Best suburbs in Canberra is an intriguing issue attracts residents, students and visitors at home and abroad. Canberra is the capital city of Australia. The word “Canberra” is derived from the Ngunnawal language of a local Ngunnawal or Ngambri clan who resided in the area and were referred to by the early British colonists as either the Canberry, Kanberri or Nganbra tribe. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia’s largest inland city and the eighth-largest Australian city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory at the northern tip of the Australian Alps, the country’s highest mountain range. Canberra has been ranked among the world’s best cities to live in and visit. Although the Commonwealth Government remains the largest single employer in Canberra, it is no longer the majority employer. Other major industries have developed in the city, including in health care, professional services, education and training, retail, accommodation and food, and construction. Compared to the national averages, the unemployment rate is lower and the average income higher, tertiary education levels are higher, while the population is younger.
This blog selects and analyzes Best suburbs in Canberra detailedly serving as a comprehensive guide, helping you have a better command of Canberra. If you want choose Canberra as your tourist spot or educational destination, you ought to read this blog carefully.
Top 10 Best Suburbs in Canberra
Top 1. Griffith
- Population: 5,328
- Area: 2.75 km2
- Nearby universities: St. Edmund’s College, St. Clare’s College
Griffith is an early inner-south suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Griffith contains the Manuka Shopping Centre, one of the earliest shopping areas built in Canberra. It is one of best suburbs in Canberra and best Canberra suburbs to live in. Student accommodation in Canberra provides you a pleasant experience. Noted buildings in the suburb include the Russian Embassy and St Paul’s Anglican Church. Griffith, sized at approximately 3 km², is one of Canberra’s oldest suburbs, with several of its streets designed according to Walter Burley Griffin’s original designs for Canberra. The suburb has 20 parks covering nearly 12% of the total area. Rocks in Griffith are from the Silurian age. Mount Painter Volcanics dark grey to green grey dacitic tuff is found to the south west of the Deakin Fault. Canberra Formation, calcareous shale is in the north east of the Deakin Fault. The Deakin Fault is named after the suburb, and in the suburb runs from Canberra Avenue at Manuka to Frome Street. The Deakin fault is an important fault running in the north west direction across most of Canberra.
Griffith is home to Canberra’s first private Catholic boys school, St Edmund’s College, a Christian Brothers school opened in 1954. There are 5 other schools located in the suburb. The Canberra South Bowling Club on the corner of Austin and La Perouse Streets was designed by the architect Harry Seidler and completed in 1959 and demolished in 2014 to make way for high density apartments.
Top 2. Barton
- Population: 1,946
- Area: 2.21 km2
- Nearby universities: Charles Sturt University, Canberra Institute of Technology, ANU School of Medicine &Psychology
Barton is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. It is one of best suburbs in Canberra for families and best suburbs in Canberra to live. Barton is adjacent to Capital Hill. The boundary of Barton runs along Telopea Park East in the south east. On the east side it surrounds the East Basin of Lake Burley Griffin. In the north east the boundary is Morshead Drive. The boundary continues along Kings Avenue all the way to State Circle. State Circle forms the boundary with Capital Hill to the west. The boundary then extends along the centre of Sydney Avenue, and finally along New South Wales Crescent back to Telopea Park. It contains the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Attorney-General’s Department, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and several other Commonwealth government departments. The Barton Housing Precinct bounded by Macquarie and Darling streets and Telopea Park, Batman and Currong streets, excluding Brassey Hotel, which was built part of John Sulman’s “initial city” at Kingston prior to the construction of the current city centre.
Top 3. Kingston
- Population: 6,579
- Area: 1.31 km2
- Nearby universities: Charles Sturt University, Canberra Institute of Technology
Kingston is the oldest and one of the most densely populated suburbs of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. It is one of best suburbs to buy in Canberra and best affordable suburbs in Canberra. The suburb is named after Charles Cameron Kingston, the former Premier of South Australia and minister in the first Australian Commonwealth Government. It is adjacent to the suburbs of Barton, Fyshwick, Griffith and Manuka. The suburb of Kingston is situated about 4 km from the centre of Canberra. In recent years Kingston has been largely redeveloped with medium-density housing including townhouses and units. The most recent development is the Kingston Foreshores development in which large numbers of high-value apartments are being built along the foreshores of Lake Burley Griffin. The area had previously been used for industrial purposes and is located between the Canberra railway station and the Kingston Powerhouse. Kingston contains the Kingston Shopping Centre, one of the earliest shopping areas built in Canberra.
