The old argument: ACT or Jerrabomberra / Bungendore

After six months of living in Canberra they’ll start to think of an hour commute each day as being a long, long time.

O’Connor or Turner could also be worth looking into as far as established homes on nice blocks with easy access to ANU and University of Canberra.

What anonymous gungahlian said. For $700 a week I’d be living within walking distance of ANU, or at most a short bike ride – that kind of money would get a decent rental.

I’ve just started work near ANU and am currently commuting from Bungendore. I don’t have any issue with Bungendore commuting, and there are two ways into the city – one via macs reef road and down northbourne and the other through the airport. I probably drive around the speed limit and get into work in 40 mins (door to door) which is an absolute godsend for me, whereas previously i worked in sydney cbd and commuted around 2 hours on a bad traffic morning – one way.

Bungendore is a nice town in terms quiet. Not much going on that I can see (but I’ve only been there for about 1 1/2 months now). Rent is cheaper, I think on avg around the $400 mark? But from what I understand rent is fairly tight too. Then again that could be said for any part of Canberra right? 😉

I guess it depends on what your cousin is after. If they’re into a bit of country living with a bit of a garden, I’d go Bungendore. Heck, you could even go further to Braidwood (an hour) and pay significantly cheaper rent.

Also, Macs Reef Road is a bit tricky at night in terms of curvy roads and wildlife. Whereas they’re doing quite a bit of roadwork on the Queanbeyan side…

Captain’s Flat….. Not really my kinda town. Think Queanbeyan but with narrower streets, smaller area and lots of shacks. Least that’s what I noticed when I was out there last month checking places out. Sorry to any CF’s out there.

Also depends on the tempermanet of the kiddies – whether they want to be closer to town or not. For my hubby and I we were keen on rural living and if nothing else Bungendore is a nice peaceful town.

Anyhow that’s my two cents worth.

Good luck with your search!

c9 said :

What implications does not changing rego/licences have for insurance?

None that I know of. You can insure a car anywhere regardless of rego.

The way I see it so far … (a) Jerra seems to out-rank Bunga … but there haven’t been too many commenting on Bungendore for that to be a firm opinion.

If ACT is the choice, then most are saying nearer to the University. He has been made two offers – one from ANU and the other UC – he thinks (?) he made the better choice with going for ANU, but I don’t mind UC.

Appreciate the support of all who have commented – thanks for taking the time.

anonymous gungahlian said :

I’d try to live as close as possible to uni, somewhere like Turner or O’Connor. The rent may be more expensive than Jerrabomberra or Bungendore, but when you add up the cost of petrol traveling that far, it would even out; not to mention all the time wasted traveling that 30 – 40 minutes each way every day.

I live in Harrison and my dad has to travel ages to go to and from his work at HQJOC each day.

Plus if you moved somewhere like Turner, Acton, O’Connor, Braddon, City; You could walk or ride a bike to uni instead of driving anyway.

They were looking at Harrison too (all over the place, really) … Angora Street I think it was. Anyway, to be honest, they travel 1hr each way to work now (down the F3 and into Sydney peak hour traffic) so I’m not sure the distance will bother (or convince them).

MsCheeky said :

sepi said :

jerrabomberra – newish wall to wall suburbia like in the wonder years – no shops or anything you can walk to.

Hey Sepi, Jerra has a large Woolies, greengrocer, newsagent, chemist, butcher, bakery, restaurant, two takeaways, two bottle shops, gym, vet, doctors, video shop, pub, primary school, post office and probably a few other facilities that don’t spring to mind. Also, I think older parts would be at least twenty years old now, if not older. Also, not really wall to wall, we have decent sized blocks and a high standard of facilities such as ovals, public bbqs, tennis courts, community centre and footpaths. The waterhole is a hidden gem. Some friends of mine call it ‘Pleasantville’, and a look around at the number of people walking their dogs, kids and themselves on any morning or afternoon reinforces that. Perhaps you should come for a visit and update your impression.

I’ve lived there for nine years, and aircraft noise has never been an issue. It’s the takeoff with a full load of fuel and gunning for altitude that is the main contributor to aircraft noise. We get them landing when they’re basically gliding in.

I love living in Jerra.

Thanks for all this Jerra info – all helps build a profile for the ol’ cousin!

willo said :

jay said :

Thanks Clown Killer – makes sense … the supermarket thing, not killing clowns 😉

i disagree jay……killing clowns makes much more sense than living in queanbeyan…..

Funny!

I’d try to live as close as possible to uni, somewhere like Turner or O’Connor. The rent may be more expensive than Jerrabomberra or Bungendore, but when you add up the cost of petrol traveling that far, it would even out; not to mention all the time wasted traveling that 30 – 40 minutes each way every day.

