22 October 2010

The missing heart of Canberra

| beejay76
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I’m a Canberran. I’m relatively new to Canberra, but in the short time I’ve been here I’ve fallen in love with it. Like most Sydneysiders, I always thought Canberra was dull, bland, boring, insipid.

But the real Canberra is wonderful! In a few short years we have enjoyed the wonderful cultural events that Canberra offers, and availed ourselves of many of the amazing outdoor events, venues and facilities, as well. We’ve visited so many National thises and Capital thats, I’ve lost track.

All of these things have been, for the most part, free or close to. They’ve also been easy to get to. Perhaps a bus ride or a short drive. Even the drive isn’t stressful. ACT drivers are courteous and sensible, as a rule.

We’ve spent a lot of time on the fabulous network of cycling/ running tracks around town and have massively increased our fitness. So I am an out-an-out Canberra convert. I love it.

But there is one part of Canberra that doesn’t stack up at all. Drinking.

Now, this is a serious issue. This is our national capital we’re talking about. Drinking is a major part of Australian culture! We have the War Memorial to recognise our warrior culture. We have the National museum to celebrate our artistic heritage. There’s the National museum to commemorate our cultural diversity. The National Botanic Gardens preserves our flora and the network of parks and reserves allows our fauna to flourish. But who’s looking after the drinking?

Now I’m not suggesting we need a National Alcohol Museum, but a decentralised network of venues that will allow people to engage in this most Australian of pastimes in their local area. These facilities are well established in other Australian cities. In Sydney, for example, although people may have to sit in traffic for four hours to visit their local hardware shop, they can always walk to the pub afterwards to recuperate. There’s at least one pub in every suburb, with many sporting multiple facilities. In places like Balmain or Darlinghurst, there’s a pub for every four residents.

I live in the north of Canberra, and we don’t have a single pub. This is absolutely scandalous. There’s around 50,000 people in the Gungahlin region, and not a single proper pub.

Real pubs are local. Real pubs are live music. Real pubs don’t have poker machines. Real pubs have beer gardens so you can get sunburned and drunk at the same time. This is what is really lacking at the heart of Canberra. Pubs: sometimes dirty, occasionally dangerous, often friendly and always loud.

We do have a club or two. That’s not the proper way to celebrate Australian drinking culture. Clubs are bland. The décor is bland airport-chic. The music, also, is bland airport-chic. The beers are ordinary, the food is plain. There is no risky décor, no risky new music, no risky beers and no risky food. Apart from the pokies and the drink-drivers, clubs are strictly for the risk-averse. This, I dare suggest, is unAustralian!

So as Australia’s capital, we owe it to the nation to begin a major program of pub-building. One proper pub per suburb by 2020! At least two live music venues per major township! Vomit-coloured carpet by legislation! It’s our heritage. Let’s look after it.

[ED – I will note that the inner north and south both have a watering hole at nearly every local shops]

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On a sunny Saturday afternoon, I like to enjoy the choice of most of the beers of the world with Elizabeth and Anthony – over at PLONK! at the Fyshwick Markets.

I’m new to town. So…who’s for a Gungahlin Speakeasy, or better yet, a blind pig??

Pommy bastard6:15 pm 25 Oct 10

“Australia may have best beer in the world but it certainly could do better when it comes to where you drink it. Thanks Hotels Association.”

Best beer is in England.

Full stop.

Without a shadow of doubt.

p1 said :

I think what I like best about beer in Australia, is that you can try something different everyday without having to try too hard to find something.

And if you feel like a ice cold glass of fairly-tasteless larger on a bright sunny day, the options are endless.

Of course! I quite agree 🙂

I think what I like best about beer in Australia, is that you can try something different everyday without having to try too hard to find something.

And if you feel like a ice cold glass of fairly-tasteless larger on a bright sunny day, the options are endless.

Diggety said :

“Australia may have best beer in the world but it certainly could do better when it comes to where you drink it. Thanks Hotels Association.”

Best beer is in England.

Full stop.

Beers are brewed for a climate; either by process of (batch) elimination, by the drinkers, or the the climate is actively taken into account during produce sourcing, recipe formulation or brewing.

Take a lot of the boutique beers DanRayner suggested; are good for tasting, drinking and getting drunk on but may not necessarily match the climate. There is good reason why pubs don’t have many ales and stouts on draught in pubs in hot climates, for example. They are predominantly lagers and the hotter you get, tend to have less alcohol. This is more typical of Aus; I never thought I would drink XXXX gold, however after spending a while up north, found myself drinking it quite a bit.

