See Kaleen Differently

Want to live in an established, community-oriented suburb that offers plenty of choice for families? If so, put Kaleen on your shortlist. It not only has four schools, two playing fields, plentiful playgrounds and an indoor sports centre, it also has two sets of local shops, so you won’t need to travel far to access most things you need.

Belconnen Town Centre, with its excellent shopping, restaurants and entertainment is only a few minutes drive, and it’s less than 10km from Kaleen to the City. Dickson’s thriving restaurant precinct is nearby and the University of Canberra is in the neighbouring suburb of Bruce.

Kaleen’s housing stock is predominantly family homes, with many on larger blocks that make the most of their bushland setting. While the majority of residents are families with kids, there are also groups of retirees and university students who call the suburb home.

Ever thought about visiting or moving to the peaceful, conveniently-located suburb of Kaleen? Here’s what you need to know.

History

Kaleen is located in Belconnen and was gazetted in 1974. It takes its name from the Indigenous Wiradjuri tribe’s word for water. Fittingly, its streets are named after Australian rivers.

Kaleen shares a border with Bruce, Lyneham, Giralang and the relatively new suburb of Lawson.

Block sizes are relatively large and make the most of the bushland surrounds. Kaleen has two ovals, which are often packed with kids of all ages, and several playgrounds.

Shops and eateries

Kaleen has two sets of shops: Kaleen Plaza on Georgina Crescent and another centre on Maribyrnong Street. Both shops have a supermarket, pharmacy and café, while Kaleen Plaza also has an Australia Post, community hall and indoor sports centre.

When it comes to dining, Kaleen residents have several options to choose from, including:

• Taste to Taste Bistro at Kaleen Sports Club, which offers contemporary Australian meals as well as exquisite flavours from Kashmir to Tuscany at affordable prices.
• Eat Me Drink Me Cafe serves coffee and delicious, simple breakfasts and lunches in a fun, comfortable atmosphere. It’s also dog-friendly – see details about a great dog walk in the region below.
• North Canberra Bear Bar is the place to go for pub-style meals as well as a range of domestic, craft, imported and local beers.

Places of interest and things to do

• Take a look at Kaleen’s community garden. Kaleen Community Garden is opposite Kaleen High School on Baldwin Drive. In addition to individual plots, it has a communal fruit tree orchard. The garden shares a boundary fence with the Kaleen High School farm, and local kids enjoy dropping in to say hello to the resident goats, chickens, ducks and geese.
• Register a sporting team. Whether your preferred sport is netball, indoor cricket, volleyball, soccer or dodgeball, Kaleen Indoor Sports Centre has a competition to match.
• Go for a bike ride. Kaleen is close to Canberra’s well-maintained bike path network, making for seamless travel to town centres and other locations.
• Take your dog for a walk. The Giralang/Kaleen dog walk follows a series of interconnected off-leash areas through a super dog-friendly route. Walkers are rewarded with lovely mountain and city views. The walk starts and ends at Kaleen Plaza, where the dog-friendly cafe Eat Me Drink Me is the perfect spot for you and your pet to have a breather.

Playgrounds and parks

If you have kids, there’s no shortage of playgrounds and parks where they can run around:

• Oakover Park in Ellenborough Street
• The playgrounds at Kaleen Primary School
• Kaleen Community Park in Georgina Crescent
• Darby Street Playground
• Glenelg Street Playground

Getting around

If you like to walk to local shops, playgrounds and other amenities, Kaleen is one of your top picks in the region.

Kaleen is close to public transport, the light rail network and well-maintained bike paths, so getting around without a car is relatively easy.

Bus routes 30 and 31 service the suburb.

Schools

Kaleen has three primary schools and one high school: Kaleen Primary School, St Michael’s Primary School, Maribyrnong Primary School and UC High School Kaleen.

Why the locals love it

“Kaleen is a well-equipped suburb and a lovely retreat from the bustle of city life, but when it’s time to get amongst all the action, Dickson, Civic and Belconnen are just a few minutes away. It’s an easy commute to work and has some great local cafes and licenced venues where we can switch off when the work day is done and catch up with friends and neighbours.” – Eliza and Mary, public servants.

Quick facts

• Median age: 30 years
• Median weekly household income: $2077
• Median weekly rent: $421
• Houses vs. apartments: 93.8% houses
• Suburb sales record (excludes land sales): $1.208 million for a five-bedroom, three-bathroom house on Campaspe Circuit in 2018

Source: 2016 Census.

Want to find the latest real estate listings for sale and rent in Kaleen? Zango can help you find them:

• Real estate for sale in Kaleen
• Real estate for rent in Kaleen

Do you live, or have you previously lived, in Kaleen? 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.