Moving to Canberra? Here are 5 things you should know

To say that finding your feet in a new city, a new state or a new country is daunting, would be an understatement. But with more than 20,000 new residents moving to our beautiful city every year, it’s a reality for many. Moving to Canberra? Here’s our checklist of the top 5 things to do to help you ease in a bit quicker:

Pick a side

Canberra is divided into north and south by its most breathtaking attraction: Lake Burley Griffin. And although the rivalry isn’t quite as intense as North vs South Korea, the friendly banter between the two sides has been around since… well, since the lake was built. In general terms, the north side has a lot of newer suburbs featuring sparkling new-builds. The south side tends to have more established suburbs and bigger blocks. Our recommendation is that you rent for at least six months to suss it out for yourself, and then choose the side that feels like home to you.

Find a school

If you have a family, your first priority will be to find a suitable school. Fortunately, you’re spoilt for choice. Whether you’re looking for something small and specialised, a school with your religious interests at heart, or a prestigious private school, Canberra caters for everyone. In addition, we are fortunate to have some of the best government schools in the country. But it’s important to realise that our government schools and Catholic schools have priority enrolment areas, so if you want to get into the school of your choice, you need to live in their area. With most independent schools you can choose to live in any area, but you might want to live close enough so that your kids can enjoy the safety and freedom that Canberra’s beautiful pedestrian and bike tracks have to offer. Visit the ACT Education website if you want to find out more about schools in Canberra.

Consider transport

The only thing that the bigger cities have that Canberra doesn’t, is traffic. Getting to the city centre is easy, no matter where you’re coming from. Even if you’re living far north in Gungahlin and you’re working deep south in Tuggeranong, it’ll take you about half an hour to get there by car. But with a reliable public transport network, including a recently launched light rail, and a huge network of bike tracks linking all the suburbs, getting around is a breeze.

Move your utilities

ActewAGL, Energy Australia and Origin are the energy providers in the region, and water is supplied by Icon Water. Energy providers have different offers and price structures, so it pays to compare before you choose. Just a word of warning – Canberra gets pretty frosty in winter. So, when choosing a home, good heating is essential.

License to live

Because Canberra is small, the ACT Government through Access Canberra is the go-to-place for getting a wheelie bin, registering your car or paying a fine. Speaking of licences, if you’re an overseas or interstate driver's licence holder, you need to obtain an ACT driver licence within three months of taking up residency. If you hold a full driver's licence from any Australian state, you can exchange it free of charge at an Access Canberra Centre. You’ll need to provide proof of identity and residency and your existing licence. Full licence holders moving from overseas might be required to pass a test and practical assessment depending on their age and the country they’re moving from. Visit the Access Canberra website to find out more.