Canberra Day

There are many different thoughts and opinions on what it’s like to live in Canberra. One opinion is that Canberra is a boring, Parliamentary city, or that Canberra is the home base for our country’s public servants. Despite the various views on life in Canberra, there’s more than meets the eye to the Capital when you explore the greater depths. At Ascent Rehabilitation, as we celebrate the Canberra Day public holiday, our team shared their thoughts on what they love about Canberra, what makes it a great city, and what we love about living here. 

What do you love about Canberra?

Bronwen: While I think Canberra is a fantastic place to live, the thing I love the most about Canberra is that a lot of my extended family are here. I love that at any time we can connect easily, be an easy drive near each other, and enjoy living in such a great place. 

Christel: I moved here with my family six weeks ago from South Africa, but there’s already a lot to enjoy about Canberra. I enjoy how clean everything is. There is hardly any rubbish on the streets. I enjoy the people in Canberra. They all seem very friendly and nice, and willing to help you if you ask. I absolutely enjoy the safety of Canberra. It feels great to not have to look over my shoulder every time I leave the house. I can be busy on my phone and walk into the mall without being scared that someone will steal my phone from my hand. 

Jessica: I love the people here in Canberra. I especially love the trees, they’re spectacular. There are a lot of colours in Canberra’s nature, and I’ve recently found a beautiful tree near my house that has silver-coloured leaves. I love the amount of open space Canberra has. They’re so much room to enjoy the fresh air and relax. 

Jonathan: I really appreciate the scenery we have in Canberra. Houses are amongst mountains and greenery. There’s a lot of scenery. Where I live, I can jump onto the Tuggeranong Parkway and have a quick drive into the city, but enjoy the view, like the Arboretum. You’re effectively in suburbia, but you’re near mountains, bike trails, hiking areas and all the rest. It’s great that there’s hardly any traffic in Canberra. Canberra has become a cosmopolitan place with coffee snobs, and great bars. Canberra has come a long way since I came here.  

Megan: I love the freedom Canberra has for you to enjoy anything that interests you. It doesn’t matter what your interests are, there’s something for you here. There’s so much to do close by, and there’s a lot available without having to go very far. I love the outdoor space in Canberra. There’s a huge amount of bushland to explore. There are a lot of walking tracks to ride your bikes, or parks to have a picnic at. I also love how the beach is only a short drive away. 

Naomi: I came to Canberra when I was seven years old from Melbourne, and I’ve loved living here since. Canberra has a peacefulness that you don’t find in other places. One thing about Canberra that I love is how bold the seasonal changes are. I find that every season in Canberra is stunning, especially the bright orange, yellow, and red autumn leaves, and the pink and purple blossom trees in spring.

What are your favourite activities to do in Canberra?

Bronwen: I love exploring or trying new things here. Despite having lived in Canberra for such a long time, there is always something new to do, be it a new restaurant, a new exhibition, a new mountain walk, or discovering a new opportunity to be creative. Over the past few years, I have discovered a lot of small businesses that have unique and creative classes, such as floral wreaths, clay and pottery, soap making, and cooking workshops. There’s always something new to do here when you have a look.  

Christel: My family and I are still busy exploring Canberra. There’s a lot we want to do but we haven’t had the time to do them yet. We try to do one or two new things during the weekend. We enjoy going to Lake Burley Griffin and walking around the lake. It’s very peaceful. We recently explored Mount Ainslie, and we want to explore more mountain trials. We absolutely love shopping and checking out the different malls and shops. It’s very fun. 

Jessica: My family are here in Canberra, so I love being with my family. I love doing things with them and drinking wine with them. I feel like I’m still new to Canberra, so I’m still slowly exploring the area. I like to try and see at least one new thing over the weekend, or during my time off, to get to know my surroundings and see what else Canberra has up its sleeve. 

Jonathan: Although there are a lot of things I want to do, having kids now doesn’t give me the chance to do them often. However, I enjoy going mountain biking, archery, doing the Mount Taylor runs, and going to the Arboretum. I like getting outside into the fresh air.

Megan: My favourite activity in Canberra is going for a walk. I enjoy walking around Mount Ainslie or walking through Tidbinbilla. There are a lot of tracks to take a bike ride through. I especially enjoy op-shopping. There are a lot of great second-hand shops in Canberra.

Naomi: My favourite activities to do in Canberra are shopping and eating. I think Canberra has a lot of great cafés and restaurants that serve delicious food. One of my favourite activities to do is go out with a friend to either Mookie Burger, Phat Panda, or another restaurant, have a tasty meal (and dessert), and wander around the mall. It isn’t a very exciting activity, but I like it.  

What do you think Canberra’s best-kept secret is?

Bronwen: I think Canberra’s best-kept secret is that there’s so much to do here. When you have a look around, there’s always something to do for everyone. 

Christel: I think Canberra’s best-kept secret is how good the coffee is. In South Africa, it can be hard to find somewhere that can make a decent coffee. Since moving here, every café I’ve visited in Canberra has given me a nice coffee, which is a great change from what I’m used to. 

Jessica: Canberra has fantastic local wine. I love exploring and buying the different types of local wines that Canberra has to offer. I think another best-kept secret is how small Canberra is. When I moved here from Brisbane, I didn’t expect Canberra to be this small. I think it’s fantastic because getting around is a lot easier than you think it may be. When driving from one part of Canberra to the other, it is super easy. 

Jonathan: A lot of people still have the opinion that Canberra is boring. When I ask people why they think that, often they say they came here for school once, and I think of course you’d find it boring. The best-kept secret is that people don’t realise Canberra is cosmopolitan. It has amazing restaurants and bars. I don’t think a lot of people appreciate that Canberra has come a long way to be what it is today. 

Megan: The fact that there is practically no traffic in Canberra is a great secret. You know when you’re going somewhere how long it’s going to take you. It doesn’t take a lot of time to get home, even in peak traffic, which isn’t a lot. I love the lack of traffic here.  

Naomi: In my opinion, Canberra’s best kept secret is Goodberry’s. I remember my first time going to Goodberry’s shortly after my family and I had moved here. I thought it was the best ice cream I had ever had, and it is still my favourite ice cream to this day.

There are several reasons why Canberra is a wonderful city. The art, history, nature, culture, adventure, shopping, and road system are a handful of the many reasons that not only makes Canberra a liveable but a fantastic place. Although Canberra might not be as hustle and bustle as Sydney or Melbourne, it is an incredible city with plenty to offer for everyone. Ascent is proud to be a Canberra based business supporting our community. From the team at Ascent Rehabilitation, we wish you all a happy Canberra Day.