Lifestyle, price trends & local favourites by Greg Amos
Latham is a well-established suburb in the Belconnen district of Canberra, an attractive option for families looking for a leafy, peaceful lifestyle that still has the benefit of being close to the city. With an easy 15-minute bike ride (4km), Belconnen CBD offers everything you could want in a modern city centre with several schools, Canberra University, Westfield Shopping Centre, restaurants, cafés and of course the lovely Lake Ginninderra with all of its paths, parks and playgrounds to explore.
The Latham community enjoys a local primary school, neighbourhood oval and several children's playgrounds. The beautiful Ginninderra Creek runs through Latham, and there are large, open areas of grassland adjacent, such as the Umbagong district park, which offer soothing views of the district’s waterways, great picnic areas and walking paths. Latham has its own small, local shops located on the corner of Wanliss Street and Dalley Crescent, where residents can buy fresh produce daily, as well as groceries. The larger shopping precincts of Kippax, Florey, Hawker and Belconnen are also just a short drive away.
Latham is named after John Latham, who was the Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1935 to 1952. The streets in Latham have also been named in honour of Australian Judges. The suburb is bordered by Charnwood, Flynn, Florey, Higgins, Holt and Macgregor.