For people in AU (about Canberra)

Triathlon Forum
1

Hello everyone! First, I would like to say that I’m always reading the posts here and I love this forum. I learned so much from all you guys.

I started training for triathlons this year and I’m really enjoying. However, my husband got a job in Canberra (AU) and we are still deciding if we should go or not. One of the points I’m considering is the weather and the options to train over there (swimming and riding specially)… Does anyone live in this area and can give me some advice? Is it too cold during the winter? Is there clubs for swimming and riding? Is there races over there? Sorry about my ignorance… I heard it’s a small city, so I’m worried about it…

*btw, I’m currently living in South Maryland (not with a very tri-friendly weather) :))

Thanks :)))

2

I don’t live there or know much about it, but Canberra is hosting the 2006 LC Worlds in December, so there definitely is some racing down there.

3

Thanks. I saw some websites what mountain biking in there and it seems interesting. Does anyone know if it snows in the winter (or if it is too cold)? :slight_smile:

4

Cold in winter very hot in summer. It doesn’t snow (occasionally a lit bit) but it’s not far off it. Great place to train. The Austalian Institute of Sport is based there.

5

here’s a link to some tri clubs in canberra

http://www.triathlon.org.au/LinkDetails.aspx?LinkCategoryID=10
.

6

Canberra is a good place to train. Although I dont live there, I have been there for races and taining many times.
Its the Capital of Australia, so by no means lacks facilities. And yes there is a great club, which Simon Thompson (Olympian) is a mmember of and is very active. (Tridents Triathlon team)

Has great mountain bike courses around Black mountain lots of National parks all around canberra, loads of quiet roads and plenty of climbs for raod riding. some of the best bike and running paths around the massive lake (burley griffen) in central canberra which the city is based around.

Yes its not large and probably more equivelent to your Nth American country town, but its a nice place. Does get hot in summer, 35+ degrees and some days over 40degrees, and winter, will get cold, often down to 2-3 degrees in morning, but plesant days and not heaps of rain, winter day temp around 13-18degrees.

Hosts one of Australias best 1/2 ironman races, and lots of olympic and sprint races as well.

I recon it would be a super move, at least for a few years. No better place to live than AUstralia.

7

I grew up there, and moved to Melbourne about 7 years ago.

Canberra has a lot going for it. It is generally dry, and when it rains, it rains properly rather than some pathetic drizzle. Summers are dry and hot, with little humidity, Winters are pretty cold (by AU standards), but generally dry.

There are great facilities for training - plenty of pools, trails, and long rides to be had. And the AIS.

The traffic is generally quiet (by city standards) and only 10k away from the city you are in the bush, in quiet country roads. Bear in mind, that CBR only has 300,000 odd people.

All in all, it is a great temperate training environment. Simon Thompson lives there.

On the down side, there are an amazing number of magpies in CBR, and in spring you sometimes get swooped many times in long country rides. If that doesn’t bother you, that’s fine. It bothers me.

Canberra gets maligned for having no soul by outsiders, but obviously as they are not locals and are unused to a city that didn’t spring up of its own accord, they don’t understand a planned city.

I love Canberra, it’s a great place to live and train. The only thing stopping me is my ex moved backthere, and 300,000 people means I would run into her, and I don’t need the grief.

8

Thanks!! I was looking at some averages in the yahoo weather and it does not look so cold in the winter. It says the average is 11C. Maybe cold for AU standards :slight_smile: but it is a nice day of spring here in Md.

:))

9

Thanks for the information. I’m getting really excited about it. Btw, what about crime/security over there? Is it a issue? Around here I can’t run in the evenings (may be danger) and I also don’t like to go in desert places…

Thanks :))

10

Thanks!!! I’m very happy for the information you guys gave me!! I really appreciate :))) Btw, are the Australian people friendly to foreigners?

11

11 degrees is probably the middle of the day. It will be zero at night. Yes it’s safe and aussies are always friendly.

12

**Btw, are the Australian people friendly to foreigners? **

Yes, except Americans. Just joking!

But jeez, those damn Kiwi’s!

Aloha
Mark “Hairy Legs”
AUSSIE living in HAWAII

13

Fella, I sent you a private message. All the Aussie tri information you could want is in there.

Cheers

Camel

14

Thanks!!! Thanks everyone for all the amazing replies!!

15

Hi

Sorry for hijacking but I´m kind of in the same situation but I´ll be moving to Melbourne instead. Could you give me an insight of the city since you said you moved there 7 years ago. How´s life in general, the tri scene, training facilities, etc.

Thanks!

16

Read Bill Bryson’s “In A Sunburned Country” - I read it on a recommendation during the flight from LA to Australia for my Honeymoon and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. LOL Australian travel book. Loved AUS - can’t wait to go back.

Mrs. Rubberchicken

17

Btw, do you guys have any pictures from there? lakes, beaches, etc? I want to show the rest of my family, but I didn’t find anyone good
in google :)))

18

try searching for canberra photos you’ll find heaps.

Better still use google earth. To find Canberra look half way between sydney and melbourne. It’s the high definition area in between them. you should zoom in straight above the parliment house and lake burley griffin.

cheers

19

Hi jjhbgcd, got your PM.

No beaches because it’s inland, but there’s the main lake where they hold the Canberra Half Ironman every year in November.

http://archive.x-tri.com.au/canberra/

The tri-scene is very good there apparently, lots of great places to ride and run too.

As per your PM, for cost of living and wage info, not sure where to find this. Maybe the Australian Bureau of Statistics ?

http://www.abs.gov.au/

Not sure if it’s got this info, I had a quick look but it’s running pretty slowly. I think for Canberra, you can probably expect to earn 80-90% of what you can earn in Sydney (maybe?) and cost of living (especially rent) is likely to be similarly less.

There’s lots of people in your field on the Transitions website, post the specific questions to them there because I’m not sure what the market is like. Hopefully they can help.

Cheers

Cam

20

Hi, I live in Switzerland, but my wife is a canberran. I’ve been there a few times, the longest stay being 6 months. I took my bike with me on that trip.

Best conditions I ever had for swim training, by far. The AIS was 5 minutes down the road from where I stayed. You can swim in the next lane to the AIS pro squad. Amazing to see them swim so beautifully.

Plenty of trails for running. Good conditions there.

Cycling : the best in Australia, from numerous acconts I had from friends living and training in Canberra but also in Melbourne or Sydney. This said, in general, cycling in Australia is dangerous and 100 times worse than in Switzerland where I have plenty of options and can do a different ride every day of the year if I want. In Canberra, you have a few great rides in the outback in direction of Cotter for example, but you end up doing the same rides over and over a lot.

Good triathlon community though, with 4 or 5 clubs. One club is for Females only.