Canberra Living Guide for ANU Students · Transport, Housing, and Daily Life

Canberra is a planned city — designed by Walter Burley Griffin in 1913 — and is consistently ranked among the world’s most liveable cities. For students, it offers a safe, green, and navigable environment with lower living costs than Sydney or Melbourne.

Public Transport

Buses: Transport Canberra operates the bus network. Key route: the R2/R4 routes run along Northbourne Avenue, connecting Dickson, City, and ANU with Woden, Belconnen, and Gungahlin. Students should get a MyWay card for 50% concession fares.

Light rail: The first stage (Gungahlin to City) is operational. Extension to Woden (passing through the parliamentary triangle) is under construction (expected 2027–2028).

Cycling: Canberra has excellent cycling infrastructure — separated bike paths connect ANU to all major suburbs. The campus is flat and bike-friendly.

Walking: The campus is compact. Most residential colleges, Academic buildings, and the city centre are within a 15-minute walk of each other.

Student Suburbs

  • Turner: 5 min walk · $240–300
  • Braddon: 10 min walk · $230–290
  • Acton: On campus · Campus accommodation
  • O’Connor: 10 min walk · $220–280
  • Reid: 10 min walk · $230–280
  • Belconnen: 15 min bus · $180–230
  • Dickson: 20 min walk/5 min bus · $190–250

Turner and Braddon are the most popular and most expensive — closest to campus and to Braddon’s restaurant/bar strip.

Groceries

  • ANU campus: Daily Market (convenience store, Union Court)
  • Canberra Centre: Coles + Aldi (10 min walk from campus)
  • Dickson: Woolworths + Asian groceries (Dickson is Canberra’s Chinatown)
  • Farmers markets: EPIC Farmers Market (Saturday mornings), Capital Region Farmers Market

Getting a Part-Time Job

Canberra’s job market is government-dominated, which means fewer retail/hospitality jobs than in tourist cities. However, ANU students have access to:

  • ANU Careers casual job board: On-campus hospitality, admin, tutoring
  • Hospitality in Braddon/Civic: Cafés, bars, restaurants
  • Tutoring: High school and university tutoring (ANU students are in demand)
  • Seasonal work: Summer internships in government departments and agencies (apply through the ANU Australian National Internships Program)

Minimum wage in Australia as of 2026 is approximately A$24/hour (national minimum wage, indexed). International students can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during semester and unlimited hours during holidays.