Locals enjoying a game of basketball at Tuggeranong College courts, in Greenway. Photo: Region Media.
Greenway has always been a pleasant suburb to live, with Lake Tuggeranong and local amenities right on residents’ doorsteps.
But with a growing population of young professionals and older people downsizing from family homes in Tuggeranong, Greenway is much more vibrant than it has been in years gone by.
New places to eat and socialise are opening regularly, Anketell Street has had a somewhat controversial facelift, and the Tuggeranong Community Council is pushing for the ACT Government to improve the area’s night-time economy.
Thinking about visiting or moving to Greenway? Here’s what you need to know.
History
Greenway is named after colonial architect Francis Howard Greenway. It was gazetted in 1986.
Tuggeranong Town Centre and Lake Tuggeranong are both in Greenway. The lake was created in 1987 as a sediment trap for soil and debris to improve the quality of water flowing into the Murrumbidgee River.
Until a few years ago, most of Greenway’s residents could be found in houses and townhouses at the quiet and leafy northern end of Lake Tuggeranong.
This has changed in recent years, with developers building multiple large-scale lakeside developments. Developments are also underway on the Murrumbidgee River side of Greenway, taking advantage of the sweeping views of the Brindabellas.
Shops and eateries
South.Point Tuggeranong (formerly The Hyperdome) is the biggest shopping centre in Greenway. Its stores include a Limelight Cinema, childcare centre, two supermarkets and a Kmart, Big W and Target.
There are eateries along both sides of Anketell Street, as well as in South.Point. BrewBar is a popular choice for office workers, Ace High Eatery & Bar serves American-inspired burgers and hotdogs, while Chalisa Indian Restaurant, Phat Panda and Asian Noodle House Tuggeranong are highly rated by locals.
La Pasteria is also on Anketell Street and serves delicious Italian food. Photo: George Tsotsos, Region Media.
Further down Anketell Street, pizza joint Zucchini Bros does a roaring trade in the evenings. Give the Special a try – you won’t be disappointed.
Homeworld Tuggeranong is just over the road from South.Point. It has an Aldi, speciality stores and eateries like Croatian-inspired Spit Shack.
Places of interest and things to do
Find a nice book to read at the local bookstore in Tuggeranong Town Centre. Photo: Region Media.
Here are some of our favourite activities in and around Greenway:
- Take a dip at Pine Island. Pine Island has walking trails as well as barbecue facilities, toilets, and picnic tables – perfect for a spring day outdoors! If the weather is nice and conditions are good, it’s also a lovely swimming spot.
- Go bowling at Zone Bowling Tuggeranong. Whether you’re looking to kill time during school holidays or want to bowl competitively, Zone Bowling Tuggeranong is the place for you.
- Ride around Lake Tuggeranong. Lake Tuggeranong is surrounded by bike paths, and the ride is flat and suitable for riders of all skill levels. It’s also where this author first learned to ride a bike without training wheels many moons ago, so we daresay it’s kid-friendly too.
- Drop into Tuggeranong Arts Centre. From dance classes to exhibitions and artist programs, Tuggeranong Arts Centre is the local hub for artistic programs and events.
The cast from Just Like Clockwork: A Musical rehearsing at Tuggeranong Arts Centre. Photo: Tim and Nathalie Bevitt.
Playgrounds and parks
With Lake Tuggeranong on its doorstep, there’s no shortage of green space in Greenway. Most of its parks and playgrounds are set on the shores of the lake among leafy trees and surrounds.
Popular parks and playgrounds include:
- Tuggeranong Town Park (Anketell Street). Tuggeranong Town Park is the largest park in Greenway. It has a large playground, swimming beach (double check that the lake hasn’t been closed due to blue-green algae before you swim), barbeques and picnic facilities. There is also lots of shaded green grass, making it a popular spot for children’s parties. Tuggeranong Skate Park is right next to Tuggeranong Town Park and is suitable for skaters/riders from beginner to advanced.
- Learn to Ride Park (Mortimer Lewis Drive). If you have kids aged between three and ten, pack up their bikes and scooters and head to Greenway’s Learn to Ride Park, which is on the opposite side of the lake to Tuggeranong Town Park. The Learn to Ride Park is a place for kids to learn the fundamentals of safe riding in a city with a strong cycling culture. As an added incentive, coffee van Mimi’s Pit Stop is parked right near the Learn to Ride Park and open on weekends.
- Limburg Way Playground (Limburg Way). Limburg Way Playground and the adjacent Nina Farrer Park provide much-needed open spaces for kids living in big apartment developments at the southern end of Anketell Street, like Southport. The playground isn’t extravagant, but it’s shaded and has basic but new equipment like swings and a slide.
Getting around
Greenway might feel like the ends of the earth to Canberrans from the northside, but its proximity to public transport, arterial roads and bike paths makes getting around surprisingly easy.
Tuggeranong Bus Interchange is a short walk from most parts of Greenway, with regular express services to Woden and beyond.
Unfortunately, it’s likely to be several years before light rail comes to Greenway. The Woden to Tuggeranong via Mawson route isn’t planned until Stage 4 of the light rail project, so locals are stuck with buses for public transport for a while longer.
If you’re driving, Drakeford Drive, which borders Greenway on the east, turns into Tuggeranong Parkway for effortless commutes into Civic; Athllon Drive takes you straight to Woden; and the Monaro Highway makes travelling to Fyshwick and beyond relatively simple.
Lake Tuggeranong has bike paths around its entirety, from which you can connect to routes towards Woden or further south.
Schools
Lake Tuggeranong College is a public college for students in Years 11 and 12, and is the only school in Greenway.
Nearby schools include Bonython Primary School (public school), St Mary MacKillop College (Catholic co-educational school for students in Years 7 to 12, with campuses in Isabella Plains and Wanniassa) and Trinity Christian School (private Christian school in Wanniassa).
Why the locals love it
Why do you love Greenway? Photo: Region Media.
“I bought an apartment on Anketell Street in Greenway in 2017. It’s been fascinating to watch the suburb grow and change in that time. The influx of new developments has breathed life into what was a pretty tired part of Canberra even just five years ago. In Greenway, lakeside living is much more affordable (and maybe even more desirable) than suburbs like Kingston and New Acton.” – James, 33.
Quick facts
- Median age: 36 years
- Median weekly household income: $1686
- Median weekly rent: $410
- Houses vs. apartments: 43.7% apartments; 51.2% semi-detached houses (i.e. townhouses/terrace house); 5.2% separate houses.
- Suburb sales record (excludes land sales): $812,000 in 2018 (four-bedroom three-bathroom terrace)
Source: 2016 Census.
Want to find the latest real estate listings for sale and rent in Greenway? Zango can help you find them:
Do you live, or have you previously lived, in Greenway? What are your favourite things about the suburb? What advice would you give to people considering moving there? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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