Why this suburb is at the top of every Canberran's wish list

Is it wrong to drive the streets of a Canberra suburb aimlessly, wishing you lived there? Because that’s what I do in the far south-western suburb of Chapman.

A long, thin, finger-shaped suburb hugging the base of Mount Arawang, Chapman is located in Weston Creek (officially Woden) but is so close to Kambah you can almost touch it. It’s the bush capital at its finest; steep streets winding through a thick canopy of trees.

Along most avenues, you have to peer through the bush landscaping to see the houses. For the lucky residents of Chapman, it must be like living in a garden.

I’m not the only one who covets this suburb. People move to Chapman for the big houses and even bigger blocks. With a population of 2,684, it’s one of Canberra’s smaller suburbs, and has an average household size of 2.8.

Properties range from a modern apartment complex on the old petrol station site to rebuilt homes of grand proportions, backing the Cooleman Ridge nature reserve. Some homes are in original 1970s condition, some extended and many renovated. Most are built to take in the spectacular views north across the capital.

For Tim and Justine Burke, of Luton Properties, selling in the suburb is a joy because of the individuality of each home.

“Some of them are quite grand and some are on enormous land holdings,” Tim says.

And there are benefits to buying on the western outskirts of the city over the inner north or inner south.

“In Chapman, you’re absolutely getting bang for buck,” Tim says.

“You’re securing above average land holdings, incredible views and proximity to the city centre.”

A huge drawcard for people moving to Chapman is the suburb’s school.

Cream Residential’s Chris Wilson grew up in 2611 and says when the school opened in 1975 it was “incredibly unique”.

“The school, when originally designed, was an open plan design,” Chris says.

“At the time it was a very unique concept in Canberra.”

Chris says it’s the high quality of housing in Chapman that most of his buyers are looking for.

“There are many homes that when originally built were owner built and hence the quality still shows today,” he says.

Tom Ellis, of Bertram Ellis, has had an office at the Chapman shops since the late 1990s. He says the trauma of the 2003 bushfires brought residents of the suburb closer than ever.

“The shared experience of bushfires really galvanised the community,” Tom says.

“It’s now a stronger, more connected community than ever.”

He says Chapman was also one of only a handful of Canberra’s early suburbs that, when originally designed, had no government housing.

“Having had my office at the Chapman shopping centre since 1998, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many wonderful buyers and sellers in the suburb.”

View properties for sale in Chapman.