I live in Harrison and my dad has to travel ages to go to and from his work at HQJOC each day.

Plus if you moved somewhere like Turner, Acton, O’Connor, Braddon, City; You could walk or ride a bike to uni instead of driving anyway.

jay said :

[VYBerlinaV8..] – I’ll pass that on, but where’s the magical line to define the ‘western side’ from the ‘eastern side’?

Anything east of Numeralia drive has no noise at all.

What implications does not changing rego/licences have for insurance?

sepi said :

jerrabomberra – newish wall to wall suburbia like in the wonder years – no shops or anything you can walk to.

Hey Sepi, Jerra has a large Woolies, greengrocer, newsagent, chemist, butcher, bakery, restaurant, two takeaways, two bottle shops, gym, vet, doctors, video shop, pub, primary school, post office and probably a few other facilities that don’t spring to mind. Also, I think older parts would be at least twenty years old now, if not older. Also, not really wall to wall, we have decent sized blocks and a high standard of facilities such as ovals, public bbqs, tennis courts, community centre and footpaths. The waterhole is a hidden gem. Some friends of mine call it ‘Pleasantville’, and a look around at the number of people walking their dogs, kids and themselves on any morning or afternoon reinforces that. Perhaps you should come for a visit and update your impression.

I’ve lived there for nine years, and aircraft noise has never been an issue. It’s the takeoff with a full load of fuel and gunning for altitude that is the main contributor to aircraft noise. We get them landing when they’re basically gliding in.

I love living in Jerra.

jay said :

Thanks Clown Killer – makes sense … the supermarket thing, not killing clowns 😉

i disagree jay……killing clowns makes much more sense than living in queanbeyan…..

Correct jay, it will be cool. How are the coppers or Government going to know? I have been pulled over by the cops and questioned about my address before. I simply tell them I am living in the ACT temporarily on contract work. My sister has lived here for years with NSW rego as well doing it the same way.

They might say on their site that you need to do it within 3 months but there is no real way of enforcing it. Its hardly worth the ACT Governments time and effort to do anything about it.

Thanks Clown Killer – makes sense … the supermarket thing, not killing clowns 😉

Thanks, too, H1NG0 – I didn’t think I could do that. I also have personalised plates I didn’t want to lose – so if I keep the car registered at my parents’ home and the licence there too, all will be cool? Don’t the police / gov’t expect your licence to read where you actually ar staying? Anyway, forget that – I get the drift.

Addison said :

Ignore the ‘what is better’ debate. If you’re only renting for 12 months, move as close as possible to where you want to spend most of your time.

I second this. If it’s only short term, definitely go for something close to work/uni. For the money mentioned you should be able to pick up something in the inner North or South, although maybe not a mansion.

Having said that, if commuting isn’t an issue then Canberra/QBN/Bungers is your oyster. However it’s worth keeping in mind the current road works at Kings Ave/Parkes Way and the pending works on Anzac Parade and Glenloch Interchange. Those road works combined are going to cause havoc.

Jay. if they’re into supermarket shoping then, yes its Queanbeyan of eastern Canberra. Bungendore has a good bakery and butcher, a small “IGA” style supermarket and a couple of other shops. Specialty items, fancy deli stuff etc. might still have to be sourced from Quanbeya/Canberra.

jay said :

[H1NG0] – run that one past me again; since I’m moving from Murrumbateman to the ACT, can I keep my NSW plates / licence if it registered to a NSW address? They told me I’d have 3 months to change things over from NSW to ACT and then proceeded to tell me the fees for this, that and the other.

I have custom number plates I have owned since I was a teenager and were a present when I got my license. Nothing wanky, just my initials and birth year. I don’t want to lose them or pay to put them on hold. I have my car registered to my parents house which is in NSW along with the address on my license. I simply get a rego check done in Mitchell every year. You don’t even need to drive to Queanbeyan anymore because you can pay your rego on the RTA site.

In my opinion, I think ACT should at least allow NSW plates if you were previously a NSW resident. Sure, the ACT should still get their revenue every year by registering it like you would in NSW but to force people to change plates is a bit unnecessary I think.

[Clown Killer] – no, the teens have their licences, so driving is not an issue. What’s grocery shopping like there? From memory there’s just a small store, so I presume everyone in Bungendore drives back to QBN for groceries or gets them on their way home from Canberra?

[jessiegirl] – they had a look at some place in Red Hill … may not surprise you that $700 / week doesn’t buy such a grand residence there anymore, sadly.

[H1NG0] – run that one past me again; since I’m moving from Murrumbateman to the ACT, can I keep my NSW plates / licence if it registered to a NSW address? They told me I’d have 3 months to change things over from NSW to ACT and then proceeded to tell me the fees for this, that and the other.