Top 4. Braddon
- Population: 6,383
- Area: 1.4 km2
- Nearby universities: CCMT, ANU Institute for Space, Burgmann College
Braddon is an inner north suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia located adjacent to the Canberra CBD. It is one of best new suburbs in Canberra and best performing suburbs in Canberra. The suburb is one of the oldest suburbs in Canberra, a relatively young city, settled in 1922 and gazetted as a division name in September 1928. It contained Canberra’s first light-industrial area. In recent years this area has begun to be redeveloped as an entertainment and residential precinct. Other areas have been redeveloped with flats. It is now Canberra’s most densely populated suburb. The Braddon Garden City heritage precinct, bounded by Donaldson, Elimatta, Batman and Currong streets. Braddon’s vegetation is predominantly exotic, belonging to the cedar, ash, oak and pine varieties, although there are a significant number of eucalypts. Calcareous shales from the Canberra Formation are overlain by Quaternary alluvium. This rock is the limestone of the original title of Canberra “Limestone Plains”.
Top 5. Yarralumla
- Population: 3,120
- Area: 8.81 km2
- Nearby universities: Charles Sturt University, Canberra Institute of Technology
Yarralumla is a large inner south suburb of Canberra, the capital city of Australia. It is one of best suburb in Canberra to invest and best suburb to live in Canberra. Yarralumla is located in the central Canberra district of South Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory, a federal territory. It is bordered by Lake Burley Griffin to the north. Yarralumla has a large number of landmarks and places of historical interest. The Governor-General’s residence Government House, which shares the name Yarralumla, is located at the western end of the suburb in 53 ha of parkland. Yarralumla is a comparatively wealthy suburb with a 2024 median weekly personal income of $1,635.
Top 6. Kambah
- Population: 15,670
- Area: 11.3 km2
- Nearby universities: Canberra College, Canberra Institute of Technology
Kambah is the northernmost suburb in the district of Tuggeranong, Canberra. It is located just south of Mount Taylor in the Canberra Nature Park. It is one of best suburb in Canberra to invest and best suburb to stay in Canberra. It is located north of the suburbs of Greenway and Wanniassa. It is bounded by Sulwood Drive to the north and Athllon Drive to the south-east. Kambah was not designed according to the ‘neighbourhood’ philosophy guiding the design of other Canberra suburbs and is the largest suburb in Canberra with an area of 1130 ha. The Murrumbidgee Country Club is located in Kambah, and Kambah also has three district playing fields and a tennis club. Kambah is underlain by Silurian volcanics. Rhyodacitic ignimbrite in the form of grey rhyodacitic and dacitic crystal tuff is under most of Kambah apart from the eastern corner.
Top 7. Forrest
- Population: 1,827
- Area: 1.57 km2
- Nearby universities: Charles Sturt University, Canberra Institute of Technology, Canberra College
Forrest is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Forrest is the second most Socio-Economic advantaged location in Australia after the neighbouring suburb of Barton. It is one of best suburbs in Canberra for singles and best suburbs in Canberra to buy. Forrest is one of the few suburbs in Canberra built to the original Canberra plans. It contains many circular and geometric patterns in its streets and can be quite confusing to drive in. The suburb includes part of the Manuka shopping centre. The suburb also contains a government run primary school. Forrest includes several areas that are listed by the ACT Heritage Council, covering most of the suburb. The Blandfordia 4 Precinct, bounded by Arthur Circle, Moresby Street, Mugga Way, Melbourne Avenue and Empire Circuit.
Top 8. Dickson
- Population: 3,292
- Area: 1.6 km2
- Nearby universities: Dickson College, Daramalan College, University of Canberra College (UC College)
Dickson is a suburb in the Inner North of Canberra, Australia. It is named after Sir James R. Dickson who was a Queensland advocate of Australian Federation and one of the founders of the Australian Constitution. It is one of best suburbs in Canberra to rent and best suburbs in Canberra to buy. The suburb is bounded by Northbourne Avenue, Antill Street, Phillip Avenue, Majura Avenue, Limestone Avenue and Wakefield Avenue. Dickson contains no hills or significant slopes. The suburb contains the Dickson Centre, a significant commercial centre in Canberra’s Inner North containing the Woolworths Supermarkets outlet with the greatest turnover in Australia. The suburb is characterised by leafy streets, detached single dwelling houses, and double story duplex town houses.
