Canberra · ~470,000 · The Bush Capital · AEST / AEDT (daylight saving Oct–Apr)
Australia’s purpose-built capital, and the most underrated city in the country. Canberra has the national institutions — most of them free — the highest median incomes in Australia, excellent public service and university jobs, and bushland running right through the suburbs.
The bodies that actually decide these things. Everything further down this page cites one of them.
Almost every national institution is free: the War Memorial, the National Gallery, Parliament House and the National Museum among them.
It gets genuinely cold — frosts and occasional snow on the ranges. People are unprepared for this.
The city is built for cars, but the light rail and the bike path network are both excellent.
SourcesVisitCanberra (Free institutions)Bureau of Meteorology — ACT (Climate)
Not free. You get a bill.
Costs are directional and change without notice. Confirm on the official page before relying on a figure.
Getting around
Light rail runs Gungahlin to Civic, with buses covering the rest. Canberra is compact and very cyclable.
Bank card instead of a travel card? MyWay+ supports contactless bank cards and phone wallets as well as the MyWay+ card.
SourceTransport Canberra
Health advice, 24/7
Free 24/7 nurse advice. The ACT also runs walk-in centres offering free nurse-led care for minor injury and illness.
Driving
Permanent residents have 3 months to convert to an ACT licence. Temporary visa holders can generally keep using a valid overseas licence, with an English translation or an International Driving Permit if it is not in English.
Access CanberraRenting
Tenancy law and bond lodgement. Your bond is lodged with a government authority, not held by the agent — if nobody lodged yours, something is wrong.
Tenancy rules & bondsSourceACT Government — Renting
Work safety
The state regulator for workplace health and safety. If a job feels unsafe, this is who you call — and they do not ask about your visa.
Report or askSourceWorkSafe ACT
Costs & climate
High incomes and high rents, but the highest concentration of stable, well-paid work in the country.
Inland and elevated — hot dry summers, cold frosty winters, and the sharpest seasonal contrast of any capital.
SourcesACT Government — rentingBureau of Meteorology — ACTG'day Guide estimate — not an official figure
SourceVisitCanberra
Whatever the job, check your legal minimum rate on the Fair Work Pay Calculator in your first week. Underpayment of new arrivals is common and the calculator settles it in five minutes.
SourcesJobs and Skills AustraliaAPSJobs (Public service roles)
Free, and the Last Post ceremony at closing each day is the single most moving half hour in Canberra.
Free general entry, including one of the great collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
Free to walk in, sit in the public gallery during Question Time, and walk on the roof.
The view that explains the city plan — straight down the axis to Parliament House.
Alpine bushland, rock art and Ngunnawal country, forty minutes from the city.
SourceVisitCanberra
The bush capital — free national institutions and serious career jobs.
In your first week here
Still to do?
The national list — myGov, tax file number, Medicare, Fair Work and the rest — is on the main guide, in the order that works. Tick it off as you go on the checklist in My guide.