Moving to Canberra
Canberra is the capital of Australia, the base of the federal government and home to diplomatic embassies of over 60 countries. It’s also often referred to as 'the bush capital' because pockets of bush land extend almost to the city centre and over half the land is classified as national park or nature reserve.
Canberra has many world-class attractions located in the city - or Civic as it is locally known - such as the National Art Gallery, the National Museum and the Australian War Memorial.
On the weekends you’ll find Canberrans enjoying a coffee in Manuka, alfresco dining (care of heaters during winter) in Civic, watching a movie under the stars or enjoying opera in the Botanical Gardens.
The Celebrate Canberra festival is an annual ten day festival celebrating the city, culture and people and runs for ten days in March.
Living in the City
In Canberra, expatriates typically rent a home. The ACT government has high taxes, known as ‘stamp duty’ on the purchase of real estate. If you are not a permanent resident, you will need to get Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval to purchase established residential real estate in Australia.
Canberra has a very tight rental market with only around a two percent rental vacancy. So if you’re planning to organise private rental it is a good idea to start looking long before you are due to arrive.
Popular areas
Proximity to your office and schools are often key factors when expatriates are considering residential areas in Canberra. The city has an excellent road system, which minimises commuting times for many.
- As a well spaced city, the range of housing is varied, with a predominance of freestanding modern dwellings. Many of the older houses have been replaced with newer properties. In recent years, new suburbs have been created to cater for an expanding population; these areas include Gungahlin, Ngunnawal and Jerrabomberra.
- Apart from Civic, Canberra is divided into four main 'town centres'- Woden, Tuggeranong, Gungahlin and Belconnen. Each has a bus interchange, with buses from each interchange going to and from all parts of the city, various community amenities and major shopping centres.
- Suburbs near Lake Burley Griffin are Kingston and Yarralumla, with Kingston having a particularly high concentration of apartment living. All of the houses have heating, but you are encouraged to bring extra heaters to give you versatility and fans for the warm summer months.
While it is not necessary to own a vehicle, the typical family in Canberra will have a personal car. The public transport system is very good and professionals often use trains and buses to commute to work. Action buses provide bus travel around Canberra. They provide transport for the general public, including concessions for the elderly, disabled and students. The Airliner Shuttle operates an hourly service between Canberra International Airport and Canberra City. ACT has a country rail system (City Link) that will allow you to visit regional areas. Country Link covers many areas in NSW/QLD/ACT/VIC. City Rail also operates a comprehensive daily serve between Sydney and Canberra.