To analogise: A lot of young Aussies are recently coming back from a gap in England and try the same ‘trendy’ clothes here (I’m in QLD atm). Tight black pants and long sleeve flannel shirts. They have a great little time with their post modern clothes for about 1.5 hours until they hit a wall from heat exhaustion, and turn into little cranky bums that just want to sleep. Point is, they are not dressed for the climate (avg. 34’C and f’n humid). Which is a little different to balmy old England.

While I agree that there has been some form of selective pressure on beer in this country resulting in pale, australian lagers becoming extremely popular in all their guises (from VB to James Boag’s Premium), I do not entirely agree that it is the result of our climate. Similar pale lagers have become equally popular in virtually every beer-drinking country in the world regardless of the diversity in world climate. Canberra has regularly cold winters and yet people still drink lager here, similarly, the UK’s most popular beers are Carling, Stella, Foster’s and Carlsberg; all pale lagers served cold. I think it is more to do with a culture of drinking huge amounts of light, tasteless* swill specifically designed to allow you to drink litres and litres of it without feeling overwhelmed.

But fear not! While pale, tasteless* lagers make up 95% (or thereabouts) on beers consumed in the US the big-flavoured craft beer is the fastest growing market in America’s liquor industry (around 1500 microbreweries at last count). The Australian craft-beer industry has experienced similar growth in the last few years which means that while it may still be difficult to convince some that an icy-cold XXXX isn’t the only beer that is best on a hot Brisvegas day there are more and more people trying big, zesty, hoppy IPAs or darker brews even throughout summer. Plonk’s biggest-selling Aussie beer is White Rabbit Dark Ale; a Victorian beer sort of modelled on Newcastle Brown Ale. Fosters and Lion Nathan have taken heed by introducing their own “premium/boutique beers” with beers like Fat Yak (although, they’re still don’t quite get it, are not willing to take any risks and are making them a little dumbed down in flavour).

There are so many new, fanstastic Aussie breweries out there with the balls to produce beers that they like drinking and for this reason we have some of the best beer in the world – you just have to seek it out a bit.

And, if you believe (and everyone is entitled to their own opinion on this) that the best style of beer in the world is an australia lager, made with high alpha acid bittering hops like Pride of Ringwood and created to be very dry and very light in body, then no matter which way you look at it Australia does have the best beer in the world and lots of it.

I have no opinion on recently-returned youths and their skinny black jeans.

Drink less, drink better.

DR

*I recognise that “fairly-tasteless” is a subjective descripter here

Little Creatures Pale Ale is and outstanding brew. If you haven’t tried it, do yourself a favour and buy a 6 pack today. If the citrousy / flowery aroma doesn’t get you, the grapefruitesque/citrus bitterness will.

Outstanding.

“Australia may have best beer in the world but it certainly could do better when it comes to where you drink it. Thanks Hotels Association.”

Best beer is in England.

Full stop.

Beers are brewed for a climate; either by process of (batch) elimination, by the drinkers, or the the climate is actively taken into account during produce sourcing, recipe formulation or brewing.

Take a lot of the boutique beers DanRayner suggested; are good for tasting, drinking and getting drunk on but may not necessarily match the climate. There is good reason why pubs don’t have many ales and stouts on draught in pubs in hot climates, for example. They are predominantly lagers and the hotter you get, tend to have less alcohol. This is more typical of Aus; I never thought I would drink XXXX gold, however after spending a while up north, found myself drinking it quite a bit.

To analogise: A lot of young Aussies are recently coming back from a gap in England and try the same ‘trendy’ clothes here (I’m in QLD atm). Tight black pants and long sleeve flannel shirts. They have a great little time with their post modern clothes for about 1.5 hours until they hit a wall from heat exhaustion, and turn into little cranky bums that just want to sleep. Point is, they are not dressed for the climate (avg. 34’C and f’n humid). Which is a little different to balmy old England.

On a side note. Beejay76 you mention in your OP, “We have the War Memorial to recognise our warrior culture”…

Isn’t it’s role more to commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australian (et al) men and women during times of war and peace keeping?

As for the pub part, am I right in thinking that there are some ‘rioters’ who would like to see a good old fashioned English country pub in the youngest Australian city?…Riiiiiiiight!

