geese, untamed beaches, sapphire waters and endless horizons.
But that's where it ended. There was nothing else. There was no work, outsiders are treated with suspicion, ignorance is entrenched. The locals are limited in their knowledge and are not interested in extending it. I was lucky enough to find work in one of the government departments but after 4 years I was still treated like an outsider and never allowed to know the real workings of the department. Eyes would follow me as I walked around but all were on the computer when I turned to face them. It was like something out of a B-grade movie. Others who had made the move from the city expressed the same feelings.
We moved to Coffs because it had all the right infrastructure and we thought it would be a go-ahead town. We were wrong. It seemed to be going nowhere. So we had to sit down and make a decision. Do we continue to stay here and knock our heads against a brick wall or do we move on and if so, where to? Certainly not back to Sydney.
It didn't take long to figure out Canberra was the place to be. It had everything - jobs, affordable housing, lifestyle, proximity to other cities and to the coast, whilst still retaining a country atmosphere
We arrived in October 2006 and have continued to be surprised by Canberra ever since. The old impression of boring government buildings and boring government workers has been quickly replaced by vistas of parks and gardens, fabulous cafes and restaurants, a magnificent lake with beach and yacht clubs, an educated population, and an endless array of cultural activities. We have found the people of Canberra to be very welcoming and endlessly polite when help is needed. Canberra is full of secret places that delight when discovered. It is multicultural in the full sense of the word, the shops are amazing and the people fascinating. We have been in a spin ever since we arrived; there has not been a boring moment.
But that's where it ended. There was nothing else. There was no work, outsiders are treated with suspicion, ignorance is entrenched. The locals are limited in their knowledge and are not interested in extending it. I was lucky enough to find work in one of the government departments but after 4 years I was still treated like an outsider and never allowed to know the real workings of the department. Eyes would follow me as I walked around but all were on the computer when I turned to face them. It was like something out of a B-grade movie. Others who had made the move from the city expressed the same feelings.
We moved to Coffs because it had all the right infrastructure and we thought it would be a go-ahead town. We were wrong. It seemed to be going nowhere. So we had to sit down and make a decision. Do we continue to stay here and knock our heads against a brick wall or do we move on and if so, where to? Certainly not back to Sydney.
It didn't take long to figure out Canberra was the place to be. It had everything - jobs, affordable housing, lifestyle, proximity to other cities and to the coast, whilst still retaining a country atmosphere
We arrived in October 2006 and have continued to be surprised by Canberra ever since. The old impression of boring government buildings and boring government workers has been quickly replaced by vistas of parks and gardens, fabulous cafes and restaurants, a magnificent lake with beach and yacht clubs, an educated population, and an endless array of cultural activities. We have found the people of Canberra to be very welcoming and endlessly polite when help is needed. Canberra is full of secret places that delight when discovered. It is multicultural in the full sense of the word, the shops are amazing and the people fascinating. We have been in a spin ever since we arrived; there has not been a boring moment.
Guest Column (. . . Cont'd )
I've hesitated to share my findings with the rest of the population because I think that Canberra must be one of the best kept secrets in Australia. However I'm so impressed by Canberra and Canberrans that I can't keep it to myself any longer. I want everyone to know about its beauty and fantastic lifestyle. Where a traffic jam is defined by 10 minutes of continual traffic, not 3 hours. Where everything is within a 20 minute drive and there is always parking when you arrive. We love it and it is now home.
Di
Fisher ACT
Di
Fisher ACT
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Dive In With Di
in future issues.