Jerra Meats offering locals quality and great prices. Photo: Daniella Jukic.
The Queanbeyan suburb of Jerrabomberra is so well-loved that Canberrans seem to have adopted it as one of their own. Back in 2013, it was even awarded the title of Best Suburb in Canberra by a local radio station.
And really, it isn’t hard to see why. Nestled just a short distance from the ACT border, Jerrabomberra is a quiet, clean suburban neighbourhood with picture book homes and a stunning backdrop; a place where family homes give way to wetlands and rolling hills.
Its 10,000 residents enjoy access to a wide range of community amenities, including tennis courts, a school, its own lake and a gym. (Expect to pay for the privilege though; Jerra’s median house price is $819,000 compared to the ACT’s $745,000.)
Thinking about visiting or moving to Jerrabomberra? Here’s what you need to know.
Jerrabomberra: The perfect alternative to living in Canberra, but with all the benefits Canberra has to offer. Photo: Region Media.
History
Jerrabomberra means “boy frightened by storm” and is a local Aboriginal place name. Built on farmland in use since the early 1800s, construction on Jerrabomberra’s first houses began in the late 1980s.
Back then, a block of land in Jerrabomberra cost between $28,000 and $39,000. How times have changed!
Shops and eateries
There are two sets of shops in Jerrabomberra. The main shopping centre, Jerrabomberra Village, has retailers including a Woolworths, bakery, gym and hairdresser.
In terms of food, if you like pizzas made with love, Canberra institution Zucchini Bros has extended its reach over the ACT border. And the Jerrabomberra Hotel is the place many residents head for a relaxed meal (the chicken wings and mixed grill come highly recommended) or a refreshing drink after work. As a bonus, the courtesy bus can get you home safe and won’t cost you a cent.
There’s also a smaller set of shops in Jerrabomberra called The Park, which is home to coffee shop Suppetó Collective, a post office, florist and medical centre.
The local shopping centre offers all you need. Photo: Region Media.
Places of interest and things to do
- Explore the region on foot or by bike. There are some pleasant and easy walking or riding trails around the suburb that will take you past a waterfall, a fitness trail, some of the stunning elm trees of the region, and the ruins of the original Jerrabomberra Homestead. Keep an eye out for wildlife and birds as you wander through stringybark, other eucalypts and acacias, and enjoy the views as you climb to some of the higher points in the region at the top of Mt Jerrabomberra.
Sunshine lights up the parkland surrounding South Jerrabomberra. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
- Soak up some local history. In the early 1900s most of the land that is now Jerrabomberra belonged to the Moore family. The main homestead was located in what is now Homestead Rise (you can see the remains of the fireplace at the end of Homestead Gardens), while the homestead’s dam is now the water retention pond at Brudenell Drive. The Moores also planted the giant mature elm trees that are scattered throughout Jerrabomberra. Jerrabomberra Residents’ Association has developed a walking trail and map for spotting the trees and other historical places of significance.
- Check out what’s on offer at the Community Centre. Community spirit is alive and well in Jerrabomberra, so why not drop in and see what’s on? The Centre hosts regular dance, yoga, meditation and Pilates classes, as well as community club meetings, educational programs, kids activities, social events and sporting activities.
Jerrabomberra’s Community Centre offers a range of community activities, for everyone to enjoy. Photo: Region Media.
Playgrounds and parks
Jerrabomberra has a few green spaces to explore, including East Jerrabomberra Nature Reserve (accessible from the suburb’s eastern streets, like those off Bicentennial Drive and Brudenell Drive) and Lake Jerrabomberra.
Locals enjoy fishing at Lake Jerrabomberra. Photo: Daniella Jukic.
Popular playgrounds in Jerrabomberra include:
- Acacia Drive Playground (access via Acacia Drive). A small, simple playground suitable for younger children. It’s not shaded, so equipment may be hot in the middle of the day.
- Jerrabomberra Creek Park (access via Waterfall Drive). With a large spider web climbing structure, Jerrabomberra Creek Park is better suited to older kids.
- David Madew Memorial Park (access via Coral Drive). This park has a large playground with a slide, swings, spinner, track ride and climbing walls suitable for children of all ages. There is also seating, bins and a half basketball court.
A full list of Jerrabomberra parks and playgrounds is available on the QPRC website.
Find the full list of Jerrabomberra parks at QPRC. Photo: Daniella Jukic.
Getting around
If you’re relying on public transport to get from Jerrabomberra to Canberra, expect to catch a few buses to reach your final destination.
Qcity Transit route 835 services Jerrabomberra – it’s a loop to Queanbeyan Interchange running Monday to Saturday. From Queanbeyan Interchange, you can then get on Qcity Transit’s Route 830 to Civic, which departs Queanbeyan Interchange, stops in Kingston, Manuka, Barton and Russell.
Other routes include the 831 to Woden via Canberra Hospital, and the 834 to Brindabella Business Park via Fyshwick and Majura Park.
Keep in mind that Qcity Transit has a different ticketing system to Transport Canberra, which means you can’t use your MyWay card on Qcity Transit buses.
Schools
Around 800 students are enrolled at Jerrabomberra Public School, which caters for students from kindergarten to Year 6. There are also plans to open a high school in Jerrabomberra in coming years.
The nearest Catholic primary school is St Gregory’s Primary School, and the closest high school for now is Karabar High, both in Queanbeyan.
Many Jerrabomberra students also go to public or private schools across the border in the ACT, including St Clare’s College and St Edmund’s College in Griffith.
Why the locals love it
“I’ve lived in Jerra for more than 20 years, at three different addresses. I can’t imagine moving out of the area anytime soon. It’s a peaceful suburb, even more so now that a generation of kids has grown up and moved out. Our house backs onto bushland, which is great for walking our dogs, and our girls loved exploring when they were younger. The one downside is there’s no direct bus from Jerrabomberra to Canberra (you have to go through Queanbeyan first), so it was a lot of extra driving for me when my girls were teenagers and wanted to visit friends from school or get casual jobs in the city or Woden.” – Diana, 45.
Jerrabomberra Hotel – Eat, Drink, Enjoy. Photo: Daniella Jukic.
Quick facts
- Median age: 36 years
- Median weekly household income: $2,820
- Median weekly rent: $415
- Houses vs. apartments: 86.1% houses; 13.6% townhouses or semi-detached homes
- Suburb sales record (excludes land sales): $1,700,000 in 2018
Source: 2016 Census.
Want to find the latest real estate listings for sale and rent in Jerrabomberra? Zango can help you find them:
Do you live, or have you previously lived, in Jerrabomberra? 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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