It is good to have schools, shops, and transport in (generally) decent walking distance though, right? And being able to jump on the pushie or into the car to get to whatever you want outside of that without as much hassle as the bigger cities is tops! As clichéd as it may be, it’s “swings and roundabouts”.

Deckard said :

peder said :

Australia may have best beer in the world but it certainly could do better when it comes to where you drink it. Thanks Hotels Association.

Best beer in the world??? Serious??

Absolutely some of the best beer in the world, some of my favourites:

Wig & Pen
Zierholz
Little Creatures Pale Ale (WA)
Holgate Brewery (Vic)
Bridge Road Brewers Robust Porter (Vic)
Stone & Wood Draught Ale (Byron Bay)
White Rabbit Dark Ale (Vic)
Jamieson “The Beast” IPA (Vic)
Mountain Goat Steam Ale (Vic)
BrewBoys Seeing Double (SA)
Lobethal Bierhaus (SA)
Murray’s Brewery Icon 2IPA (Pt Stephens)
Wicked Elf Pilsner (Pt Macquarie)
Moo Brew Pale Ale (Tassie)
Readoak (Sydney)
Red Duck Porter (Vic)
Lord Nelson Nelson’s Blood Stout (Sydney)
Feral Hop Hog IPA (WA)
I could go on but I have to get to the Wig for a beer!

Many of these beers are available in most cities and they could be in most IGAs here in Canberra but you (yes, I’m talking to you, dear reader) just have to stop drinking VB to notice them.

Edgars at Ainslie shops is pretty bloody awesome for a wine or beer and tapas type food as well as a decent selection of mains and specials. They are cheese experts too – YUM! They have just done some reno’s but it is still comfy and un-airportlike. The music is varied and not bad at all, no pokies, several tvs so you don’t miss out on sport (they are muted tho), and/or the video clipsof what you are watchign will be displayed. Overall my current fave. do a great coffee and muffin too.

Then there is All Bar Nun at o’connor, with a similar feel except on Friday evening when it is full of young public service try hards.

The there is Tilley’s at Turner. Gay friendly is a must, but great atmosphere, great food, great bands.

Now I know these aren’t exact;y in your neck of the woods, but it isn’t far and a taxi fare home isn’t extraordinary. Go give them a shot.

peder said :

Australia may have best beer in the world but it certainly could do better when it comes to where you drink it. Thanks Hotels Association.

Best beer in the world??? Serious??

I agree with most things the OP says.

However, I take issue with his statement that clubs are bland.

The Labor Club at the Charnwood shops has a vibe that only a place with a beer garden enclosed by a giant cage can have.

As for the courteous drivers… Some out-of-town friends arrived on my doorstep yesterday with the opening comment, “What the hell is with the drivers in this city?”

As far as pubs… Kingston Hotel is pretty good. Even sitting in the beer garden of King O’Malleys can be a decent way to wile away a Sunday afternoon. But yes… suburban ‘pubs’ are less common, but I think that’s true for the outer suburbs of most cities.

I don’t know how North you want your pub to be, but there’s always The Lighthouse. I wouldn’t recommend it most of the time, but it is there! There’s Ha Ha Bar for an inner city kind of feel. Or there’s always The PotBelly. I know there’s a tavern in Kippax too, although I’ve never been.

Clown Killer said :

For what it’s worth, I don’t much bother with the mocked up Irish/English wannabe establishments. Give me a decent Australian country pub anyday. One with a public bar, tiles on the walls, Resches on tap and where they call “Time please gentlemen” at the end of the night. There’s still a couple in Cooma, there’s one in Berridale and one in Batlow (from memory).

Yep. +1 on this call.

Clown Killer6:41 pm 22 Oct 10

For what it’s worth, I don’t much bother with the mocked up Irish/English wannabe establishments. Give me a decent Australian country pub anyday. One with a public bar, tiles on the walls, Resches on tap and where they call “Time please gentlemen” at the end of the night. There’s still a couple in Cooma, there’s one in Berridale and one in Batlow (from memory).

Pommy bastard5:48 pm 22 Oct 10

DanRayner said :

Wow! You look like George Clooney?! :O

I’ll have to keep an eye out for you next time I’m there!

In the right light I’d pass as him.
😉

peder said :

A real British pub doesn’t go round telling patrons that it’s last orders as the pub is closing at 10pm.

They did when I was there – (maybe not 10pm – 11pm was the usual) – but they absolutely had no qualms about telling you that it was “last drinks”, then “drinking-up time”, and then “ok, time to leave”. Some even had a bell they would ring loudly.

