Canberra
Living in Canberra
Canberra is the capital of Australian Capital Territory and the capital of Australia. It has a population of around 350,000 people, making it the eighth biggest city in Australia. But it is Australia’s biggest inland city. What does that mean?
No beach!
We’ll get to that in a minute. First, a little history. Early in the 1900′s, the Commonwealth of Australia was formed and the search was on for somewhere to call Australia’s capital.
The story goes that both Sydney and Melbourne wanted the job, but because of the fierce rivalry between the two, some wise men decided to go for somewhere in between. It ended up being Canberra, not quite in the middle, and the town was built almost from scratch.
World War One slowed things up a bit but by 1927, federal government had moved in. Further development didn’t pick up speed until about 1950, thanks to the Second World War. It is pretty much all finished now, and it’s what is called a “planned city”. It didn’t grow naturally, everything was worked out before it was all started.
At the centre of the city is the artificial Lake Burley Griffin, named after the Chicago architects who designed the city. It is good for rowing, fishing and sailing but it’s really not suitable for swimming.
So, still no beach!
But if beaches are your thing, don’t despair. You will need to drive for around 150 km, which will take you a couple of hours (ouch) before you reach the Tasman Sea on Australia’s south east coast. There you will be able to choose from the beautiful Bateman’s Bay, or the nearby beaches at Durras, Maloney’s Beach or Surf Beach.
But if beaches ARE your thing, you probably wouldn’t want to live in Canberra.
Canberra’s biggest employer, easily, is the federal government. Unless you are going to be working for them, it’s difficult, as far as I can see, to make a case for moving to Canberra. Perhaps somebody who does live in Canberra, and loves it there, can get in touch with me and tell me why I am wrong.
If you want, you could “Own Your Town” here and take over this page.
Whilst Canberra is described as an “outdoors” place, most sources quote the top attractions as being the National Gallery and Old Parliament House. But Canberra is also home to the Australian Institute of Sport, a world class training facility that churns out our Australian sporting hero’s.
What’s the weather like?
As you can see from the weather chart, Canberra is distinctly colder than most other major cities in Australia. Winters really are winters.
Occasionally it snows in Canberra, but not very often. The nearest ski resort to Canberra is probably Selwyn Snowfields, about 90 kms away.
Severe weather that can affect the area include bushfires and flash flooding along with the usual gale force winds.
Canberra can be divided into four main areas…..
- Inner Canberra – including City and Inner North Canberra and Inner South Canberra
- North Canberra – including Outer North West and Outer North
- South Canberra – including Mid South West and Mid South
- East Canberra – including Queanbeyan and Wamboin
West Canberra consists mainly of forest. Here’s a map of the area…..
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Bob,
The residents of Queanbeyan won’t be happy with their city being called a part of Canberra, since the town of Queanbeyan (now a city in its own right) dates back to 1838 and Canberra was still just a collection of sheep farms until after 1911! The Queanbeyan is also in NSW, not the ACT. It’s not as bad a blunder as calling Scotland part of England, but Queanbeyan residents still don’t take too kindly to people who view their home as a suburb of that new city over the border, even though it is much bigger than their city.
Dave.
Hi Dave and thanks for the tip off.
I did a fair bit of research into that one, because I wasn’t sure myself. I think I came to the conclusion that Queanbeyan was half in New South Wales and half inside the borders of Canberra.
Here are a couple of sources that seemed to link Canberra and Queanbeyan together, although it does appear that one source has copied the other…….
http://www.citypopulation.de/Australia-UC.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Australia_by_population
Looks like I may have to make some changes to this page, I’d don’t want to be upsetting anyone or, more importantly, giving out wrong information.
Cheers
Bob
Hi Bob,
Which suburbs would you suggest for new Canberrans moving from a South-western Sydney town, which is known to housing residents from middle class to low class income earners?
I am currently a public servant and pressuming that I’ll be working for a public organisation again in Canberra. With the annual wage less than 80k and based on the grounds of supporting 1 dependent spouse and 3 dependent kids, which places are affordable for renting? thanks, Jim.
Well, I’ve never been to Canberra, so I can’t help. But maybe somebody else who knows the area can? Anybody?
Try Queanbeyan = Bob’s “East Canberra”. Queanbeyan is in the Canberra metro area but entirely in NSW.
sorry had to add this!! IMPORTANT
Canberra is public sector central. this means you need to be an australian citz to get most jobs. DO NOT move here if you are not/cannot quickly become a public servent unless your a good tradie.
Canberra has a higher than average salary than the rest of australia but that is becuase it is what could be called top heavy. there is a lot of high paying public sector jobs. there is good work here for tradies though as those high salary earners like nice houses and there is always construction work that pays very well! if you can get the backing, building and selling homes can make you rediculas sums of money
This is true for the federal/commonwealth public service. But jobs at the 2+ universities, CSIRO, and ACT government don’t require you to be a citizen and then there are heaps of people doing software for government, lobbying etc. as well as the usual services like school teaching etc as well as the trades mentioned. So only a minority of jobs require you to be a citizen.
Thanks for interesting posts.
I am a IT professional dedicated in system management for many years, will move to Canberra soon, I am not citizen. A lot of Feb department demond people like me but unfortunately I cannot apply. Is there any other companies or places I can try in Camberra? exclude ACT Gov/schools/CSIRO. Or I have to change my carrer!?
Thanks!
Neil
I don’t think SAP or whoever cares if you are a citizen though you might need to get a security clearance to work on any sensitive government projects. So a lot is outsourced to the private sector. Obviously there are all the other standard service sector businesses here too from banks to the airport to shopping malls etc. Then there is tourism stuff like museums and art galleries etc. What we don’t have is mining, much agriculture, or much manufacturing.