Top 9. Coombs
- Population: 4,851
- Area: 2.3 km2
- Nearby universities: Australian National University (ANU), University of Canberra
Coombs is a suburb currently under development in the Molonglo Valley district of Canberra, located within the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. It is named in honour of H. C. “Nugget” Coombs, a prominent public servant, economist, and the first Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Streets and public places in Coombs are named with the theme of persons notable for public service. It is one of best suburbs to buy a house in Canberra and best value suburbs in Canberra. After prolonged negotiations the Coombs Local Shopping Center is now home to a convenience store, cafe and pub. The area is also home to a medical center, gym, veterinary clinic and an early learning center. The Coombs and Wright Village is also in the development stages and planned to be home to a number of new facilities including a community center.
Top 10. Amaroo
- Population: 6,129
- Area: 2.6 km2
- Nearby universities: Canberra Business and Technology College, University of Canberra College (UC College), Australian Catholic University, Canberra Campus
Amaroo is a suburb in the Canberra, Australia district of Gungahlin and was gazetted on 18 October 1991. Amaroo means ‘a beautiful place’ in Nyoongar. Amaroo is adjacent to the suburbs of Ngunnawal, Gungahlin, Moncrieff, Forde, Bonner and Jacka. It is one of best suburbs in Canberra to rent and best suburbs in Canberra for families. The suburb is bounded by Mirrabei Drive and Horse Park Drive and Gundaroo Drive. There are two churches located in the suburb of Amaroo. Holy Spirit Catholic Church is located at 93 Burdekin Avenue. It is the second largest Catholic Parish in the whole Canberra-Goulburn Diocese. Construction commenced on an Amaroo shopping precinct in 2012. This borders on Horsepark Drive and is nearby Amaroo School. Currently there is a petrol station and shop located adjacent to this new shopping precinct.
How to Enjoy Life in Best Suburbs in Canberra
- Take Advantage of Outdoor Spaces
Canberra is known for its abundant parks, lakes, and surrounding nature reserves. No matter which suburb you live in, outdoor activities are never far away.
- Explore the Food Scene
Canberra has a rapidly growing food and coffee culture, and many of the best suburbs are home to cafes, restaurants, and bars that cater to diverse tastes.
- Take Part in Community Events
Canberra has a strong sense of community, and many of its suburbs host regular events that you can enjoy.
- Enjoy a Peaceful Yet Convenient Lifestyle
Canberra’s suburbs tend to be quieter than other major cities, offering a perfect mix of suburban tranquility and close access to amenities.
- Embrace the Arts AndCulture
Canberra is a city with a rich cultural scene, and there’s always something to do or see nearby.
- Connect with Nature AndWildlife
Canberra is rich in wildlife, and several of its suburbs are close to reserves or nature parks where you can see kangaroos, koalas, and a variety of birdlife.
Conclusion
Best suburbs in Canberra are selected and analyzed detailedly in this blog serving as a comprehensive guide, helping you have a better command of Canberra. If you want choose Canberra as your tourist spot or educational destination, you ought to read this blog carefully.
After you have decided to pay a visit to Canberra or go to Canberra for further education, accommodation is the first and foremost thing. uhomes.com is a platform providing affordable, reliable and comfortable student accommodation in Australia.
FAQ
The good neighborhoods in Canberra are regarded as being in the inner south, suburbs like Yarralumla, Deakin, Manuka, and Red Hill. However, the ‘bad’ suburbs in the far north and gungahlin and far south of Tuggeranong are far from actually being ‘bad’.
Unsurprisingly, these suburbs are also where you can find some of the ACT’s most expensive homes. Some of the highest median home values can be found in Griffith, Red Hill, Deakin, Campbell and Yarralumla, according to CoreLogic.
By area, the fastest growing area in 2021-22 was North Canberra, which added 1396 people, followed by Molonglo (1229) and Gungahlin (760). The analysis, based on revised estimates from the 2021 census, shows Canberra’s population reached 456,844 in mid-2022, an increase of 4336 from the previous financial year.
ACT police crime stats suburbs show City is by far the worst, then Belconnen followed by equal third Phillip and Braddon. Aggravated robberies can happen anywhere though, often involving vehicles.
New data from PropTrack has revealed that Charnwood is Canberra’s most affordable suburb for properties. The West Belconnen suburb came in with a median house price of $704,000, while Banks in South Tuggeranong was second at $746,000.
