Canberra City Guide

Whether Canberra is your intended destination or just a brief stopover on the way to your new home, we have compiled this guide to help you get your bearings on arrival. To obtain more details about the city check out the websites listed at the end of this profile.

Population

Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), has a population of 329,000.

Geography

ACT is approximately 80km from North to South and 30km wide. It is a small landlocked territory surrounded by the Southeastern New South Wales terrain. Canberra is approximately 305km from Sydney by road.

Economy

As the capital of Australia, Government is the primary sector in which Canberra’s economy is reliant. A growing number of independent software vendors have based themselves in Canberra, to capitalise on the concentration of government customers. Property and business services, construction, health and community services, and education are other significant contributors to the economy of Canberra.

Housing

The median price for purchasing a home in Canberra is $445,000. The capital has a steadily increasing market due to migration and it has seen house prices rise and wages increase. However if you are planning to rent the market is slightly weaker because of the vacancy rate in Canberra making renting less affordable and buying a more favorable option.

Local Transport

Canberra buses are run by Action and provide good coverage of the city. Canberra International Airport is only a 10 minute drive from the city centre.

Lifestyle and Outdoor Recreation

With numerous lakes and rivers in and around the city there are plenty of places to enjoy a nice picnic and during summer enjoy a cool and refreshing swim. There are also quiet places to enjoy a spot of fishing not more than an hours drive from the city. Canberra has a wide variety of walks, hikes and trails to enjoy.


Performing Arts

As the capital City of Australia, Canberra holds national attractions to reveal much of Australia’s history and also Canberra's  rich and diverse culture. There are museums galore and you can be entertained at the Canberra Theatre with a variety of professional performances or if you would like to see some local talent you can head to the Street Theatre.

Education

Canberra’s school system is recognised as the best in Australia. It has the highest retention rate of students completing secondary schooling, and the percentage of Canberra students gaining entrance to university is also the highest in Australia.

There are 3 main Tertiary Education providers; Australian National University (ANU), University of Canberra and the Canberra Institute of Technology

Canberra on the Net

Education & Training
www.det.act.gov.au

Canberra Tourism
www.visitcanberra.com.au

Living in Canberra
www.liveincanberra.com.au

 

Weather

Average maximum temperature in Summer Average maximum temperature in Winter Bright daily average sunshine hours Mean annual rainfall

27  Degrees Celsius 12 Degrees Celsius 5.7hours 623.20 mm

Time

Canberra is 10 hours ahead of GMT.