lack thereof, relative to other cities).

 

[HigginsHawk]

I've never been to Canberra, however, out of every one I've known to have ever visited/lived there, I haven't once heard anything good about the place.

So, ah.. good luck?

Beg to differ about being a tourist here. A very underrated tourist destination. Should only need about 4 or 5 days here. The War Memorial in particular is constantly rated as one of the top tourist destinations in the country. It's probably the only thing that can possibly give you some idea about being there. The National Institutions (Parliament House old and new, Nat Art and Portrait Gallery, Mint, Nat Archives and Questacon) are worthy destinations as well.

Never had any problems recommending as a tourist destination. As I mentioned previously, as a place of residence, we have our +ives and -ives just like everywhere else.

 

[Deledinho]

I don't really have any advice, just wanted to offer my support and say sorry for your loss .

To be fair, he is moving from Adelaide.

 

[BigBadCam]

Y

Beg to differ about being a tourist here. A very underrated tourist destination. Should only need about 4 or 5 days here. The War Memorial in particular is constantly rated as one of the top tourist destinations in the country. It's probably the only thing that can possibly give you some idea about being there. The National Institutions (Parliament House old and new, Nat Art and Portrait Gallery, Mint, Nat Archives and Questacon) are worthy destinations as well.

Never had any problems recommending as a tourist destination. As I mentioned previously, as a place of residence, we have our +ives and -ives just like everywhere else.

You`ve got some pretty wicked radio telescopes too.

 

[mantis]

Government job or furthering your education at ANU, Chadwiko?

One of my nieces moved there at the start of the year for that reason, while she hates the weather, she has had a ball, all the Uni kids get together & it's non stop party. Going there to work I think would be the pits, until you find a social network to interact with.

 

[Sportman1987]

One of my nieces moved there at the start of the year for that reason, while she hates the weather, she has had a ball, all the Uni kids get together & it's non stop party. Going there to work I think would be the pits, until you find a social network to interact with.

Set us up Mantis

 

[lovely]

oh wow. Having lived in Canberra for my entire 18 years, it kinda sucks.

Going out theres only really civic for late nights, but kingston and dickson have some nice clubs, though they close fairly early (1am-ish)

Uni pub is great for cheap drinks, mooseheads/shooters for picking up, bar 32 and Transit great if your into illicit substances. There are also very few decent gigs, if their at all good, ANU bar will probably be hosting.

Shopping wise theres only civic, Belconnen and Woden are pretty gross and Tuggeranong is absolutely disgusting. for good coffee visit manukas "Ona", one of the few good coffee shops in canberra, essen in civic is also quite nice.

Ummm... otherwise theres not a whole lot else in canberra.. the usual tourist destinations are pretty nice, especially the National Library and galleries.


Oh, and public transport is pretty much non-exsistent, so have fun driving!

 

[hermolt]

I moved up here in January, and love it.

Granted, I got lucky in that my mate's room mate was moving out 2 weeks after I got here, and I live in probably the cheapest place in Kingston.

I'm also very lucky that my best mate from Melbourne lives here as well, working in politics, so my social circle immediately became young staffers/journos who are particularly interesting and dynamic characters for the most part.

I won't live here forever, but for now it's just fine.

 

[red+black]

young staffers/journos

Potentially one positive. Must be some fine young lady writers

 

[The Cranium]

One of the most boring places on the planet....

 

[Tambaran]

Cops way too much bad stick. Lived there for nearly 2 years, had a lot of fun. Lived in Kingston, spent most Friday nights hitting the bars in Kingston/Manuka - all the young public servants go out there.

Great outdoor pursuits in Canberra, granted shopping isn't as good as in the bigger cities, but if you're a bloke - there's more than you need.

Plenty of good shops, good restaurants and things to do.

As long as you've got friends there you'll be fine.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Beg to differ about being a tourist here. A very underrated tourist destination. Should only need about 4 or 5 days here. The War Memorial in particular is constantly rated as one of the top tourist destinations in the country. It's probably the only thing that can possibly give you some idea about being there. The National Institutions (Parliament House old and new, Nat Art and Portrait Gallery, Mint, Nat Archives and Questacon) are worthy destinations as well.

Never had any problems recommending as a tourist destination. As I mentioned previously, as a place of residence, we have our +ives and -ives just like everywhere else.

I would agree that as far as tourism goes it would be a good place for a few days especially if you had kids (free things to do) or an older couple. Since by the OP it seems that he is neither, then bad luck.

I lived there for two stints, first '97-'98 in Richardson in the south and then at HMAS Harman on the border with Queanbeyan (NSW) from '99-'02.

What a sterile, unexciting, dull place. (I'm trying to be as nice as possible) Navigating around can be painful and it is so spread out for a place of its size that it costs you a mint for cab fare.

I knew how to get to work, how to get to shopping centres, the War Memorial and all of the grounds where I played cricket. I was also very familiar with the exits heading both north and south. You can't buy a decent pizza, people will tell you different but they're deluded. (why is Victoria the only place in Australia, IMO, where you can get decent pizza and fish & greasies?)

The whole place seems to have some sort of sense of entitlement. Being the nation's capital the powers that be seem to think that it gives them some special priviledges, that they should have a team in every single national sporting competition.

In short it's a shite place with no soul. Enjoy, you may love it.

Almost forgot, I don't know if things have changed in the 7 1/2 years since I left but it was full of junkies and the armed robbery capital of Australia as a result.

 

[Sigh RolleyEyes]

Beautiful, boring Canberra. It is unique. The other cities of Australia have much more in common with each other than any of them do with Canberra.

The highest average income, the highest levels of education, highest employment rate. Much of this thanks to Australian taxpayers without whom Canberra would cease to exist.

In many ways Canberra is largely immune from economic realities -- a taxpayer funded chardonnay socialist utopia. i grew up in one of the slightly-above-average-wealth suburbs and most of my neighbours/parents' friends were high ranking public servants and academics.

There have been times when i've got back from travelling and walked through Garema Pl in the city and thought 'man this is sooooo lifeless!' or another time caught a plane overnight from Darwin in June where it was 30+ degrees back to Canberra to land at 6am with the temperature of -3 degrees and thought "why would anyone want to live here?"

As far as night life/club scene/city vibe etc, let's be honest -- Civic sucks.

It would have more 'vibe' if the city was more concentrated and not 5-6 satellite cities. Compare Wellington NZ with a similar population but all squashed in on a couple of hills and valleys on a harbour, that town rocks by comparison.

Despite all this i can't help but love Canberra -- but perhaps only in the way one can't help but love family members despite their imperfections.

Some positives

-- apart from winter the weather is pretty great, heaps of sunshine and even in winter the day time is often still and sunny.

-- the best roads in Australia, so easy to get anywhere relatively quickly apart from peak 1/2 hour in the morning and arvo.

-- a beautiful city! so many parks, gardens and lots of native bushland throughout the city.

-- it's big enough to find people who are into whatever you're into -- sports, music, african violet society etc

Almost forgot, I don't know if things have changed in the 7 1/2 years since I left but it was full of junkies and the armed robbery capital of Australia as a result.

Canberra was awash with heroin in those days. Not so bad now. Regarding theft though, from experience i recommend not living in a house that backs onto a footpath/bikepath/bushland.