A question for the Canberrians

[esie]

Jeff and I are starting to talk seriously about a move to Canberra. I have been offered a job in my speciality at a Canberra hospital, and they will contribute to moving costs. Jeff will get a good payout when he leaves his job here, and he is a programmer, so we can't imagine he will have too many problems getting a job. However, we are stsarting to think about living costs, and other expenses. The rent we would receive for our house here would just aboout cover our mortgage paymennts, but I am aware that rent in Canberra is quite expensive. Friends lived in Greenway (Tuggeranong) for a while before buying in a townhouse across the way from Westfield , and were paying $500 a week rent, is rent still about the same? Also, commuting costs are another thought. Currently, I commute in the car and Jeff commutes on his bike. Given that the winters in Canberra are a hell of a lot colder than here, do many people commute on bikes in Winter? Are we better off buying a second small car? Any other thoughts or suggestions?

[StevieD]

Have a look at http://www.allhomes.com.au for some ideas of where to rent and the prices, it can be pricey but that all depends on where you want to live! I commute to and from work in the colder months (and ride the countryside as well), I'm rugged up so the cold chill doesn't get thru, heated hand grips are a great idea, mainly the die hards do it during the cold cold cold months, but I drive into work when there's a possibilty of ice on the roads but luckily haven't had a problem yet. Hope I've answered some things

[Gosling1]

I commute all winter on the bike mate, its not as bad as people make it out to be. Last year, there were a total of 3 days where my fingers got cold inside the winter gloves. That is on a 20-minute commute. Heated grips are popular with the girls, more important are things like a good balaclava and a neck-sock. I am still commuting in the MotoLegion kevlar-lined jeans at the moment, it is not cold enough to wear my winter duds that have thermal lining.

Rents vary a lot across the place, it all depends on where you move to and how big the house is. Units & townhouses in some areas have issues with bike theft, despite so-called 'secure' car-parking. I would recommend getting a house with a lock-up garage if you can.

[jonoZRX]

I commute all winter on the bike mate, its not as bad as people make it out to be

+1, I did it for a year and had no problems - I wore summer gloves with thin liners all through winter. Also Gos is really old, so if he can manage it...

Have a look at http://www.allhomes.com.au

+1 on this too - it will give you a good idea of what is available and what you'll be paying.

[MickLC]

If you're going to be working at the Canberra Hospital you may want to consider commuting on your bike, the parking situation is going to be pretty dire for the next 12-18 months at least.

[macca]

I commute year round and sometimes yeh its cold - but the average commute is like 30mins tops, so your just starting to feel it when you get there anyway - that said I could probably not be as lazy and wear proper winter gear on the bike and have no issues at all

As others have said rents vary depending on area - Northsiiiiiiide FTW

[Mike]

I commuted for the best part of 18 months on a bike. Going from about as far North as you can right to the very bottom south corner. Took me 30 mins and once I had proper winter gloves the cold wasn't an issue.

[dub]

It may get cold, but its rarely wet in comparison with Sydney.

[ttc]

Anne, it gets really, really cold in Canberra.
Like 1 deg minimum, depends if you like the cold or not?

[esie]

Well, I like the cold, but Jeff reckons that is because Brisbane is only cold for two weeks We have been to Melbourne and Canberra in winter, and I know it is bloody freezing! Having said that, I haven't been having to get up to go to work, holidays means that you can lie in a snuggly warm bed. Our close friends live in Pearce in Woden, so I would expect that we would settle somewhere around there. Yes I would be working at a major Canberra Hospital on the southside, so hopefully Jeff would get work somewhere around the southside also. Why the parking issues, Mick? Is the hospital a construction zone? Having said that, I rarely commute on my bike here, as we have a lease on the car and have to do 15K kms each year.

Any other thoughts, anyone?

[Gosling1]

1deg ?? that's not cold mate... Besides, it's only that low right in the dead of winter, for a short period. The temps here over the years have become a lot milder than they used to be.......its actually colder in Glen Innes for mean winter temps than it is here.

Today for example - 22deg and perfect autumn sunshine..... mmmmm noice.

[MickLC]

...Why the parking issues, Mick? Is the hospital a construction zone? ...

Yep, major construction going on and to come as well. They are building a big multi-level carpark where the old one was and got knocked down, but that's at least 12 months off completion, in the meantime they are going to start construction of the new mental health facility on the one remaining large on-site carpark, followed by a new women's and children's on the other carpark. As a result, patient parking moves across the road to where the staff are currently parking, so they are wanting staff to park on the streets of Garran until the multi-level is complete.

It's going to be interesting...

[Gosling1]

... Having said that, I rarely commute on my bike here, as we have a lease on the car and have to do 15K kms each year......

If you move to the Pearce/Woden area, you will struggle to get 5000km up each year via commuting. Those suburbs are less than 3km from the hospital. If you go a bit further south......to *The Valley* - maybe a 15km each-way commute 'max'.

A few trips back up to Qld will be needed methinks.....

and the parking at the Hospital is a total joke, and only going to get worse. The proposed 'visitors' car-park is across a busy 4-lane section of local road, pedestrian access via 1 set of traffic lights. I am still amazed that the hospital management expect staff to park in the streets of local suburbs !! Hope no young kids get mown down by cranky staff looking to grab a spot nearby to work !!! What about the scooter-trash Mick, surely you guys have a spot on the hospital grounds ??

[MickLC]

... What about the scooter-trash Mick, surely you guys have a spot on the hospital grounds ??

Yeah, but I had to get up them about it after one of the inspectors left notes (luckily not tickets) on bikes not parked in "designated parking spaces". Luckily the guys in charge of parking are pretty cool about it all, I think they are trying to deal with the crap decisions made by whoever is running the infrastructure upgrade projects in whatever way they can. There's currently two areas for bikes to park, one official and one "tolerated" until they setup some more spaces some time down the line. The official spot is going to get remarked soon so it's better set out.

It won't matter to me for too much longer as they are moving us over to Woden soon, so I'll be fighting for spots in the bike parking over there.

And Esie, Gos is right about the suburbs. I live in Gowrie in Tuggeranong and it's 10km and takes me about 15-20 minutes to get to and from work with the "peak hour" traffic, so you can't really go too far wrong if you stay south.

[mike-s]

"peak hour" in Canberra, that still only 15 minutes long?