Now (2005?) they have changed the laws to allow pubs to stay open later but the majority of pubs in the UK still close at around 11pm.

Wig and Pen is great like many have said and there are a few other places in Canberra that are close to being like a good real British pub. But of course it isn’t. A real British pub doesn’t go round telling patrons that it’s last orders as the pub is closing at 10pm. It’s not just the wig and pen though. Other places can be as bad. When quiet they start putting chairs on the tables at 9pm just killing off any chance of an atmosphere in there.
There’s a few ok (and I mean ok) places that are close to being good pubs, wig and pen, edgars in Ainsle, and the Durham Arms in Kingston, but after a while you get a little tired of choosing between three bars in a city this size, and then when you do having to spend a lot of money on taxis going there.

It’s not just Canberra. I find most drinking venues in Sydney to be soulless gaming venues with a million plasma screen TVs on the wall – but of course there are exceptions. On a recent (and first) trip to Adelaide my faith in Australian drinking was restored on the number of really good pubs there.

Australia may have best beer in the world but it certainly could do better when it comes to where you drink it. Thanks Hotels Association.

Ahhh the drinking woes of Canberra, the youngun’s are drinking too much to often and the oldies can’t get enough of the good stuff at a good pub.

Pommy bastard said :

DanRayner said :

stuff

Wig and Pen does serve some fine ales, which would hold their own in an English pub. I do find they serve them slightly, very slightly, too cold for my tastes.

However the W&P looks about as much like a proper pub as I look like George Clooney.

Wow! You look like George Clooney?! :O I’ll have to keep an eye out for you next time I’m there!

You are right, it isn’t quite like the real thing. And I can understand how you might feel the beers are a little cool – but I guess they have to make that fine balance between trying to get it just right for the (ex)brits while not alienating any potential newly ex-VB drinkers (hmmm… ok, maybe I mean ex-Cascade drinkers).

But I LOVE the Wig & Pen Pale and pretty much anything hand-pumped through the hopinator

I let mine warm up a little – summer’s on the way!

shadow boxer3:10 pm 22 Oct 10

I guess it kind of counts but isn’t that more like overflow space for the smokers. It’s not really like a sydney pub beer garden.

There’s one at the ACT Leagues club in Braddon as well, The Lakes in Gungahlin ahd one but nobody used it.

The George Harcourt is nice, even if it lost a little bit of what I loved with its recent renovations.

kambahkrawler said :

Whilst everyone is on the subject of missing English pubs (OK, I’ll “go home then”) why does Australia not have any decent country pubs?

Is there a country town around here without a pub? They might not be what they used to be, but they sure are there. Just try driving to Broken Hill and having a schooner in each pub you pass….

shadow boxer2:56 pm 22 Oct 10

Lots of people have tried the beer garden concept in Canberra, it just doesn’t work

Have you tried the old canberra inn BeeJay76 ?

ummm… King O’Malleys?

Pommy bastard2:47 pm 22 Oct 10

DanRayner said :

Wig & Pen Brewery. Maybe not a “real British pub” but it sure looks like one and it has 3 or 4 real ales on tap at any one time that are by all accounts (*pauses for effect*) better than many real ales in the UK (*winces and waits for retribution…*)

🙂

Wig and Pen does serve some fine ales, which would hold their own in an English pub. I do find they serve them slightly, very slightly, too cold for my tastes.

However the W&P looks about as much like a proper pub as I look like George Clooney.

main reason no pubs in canberra; no corners… 😉

i had a friend once years ago rode his bike home from turner to downer, after a big session, saw him next day black eye, cuts bruises… what happened? i crashed into the tree in my front yard… dangerous, dat drink n ridin’

Kerryhemsley2:35 pm 22 Oct 10

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

In Sydney…they can always walk to the pub afterwards to recuperate

Oh, bullsh*t. The nearest ‘pub’ to my brother’s house in Sydney is almost 5km away, and it looks exactly like every club in Canberra.

I am pretty sure Beejay76 is talking about the inner suburbs of Sydney not the outer burbs which do have some similarities to Canberra’s suburbs

kambahkrawler said :

saying things

Have you ever been in the country or are you just taking the piss? (pun intended)

wanniassa tavern is the hub for primordial bogans

kambahkrawler said :

Whilst everyone is on the subject of missing English pubs (OK, I’ll “go home then”) why does Australia not have any decent country pubs?

