Moving to Australia from New Zealand?

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Canberra is Australia’s capital and therefore home to Parliament. It is also one of its smallest cities, with a population of just under 500,000.

The weather changes markedly from season to season. Canberra has low humidity, dry heat in summer, and cool winters, including frosts.

“Criminally overlooked Canberra packs a big punch for such a small city.” That’s what Lonely Planet thinks. Named #3 best city to visit in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018 – ranking higher than any Australian city has ever been ranked before.

Canberra is divided by Lake Burley Griffin and is small and compact. It is reasonably flat, so many people get around on bicycles. There are a large number of government workers, but still, half the population is employed in the private sector, so there are plenty of business opportunities.

The prestigious Australia National University has a large number of students living here.

Population: 500,000 people
Climate: low humidity with dry heat in summer and cool winters
First Home Buyer Award: $7,000
Top draw cards: close to beach and snow, lots of walking tracks and great outdoor living, easy to get around.
Public Transport: buses and cars

The Economy

Canberra has an enviable economic track record, performing consistently over the years. It has one of the strongest job markets and lowest unemployment rates in Australia, as well as one of the strongest for new housing construction. As a result, Canberra has the highest average level of disposable income of any Australian capital city.

Canberra Pros:

  • big city with a small-town feel
  • plenty to do (museums, theatres, lush parks and booming dining scene)
  • lots to do
  • lots of nice people
  • beautiful, distinct seasons
  • close to snow, national parks
  • great roads
  • everything is close
  • the public schooling system is excellent

Canberra Cons:

  • cold in winter
  • cost of living is high
  • 2 hours to drive to the closest beach

Undoubtedly, Australia is one of the best places to live in the world. Canberra, a beautiful Australian capital city, can be a heaven on earth for people who would like to make it their home. You must check out what Canberra has in store for you, especially if you are visiting or moving to Canberra in the near future.

Introduction to Canberra

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. American Architect Walter Burly Griffin planned the city’s primary design. The city of Canberra drew it’s inspiration from “Garden City Movement” which made the city planning commission to include significant areas of natural flora and fauna. This abundant and beautiful natural vegetation has earned the city the “bush capital” title. Canberra is a beautiful, well-planned city with picturesque manmade lakes, national monuments, museums, and galleries providing an architectural lineage.

The city offers a great deal of outdoor activities, such as cycling, bush walking, and trekking, for outdoor enthusiasts, with its lush vegetation, beautiful parks, and scenic natural reserves.

Canberra has a high number of politicians and public servants due to the presence of many national facilities and public institutions. This large presence of nationalized facilities also makes it an interesting destination.

Geography of Canberra

Located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Canberra is the purpose-built capital city of Australia. It is the eighth largest city overall, with a population of 500,000, and Lake Burley divides central Canberra. “Civic,” the central commercial hub and shopping centre, enfolds it on the north, and it is surrounded by the embassy area and parliamentary triangle on the south.

Regions of Canberra

Canberra is located near the Brindella ranges and contributes to the beautiful landscape of Canberra West with bubbling water streams, lush vegetation and excellent views. The central Canberra spans the plains of Ginninderra, the limestone, Molonglo and Isabella. The Molonglo Lake has been dammed in central Canberra to form a beautiful lake that has been named after the city’s primary architect, Lake Burley Griffin. This lake divides central Canberra into south and north Canberra. North Canberra has a central shopping area called “Civic”, the Australian War Memorial and the National Museum of Australia. The south of Canberra houses the National Library, National Gallery of Australia, Parliamentary Triangle and Embassy Area.

What to see in Canberra

Lake Burley Griffin

Lake Burley Griffin is an artificial lake in the city’s centre. It became the city’s iconic tourist attraction with its popular recreational facilities. The shoreline has multitudes of well-maintained public parks that offer beautiful views. These shoreline parks offer free electric barbeque facilities, fenced swimming pools, picnic tables and sit-outs. Spending your time in this park could be one of your favourite pastimes if you are living in Canberra. The lake offers a multitude of past-time facilities for Canberra tourists and exudes a warm welcome to the people looking to move into the city.

