Snazishaz

Hi all, Looking for some feedback on your thoughts about living and working in Canberra. I am an RN living in NZ, Hubby auto electrician and manufacturing engineer. Would love to hear your thoughts positive or negative !!!!!!!

paddyo

you got a new job there or looking at choices?

quoll

It's as good a place as any to live in Australia if that is what you want to do.

It has 4 definite seasons (a chilly winter here at the moment) which is a bonus. Now that we are out of drought it is looking a whole lot better than it was - but, then, most of the east coast was looking pretty sad for a while there.

We have excellent facilities, couple of hours to beach or snow and just a tad further to Sydney if you fancy the big smoke. Education is fine - there is a very popular private system alongside the government system.

It has all the benefits of a big country town and a city without the downsides of either really.

Accommodation is expensive, amenities are quite expensive, the average wage is well above the national average. Most of the more affordable housing is out in the burbs which is a bit boring but even with the worst of days the longest commute isnt going to be bad.

Many people on here will say it is boring as batshit but they havent looked at what is actually going on pretty much all the time. There is a thriving arts community, sport is king, restaurants are excellent and we even have street cafes nowadays.

If you are comparing it with Christchurch - our earthquakes are much smaller!

gelato

I'm an Australian living in Europe with my husband and 3 year old (another on the way). I'm from Sydney but have recently thought about returning to Canberra. Sydney is just getting too big and expensive for my liking. It's completely changed since I left in 2000. I dont' feel like it's a good place for non-corporate types anymore. Also, I work in the public sector and there are lots of public service jobs in Canberra which appeal to me.

I remember thinking Canberra was the most boring place on earth, though, when I was 16 and went there for a visit. Back then, it wasn't exactly throbbing with nightlife. But now with a kid and a second on the way I'm thinking more about being near the bush, being able to take the kids swimming, good schools and cutting down on the commute.

Budawang

Canberra actually has a relatively young population with many university students and has quite good nightlife. The economy has been booming for the last couple of years and there's been a huge amount of construction going on and it seems like the population is growing fast. Finding work seems to be really easy. Both my sons got jobs without even trying. My 18 year old is a part time waiter in a fancy restaurant earning $25-$30 per hour with tips. Average incomes are probably double that of the UK or NZ. The flip side is that it's an expensive place if you have to pay rent or, worse, buy a house. Groceries are also expensive, although we do have Aldi and Costco is opening next week! The climate is very good - winters about the same as Chch and summers are warmer but rarely unpleasantly hot.

gelato

One question. I'm a Sydney girl and I love to swim. Not so into frying myself in the sun though. I vaguely remember going swimming at this really nice swimming hole in the Murrumbidgee (sp?) last time I was in Canberra, oh, 19 years ago. Does it still exist? Any other nice places to take the family swimming near Canberra? These things are important to me...

Too bad about house prices but nice to hear that there are lots of jobs.

paddyo

Many people on here will say it is boring as batshit but they havent looked at what is actually going on pretty much all the time. There is a thriving arts community, sport is king, restaurants are excellent and we even have street cafes nowadays.
Anticipating the backlash here then!!!
I like Canberra but I have reservations about bringing my family there, especially as my son gets older.

Budawang

There're a couple of them. The one I used to go to is called Casuarina Sands. It's still there and is a great place to cool off on one of those hot summer afternoons.

Sea Of Love

I'm not to sure about the swimming spots.

I go to Canberra a few times a year and I actually really like it and I don't really understand why it gets such a bad wrap from like 90% of the population?? I think it might have something to do with every Australian primary school student being taken away on a excursion around all of the government offices. So this automatically makes people associate Canberra with boredom

Its got some great restaurants, cinemas, fairly good shopping (department stores etc), well paying jobs, lots of good outdoor activities you can do and is only a few hours from the ski fields which is one of the best things going for it IMO. Canberra is a very well layed out town because it has been designed as the Capital from the word go. It does get extremely cold -for Australia- and is a dust bowl in summer but there are far worse places you can live.

Nowhere near the beach but i think it would be a rather nice place to live.

POW148

I have been here for the past 15 years and wouldnt want to live anywhere else. I work in Canberra but live out of town. My commute is 75 Kms each way and it takes me approx 50 minutes to get to work.

There are several public hospitals and a few private ones. Good auto electricians are in short supply so both of you should be able to find work easy enough.

The housing rental market is very tight and that pushing up the rent. House prices in general are about par with the rest of Australia.

Good luck with it all

Barney

quoll

Yes, most kids leave Canberra once they are done with uni - unless they follow parental footsteps into trades or the PS. Some of them return with their families, others dont. It is gradually getting the more multi-generational family feel to it as the kids born in the 60s and 70s are having their families with grandparents around.

Having 3 unis and several TAFEs in town means that there is usually quite a bit going on for young adults by way of social life but most kids want to try the bright lights for a while and as an affluent population, many head off to UK/Europe/USA when they have finished school or uni.

Snazishaz

Hi
No not got a job yet but already applied for nursing registration and an agency i have applied to dosnt see it a problem getting work. Thanks for your reply !

Snazishaz

Fantastic aldi and cosco had them in scotland and used them a lot. To be honest i find it expensive to live here and rentals are expensive to. We dont get much change out of 100 bucks for two or three bags of groceries. I think i will earn more money in canberra than here mind you and thats an nice incentive. I think i will get work but was concerned about hubby, although hes an auto electrician to trade he was in the car industry 20yrs + in uk and is in the same trade here. Hes desperate to get out of it and prior to coming here was a manufacturing engineer for terex dealt with they big earth moving trucks, and used to travel esp to america to fix them. He loved his job but dont know if he can get something similar in canberra or he needs to continue his trade?

The winters dont bother me i like the fact there are seasons. Being from scotland im used to the cold even in summer lol.

Also we are not into night clubs, but do like nice restaurants and a few wines to un-wined. We prefer the quieter lifestyle, hence why we moved from the city of christchurch to a more rural town which we love. Just life un-certain here. So time to move on ! thanks for your reply

Snazishaz

Hi Barney thanks for your reply. Think i will get work no problem, hows the manufacturing industry in canberra? Although hubby an Auto electrician hes also a manufacturing engineer, which is the job he really wants, he worked for a company called Terex in uk similar to CAT earth moving trucks. Also he has been offered a job here recently as a as a service tech for air compressors, hes in discussions, mabe another skill to add to his CV. Anything technical hes fab at. Also house prices for rentals expensive here. We rented a 3bed town house in the city for $350 per wk when we first arrived. We then bought a new house a yr ago which again was expensive and sadly will have to sell eventually.

Can i please ask why dont you live nearer town and your place of work thats a long commute?

Snazishaz

Hi thanks for your reply, the reason i was thinking canberra was because i dont like busy city living, i have been told its about the size of chch which is big enough for me. We live in a little rural community which we love 22k from city. But it has all we need and want. Not into clubs and bars but do like nice dinning and wine , like cycling and walking and love to shop so nice shopping facilities a must. (Lost that in chch) I aslo like the fact its not isolated, hubby wanted to go to perth which is isolated. We can take a nice weekend trip to Sydney or the beach if we want to. Being from scotland i dont think it will ever get as cold as that. i know its cold here just now but still warmer than scotlands summers some days. Are people in canberra friendly, i would talk to anyone in fact ive been told i would talk the hind legs of a donkey! i am out going and love company, ive been told by a girl i work with who stayed there for 7 yrs that the people of canberra ignore you and not as friendly as kiwis, she also said its a very clinical place, nothing wrong with that i say. I do make friends easy so hope i wont have a prob !