In the balmy English summer there’s nothing nicer than driving out to a small Sussex village, spending an hour trying to find a car park then enjoying a Ploughmans with an ale in a pleasant beer garden, surrounded by the heady smells of honeysuckle, grass and cowshit, watching a group of leathered (and lathered) hairy bikers chortling away to themselves in one corner, and the London chavs down for the day in another, and then proudly revealing your “pommie tan” in the bathroom that night as you look forward to your hot (once a week) shower.

Sigh.

Briars of Bowral is a classic example of exactly this sort of pub. And, unlike in the UK, you can have a lovely, sunny, outdoor Sunday roast lunch most months of the year without it drizzling on you. 😛

Alternatively, a bit closer to home: Gundaroo Colonial Inn, Carrington @ Bungendore, Grazing @ The Royal in Gundaroo (a bit more up-market) are all nice

A bit further afield counter-lunches (eaten outside) at pubs at Braidwood, Gundagai, Central Tilba etc.

Even further still, Beechworth seems to be comprised mostly of the sorts of places you are referring to.

kambahkrawler1:42 pm 22 Oct 10

Whilst everyone is on the subject of missing English pubs (OK, I’ll “go home then”) why does Australia not have any decent country pubs?

In the balmy English summer there’s nothing nicer than driving out to a small Sussex village, spending an hour trying to find a car park then enjoying a Ploughmans with an ale in a pleasant beer garden, surrounded by the heady smells of honeysuckle, grass and cowshit, watching a group of leathered (and lathered) hairy bikers chortling away to themselves in one corner, and the London chavs down for the day in another, and then proudly revealing your “pommie tan” in the bathroom that night as you look forward to your hot (once a week) shower.

Sigh.

Liquor licencing and the Hotels Association conspire to produce horrendous drinking and gaming barns rather than nice little boozers.

Brindabella said :

Who’s looking after the drinking here in Canberra?

Colin at the homebrew shop at the Kambah shops is, that’s who.

Awesome shop, great advice and the best beer…

Buy some fresh wort off him today!

Go Colin.
Go homebrewers!

Go Canberra Brewers Club (www.canberrabrewers.org)

+1

I drink some of my favourite beers right here at home 🙂

Sorry for the multiple posts

Pommy bastard said :

Especially if you are used to good British ales, in real British pubs…

Wig & Pen Brewery. Maybe not a “real British pub” but it sure looks like one and it has 3 or 4 real ales on tap at any one time that are by all accounts (*pauses for effect*) better than many real ales in the UK (*winces and waits for retribution…*)

🙂

EDIT: Sadly, I did puncture one of the cans still in my backpack during one of the falls.

Good post Beejay76 – I do agree with you that it is a shame you can’t just pop down the road for a cheeky half. Places like London pretty much have a pub on every corner!

Most “pubs” in Australia were established when there were laws restricting the sale of alcohol to places that offered accommodation, these laws were established well before the end of the 19th century (http://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00727b.htm).

Due to it only being established in the first half of last century, Canberra it seems had avoided these laws and as a consequence only has one or two “real pubs” (Olims and the Kingston Hotel being obvious examples). And we really only got going as a city after the 1950’s. Show me a good example of a “real pub” in Sydney or Melbourne that was established after 1960 and I’ll take it all back.

Anyhoo, if you’re just after somewhere to drink, then that’s different. There are quite a number of centralised bars and community clubs (you got the Raiders Club in your region).

Having a city where things are “easy to get to. Perhaps a bus ride or a short drive. Even the drive isn’t stressful” or having the ability to spend “a lot of time on the fabulous network of cycling/ running tracks around town” is the upside to having such low-density, spread-out suburbs that drinking holes aren’t within walking distance.

But you should open a pub. I’ll go.

johnboy said :

or buy a bike.

I’ve got two bikes – one very old BMX and a nice shiny new dirt jumper. I did actually get on the BMX after a late night at a friends place and managed to come off a solid 4 times, including once into (and almost through) someone’s colourbond fence!

Luckily (and I assume the same is true for drunk drivers who walk away from collisions without a scratch) my relaxed state (and a vast amount of luck) prevented me from doing ANY damage to myself at all.

Also, further to Teddyhb’s post, I’m pretty sure that was illegal and I don’t plan on doing it again.