Lobbying = trade bodies – for example the Minerals Council. All these bodies have Canberra offices. Plus the media.
Hi Everyone!
I am Adam from Malaysia. Recently, I went to Migration Agent and they told me that I am qualified to get my P.R under Canberra sponsorship. This is because Canberra is lacking of Policy Analyst. Policy Analyst is my job in Malaysia. My questions are,
1) is it easy for migrants to get a job in canberra?
2) Honestly, is it easy for migrants to live and work in Canberra?
3)Can you give me suggestions, whether should I go move to other parts in Australia or move to Canberra?
4) Is it possible for me to get a job over phone interview as I believe it will be risky for me to go there without confirmation of a job.
Hope someone from Canberra can reply.
Cheers.
Adam.
Your problem is that my understanding is that most government departments require people to be Australian citizens and it takes 4 years to get citizenship. That’s going to mean you probably can’t work for the federal government:
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/psa1999152/s22.html
There are other jobs in Canberra of course as I’ve pointed out above. But if “policy analyst” in Malaysia means working in a government department you would likely need to look for a different type of job here.
Dear Dvaid
Thank you for your explanation! Appreciate it so much!
To be honest, I don’t really expect to work there as policy analyst. However, what I am worried about is the ability for migrants to FIND A JOB.
So, I am willing to work there, ANYTHING as long as i can support my family ( I have one kid, 3 months).
So, would it be easy forr migrants to get a job? any job?
Thank you for your comment.
That is why i ask this questions. i would like to go to Australia as I believe there will be good job opportunity for me. The questions whether there is job lined up is very subjective. I am positive that every migrants that get P.R from state sponsorships are not sure themselves whether they can get a job or not. As I told you before, I am willing to work anything and I am also had experience as financial investment adviser and also as a research assistant. Furthermore, I am doing my master now.
In Malaysia, things are getting tougher and tougher. Unemployment is high and there is no minimum wages. Furthermore, your salary is not compatible with what you have done. Cost of living is high too. That is why some Malaysian choose to migrate to Australia.
Another reason why i want to go to Australia is I want to do my P.H.D in Australia. I’ve been told that doing PHD is free if you have P.R. That is another reason for me to go to Australia.
Getting P.R is not a problem for me, but whether I can get a job or not is something that i am worried about. However, you told me that unemployment is low, so that is a good news for me.
Cheers,
Adam.
Unemployment is low and there are jobs with the universities (administration, research assistance etc.), the ACT government (I think don’t require citizenship), and private business. I think you should get in touch with people from Malaysia who came here and how they found work. The cost of living is of course very high in any major Australian city. We pay $2100 a month rent for a 2 bed apartment ($470 per week). There is cheaper housing further out, but then you need a place big enough for your family. The question is why you’d want to come here from Malaysia if you don’t have work lined up. I have a friend who came here from Bangladesh back in 1995. He actually worked for me at the university for a while. Now he works for the government. I can understand wanting to get out of Bangladesh and to come here without a job lined up (and housing costs were much lower relative to other things then) but unless things are really bad for you personally I wouldn’t leave Malaysia for here without having a job lined up.
Yes doing a PhD is free if you have PR and get accepted. There are scholarships also available for domestic students to cover living costs, but wouldn’t cover costs for a family to live here, about $25-30k a year which will just about cover the rent. Of course, there are also scholarships and opportunities for foreign students though harder probably to get. So that is an alternative way to come here and have something lined up. I understand why people want to come here from Malaysia just the risk could be a lot for the potential gain if you just come here and know no-one and are excluded from half the good jobs in the city and give up what you have in Malaysia.
Thank you David for your comments.
I really appreciate it.
it seems only me and you that involve in this conversation. I hugely appreciate your comments and your opinions. I am truly grateful that someone like you willing to share your ideas with me.
I personally think that there is the risk that every MIGRANTS will have to through. I do have sister staying in Perth, but unfortunately Perth cannot be my sponsor, so my sister. I am sure when migrants first came to Australia, they did not know anyone there. So, it is always a risk. Honestly, I am afraid too. But, that is the risk that I need to take.
Furthermore, if things get worse, I can always come back to Malaysia. Well, that is the “worse case scenario”.
However, I do appreciate your comments and ideas.
Thank you so much.
Adam.
Sounds like you’ve sorted it all out between you. Thanks for your help David, you’ve been more helpful to Adam than I could have ever been; I’m not up on Canberra.
Adam, you might want to look at my page called Getting a Job or a Sponsorship
QUEANBEYAN IS NOT PART OF CANBERRA YOU SON OF A B*TCH
lol Queanbeyan is pretty bad… although not as bad as Dickson in North Canberra. That place is a real dump.
James – Mr Shouty Man, some people with far more courtesy than yourself have already pointed that out to me. You are a bit late. Have you tried anger management?
Patrick – I’ve never been, is it not good?
@BobinOz It’s not the best but by far better than its neighbouring suburb of downer *shudder*
you should really work on your attitude and avoid such posts which are liable to offend people…
There’s a suburb called Downer? hehe!
Yeah the name pretty much sums it up
As James (Mr Shouty Man) has demonstrated Canberra tends to have a lot of arrogant violent young men. It is quite common to see blood splatter from last nights fights on the streets of Civic and around the bars and nightclubs.
The joy of Canberra found in the 1960′s and 1970′s has been lost by – over-population, a weak government at the beck and call of developers, and misuse of public money on freeways while schools and local shops close, and the needy go without.
I hope people like James move to Cronulla where they belong.