The ACT includes a large amount of rural and non-urban land mass. These areas are important because they can provide:
- space for agriculture and for growing food
- habitats for the territory’s flora and fauna
- specific economic benefits from related industries like farm-based tourism.
The ACT District Strategies plan for future growth and transformation across most of the urban areas in Canberra. However, there are other government projects that are ongoing in rural or non-urban parts of the territory. The strategies also contain an objective to “support a more sustainable city by encouraging local food production including community gardens.”
Some non-urban areas may be currently, or in the future, investigated to help the need for housing across Canberra. But it is still important to make sure Canberra remains a city with a landscape and has a growing agriculture industry. Not all non-urban areas will be possible for future growth for housing and other related uses. This might be due to the location, the environmental significance of an area or because it is not suitable for development – such as infrastructure constraints.
Current active projects in non-urban areas
The ACT Government has identified parts of the eastern side of the ACT, known as Eastern Broadacre, as a potential future employment, industrial and related uses corridor. The Eastern Broadacre area extends from the Majura Valley to Hume and includes part of Symonston and the Jerrabomberra Valley.
The ACT Government is investigating land to the west of Canberra's metropolitan area as we continue to plan for our city's future.
The ACT Government is calling for expressions of interest for new members to join the Place Names Advisory Committee.