Pommy bastard1:11 pm 22 Oct 10

Have to agree with the original post. Canberra is a fantastic place, but in terms of beer drinking, it’s the pits. Especially if you are used to good British ales, in real British pubs…

johnboy said :

or buy a bike.

Isnt it illegal to drink and ride. If not it sure is dangerous, I have seen some very nasty wounds from drunk riding accidents

Who’s looking after the drinking here in Canberra?

Colin at the homebrew shop at the Kambah shops is, that’s who.

Awesome shop, great advice and the best beer…

Buy some fresh wort off him today!

Go Colin.
Go homebrewers!

Jungle Jim said :

I can just imagine the trouble I could get into walking from the Wanniassa Tavern, across the ovals and down Wheeler Crescent after a skin-ful late one night.

Speaking of trouble, the local pub in my suburb is located near my house, in a small shopping complex directly opposite a primary school. The number of patrons I see driving away from said pub in a questionable state is pretty alarming.

Jungle Jim said :

I can just imagine the trouble I could get into walking from the Wanniassa Tavern, across the ovals and down Wheeler Crescent after a skin-ful late one night.

I’d be more worried about what’s going to happen to you inside the Wanni Tav rather than when you leave.

Try living in Tuggers – we have pretty much nothing here. Least northsiders have the city and dickson.

That’s no guarantee – you can get DUI on a bike.

You can be done for speeding on a bike too.

Completely agree. Has to do with architecture, urban sprawl and clubs, in my opinion. We don’t have those big old buildings, like most other capitals, where you’re likely to find a charming old pub.

Suburbs are too thinly populated for a pub on every corner. And if there is a small venue in your suburb it’s likely to be part of the the Southern Cross Club, Vikings etc. They own just about everything in Canberra and just aren’t my kind of place.

Surprised nobody has mentioned the Wig and Pen. While I generally think it’s a good thing we have a boutique venue making their own beer etc, it’s a dingy little place, staffed by wankers. I took a friend there, who copped foul-mouthed abuse from the barman for saying he usually drank VB. Don’t upset the delicate genius and his superior product!

But, yeah. +1 to pokies preventing/killing any good pub atmosphere.

I’ve been breath tested on a push bike… He wanted to take me in! “Straight home young man, and leave the bike where you found it.”

Yeah we have taverns and inns but no pubs. I suspect this harks back to Canberra’s early days when it was a dry town?

you don’t know the wig and pen, then? superb beers, all made in the shop – mmmmm…

Holden Caulfield11:50 am 22 Oct 10

I liked this bit the best… “ACT drivers are courteous and sensible, as a rule.”

Seems to be in contrast with the popular view on RA!

johnboy said :

or buy a bike.

Drunk riding is dangerous and, if done on a public street, as illegal as drunk driving. Better to walk.

Woody Mann-Caruso11:37 am 22 Oct 10

In Sydney…they can always walk to the pub afterwards to recuperate

Oh, bullsh*t. The nearest ‘pub’ to my brother’s house in Sydney is almost 5km away, and it looks exactly like every club in Canberra.

The problem is Canberra’s suburban layout. There’s a local tavern in Wanniassa and while it doesn’t have a real ‘pub’ feel, it’s still a local suburban watering hole. Only thing is, for most Wanniassans, it’s well out of walking distance.

I can just imagine the trouble I could get into walking from the Wanniassa Tavern, across the ovals and down Wheeler Crescent after a skin-ful late one night.

I guess that, in Canberra, if you want to be able to walk to a local watering hole, you need to take that into account when you’re buying a property.

Maybe instead of complaining about a lack of drinking establishments particularly in Gungahlin, as so many on this site have, they should recognise there’s a gap in the market and do something about it. Just a thought….

neanderthalsis10:19 am 22 Oct 10

Having grown up in a town where there are 22 pubs within 1km of the town centre, I am inclined to agree. We do have some hidden gems that almost fit the pub mould, and a few “bars” hidden in strip shops but not the abundance of drinking establishments evident in other cities.

Good luck with vomit coloured carpet. Unfortunately that seems to have be being phased out of Canberra’s pubs as new/renovated pubs tend to be ‘airport-chic’. O’Neils in Dickson is ok, kinda like going to the Whitewood Warehouse for a beer.

There’s the George Harcourt, and I think there is still a pub at Goldcreek Village ?
Thats pretty close by to Gungahlin, maybe a lenghty stagger though …
You may need a designated driver .

No pokies is a good thing 🙂
There should be more of it .

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