[VYBerlinaV8..] – I’ll pass that on, but where’s the magical line to define the ‘western side’ from the ‘eastern side’?

If they have kids that don’t drive yet then Bungendore is a tough call. They’ll want to get used to driving that road into town.

Flight path is only an issue in Jerra if you live on the western side. Eastern side gets just about zero noise.

I own and live in a house in the ACT but I have NSW rego. You can do your rego all online these days and they will do NSW rego checks in ACT anyway. You just need to have your NSW license and car registered to a NSW address.

Nice one SEPI “but for 700.00 a week I’d rent a mansion backing reserve in Aranda and bike/bus to ANU – and take lots of weekend trips to bungendore and surrounds.”

$600-$700 is a massive amount for a rental. You could get a nice place in Red Hill had hob nob it with the upperclass.

But seriously if it’s only for 12 months save petrol and the environment and find a place close to work.

Good Luck

H1NG0 🙂 “Queanbeyan” or ” Queanbeyan” … I guess they are looking to stay on the NSW side of the border (it’s probably got to do with the 12 month factor and number plate changes, who knows!)

Really appreciate all the comments so far … my cousin will be impressed with the suggestions! Flight path in Jerra is a worry, and they do need to do something about the roads heading out towards Bungendore. Thanks for the suggestions re: Turner / O’Connor / Lyneham / Ainslie.

They’re bringing their teenage children with them who have enrolled at Uni of Canberra … so maybe a location around Bruce? I think Gunghalin and surrounds is a really sad sight … too many oversized homes on undersized blocks of land. Reminds me of the McMansions built in new estates on the Central Coast.

Keep the advice coming – and appreciated.

No matter what you call it, its still Queanbeyan.

Airport noise. The choke point on the Monaro Hwy at Fyshwick where the two bridges are missing. The upcoming Kings Way roundabout construction. Why would you choose Jerra?

What Addison said.

Jerrabomberra is under the flight paths of an increasingly busy airport. Bungendore commuting by car will only get worse as they add staff to the stupid Defence complex that they have built out there. Live in the inner north, it is just perfect.

I am looking to move back to Canberra from St Louis around June ’10. What are thoughts about rural living (horses) around Canberra? I’ve been looking at the Michelago/Bredbo area. I’ve also thought about Bungendore and Captains flat. I’m not totally aware of $$ for these areas; I’ve only been a responsible adult (paying my own rent and bills etc) since living away from Canberra, in St Louis. Can anyone tell me where I might find something nice, fairly cheap and with some land? I commute a lot here, so that doesn’t bother me.
Cheers

Jerrabomberra is just another ‘burb, really.

If they are from the Central Coast, the commute from either Bungendore or Yass shouldn’t faze them. Yass would be better because it is more than just a quaint village. It has a hospital, plenty of doctors, two (soon to be three) supermarkets etc.

Neither.

Turner/O’Connor/Lyneham/Ainslie.

They could also try Wamboin, Sutton or Gundaroo. Bungendore is lovely (we were going to rent there when we first moved to Canberra) although it is a long drive every day to ANU through the worst of the Canberra traffic. That’s why I would pick these other three first. And if they’re coming from Central Coast, NSW seems a lot more “normal” to live in than anywhere in Canberra. Jerrabombera has nice new houses but is lacking the comfortably lived-in feel that I would be looking for.

Ignore the ‘what is better’ debate. If you’re only renting for 12 months, move as close as possible to where you want to spend most of your time.

The two choices seem a bit like chalk and cheese – bungendore – once was a cute old village – rural as anything, nice cafes etc, if touristy. jerrabomberra – newish wall to wall suburbia like in the wonder years – no shops or anything you can walk to.

I’d pick bungendore out of those two for sure.

but for 700.00 a week I’d rent a mansion backing reserve in Aranda and bike/bus to ANU – and take lots of weekend trips to bungendore and surrounds.

inner north can be quite affordable, and save your cousin a great deal of car running/petrol costs [which more than offset extra – if any -rent costs. jerra and bungers can be decidedly expensive!] and all that angst (parking/traffic/etc) by being close enough to cycle to work – and he’d fit right in with the uni crowd… this locale would also put him within easy access to shopping needs, similarly without much/any transport costs..

if he is looking further afield, qbyn has some lovely areas and is also just a bus-ride distance if driving/parking is an issue (which it can be at anu) rather than outer canberra ‘burbs. opinion only, of course – i have lived in tuggers, inner south and inner north in my two decades + of canberra living…

wherever the cousin lobs, ensure he is directed at once to the riot for all local information needs! ; )

Temporary move? With a car? Stay in NSW. Less hassle moving car rego over then changing it back again.