Australian War Memorial

It is not just a war memorial; it includes the entire history of the Australian military from the Federation to the present day. It exhibits fascinating equipment, diverse war collectables, and Battle dioramas. The Australian War Memorial has everything it should offer to entice an art enthusiast. If you are an art enthusiast, it can certainly give you memorable insights.

Australian National Botanical Gardens

Looking for a quirky time with your family? Then, ANBG should be the place where your search ends. It is located at the base of Black Mountain in Acton. This bestows ANBG with its ample reserve of vegetation, which could be a haven for nature lovers. During summers, ANBG holds jazz evenings that are conducted on weekends. This can be a perfect evening to picnic with friends and family with champagne in hand and soothing sounds of jazz in the balmy temperatures.

National Portrait Gallery

The Gallery has an artsy display of 400 portraits of people who have shaped and continue to shape the nation. There are spaces for temporary exhibitions and galleries. Galleries have a bohemian feel and are themed by era.

National Capital Exhibition

The foremost interesting attraction of the National Capital Exhibition is the original Burley Griffin plan of Canberra. You can see the old plan vs. the new city of Canberra and have fun figuring out how the current city would have been if the city were constructed according to the original plan in lieu of the new one. The museum also offers a marvelous view of Griffin Lake.

National Gallery of Australia

One of the largest art galleries in Australia is a contemporary structure that is located by Lake Burley Griffin. The Gallery has an immense collection of sculptures, portraits and sculptures from all over the world. It also has exceptional Aboriginal artwork. The entry is free except for the special collections. It also offers free one-hour tours. Allow at least half a day to absorb the essence of art in this Gallery.

Museum of Australian Democracy

Popularly known as Old Parliament House, is a must for political junkies. It has an authentic aura of Australian Democracy. It is now a permanent museum, and most of the rooms are open to visitors. You can have a ball visiting the Prime Minister’s office, the Cabinet Room, the various party rooms, the two houses, and the smaller rooms such as whips’ offices and the broadcasting area. You can see the chronological photos of Canberra, which used to be in the past prior to the construction of Lake Burley Griffin.

Climate of Canberra

Canberra Climate has everything to offer, from hot, dry summer temperatures to cool, snowy winter temperatures. Snow is rare in the central city. However, snowfall is significant in the surrounding areas. Due to the fact that Canberra is surrounded by hilly terrain, during winters, the snow-capped mountains and hills surrounding Canberra offer a splendid view and attract many tourists during the winters. Since Canberra has a Brindabellas range to the west of the city, rain shadows are created in the city. Canberra receives the third lowest annual rainfall among the capital cities. However, even rainfall throughout the year, coupled with the surrounding hilly terrain, gives cool breezes to Canberra’s Valleys.

What’s happening in Canberra now

Here are the main websites for Canberra, with information on what’s happening in the city right now. Enjoy the amazing array of events currently happening around the city.

Guide to Canberra: Find a mix of history, art and the outdoors in Australia’s capital city. Canberra’s small-yet-mighty capital punches far above its weight. Well-known museums and historical sites are just the beginning. Dig a little deeper to find bustling brewpubs, hidden gems, quiet nature, and family-friendly attractions. Head outside the city to relax and unwind in a scenic, cool-climate wine region that produces stellar drops.
Visit Canberra: Discover more about what your life in Canberra could look like, including work, study, business, life and visiting. Top 10 things to do, featured events and experiences.

More information on Canberra (ACT)

Canberra offers the best recreational facilities, infrastructure, quality of life, high standards of living, and safest locality. So why wait to move to Canberra? It has everything to offer you a great stay.

If you are looking for more information on moving to Canberra (ACT), you can visit http://wikitravel.org/en/Canberra. This includes information on getting into the ACT, getting around, what to see, do, learn, buy, eat, drink, sleep, getting out, coping, and staying safe in Canberra.

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