The Dickson Centre, located in the suburb of Dickson

Dickson, Australian Capital Territory

Dickson is a suburb in the Inner North of Canberra, Australia. It is named after Sir James Dickson who was a Queensland advocate of Australian Federation and one of the founders of the Australian Constitution...

, is a group centre in the inner northern

North Canberra

North Canberra, also known as the Inner North, is a district of Canberra, the capital city of Australia, comprising 14 suburbs with 19,115 dwellings housing 42,113 people of the 324,034 people in the Australian Capital Territory...

 suburbs of Canberra

Canberra

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...

.

The centre is the main commercial centre for the inner northern suburbs, after Civic, and is a significant site of employment. A range of businesses, services and community facilities are located there as well as a High School - Daramalan College.

Location

Dickson Centre is located 3km north of Civic along Northbourne Avenue at the northern end of the suburb of Dickson

Dickson, Australian Capital Territory

Dickson is a suburb in the Inner North of Canberra, Australia. It is named after Sir James Dickson who was a Queensland advocate of Australian Federation and one of the founders of the Australian Constitution...

. It lies on the southern side of Antill Street and is bounded on the eastern side by Cowper Street.

Description

Dickson Centre is the largest group centre in Canberra

Canberra

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. It is structured as an outdoor pedestrian area with a ‘village square’ feel, without a mall or arcades. There are a broad range of community facilities, restaurants, shops and offices.

The central area around Woolley Street is often referred to as Canberra's Chinatown

Chinatown

A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...

, though, it has diversified to include Indian, Ethiopian, Italian, Japanese and South-East Asian restaurants as well as Chinese restaurants and grocers.

Community facilities are primarily at the eastern end, and include: the post office, swimming pool, playing fields, community health clinic, gymnasium, church and an ACT Ambulance Service station, which serves the inner northern suburbs.

The western side, approaching Northbourne Avenue, has large offices, which include: Telstra

Telstra

Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....

’s regional headquarters; TransACT

TransACT

TransACT Capital Communications is an Australian telecommunications company based in Canberra which provides broadband internet access, fixed telephony, cable television services, and mobile phone services in Canberra and a subset of these services in Queanbeyan, throughout South-east New South...

; ACT Motor Registry; CanberraConnect; and the ACT Planning and Land Authority.

Other services include: a large newsagency, a health food shop, Jhay's shoe repairs, optometrist, a number of automotive repairers and small offices such as real estate agents and accountants. As well as representation from many of the major national and international brands and franchises, such as: Woolworths, McDonalds, Shell, Westpac, Ali Baba, KFC, Blockbuster Video, TurkOz and Dominoes Pizza.

Night venues include: Sub-Urban, a pub; Trinity, a cocktail bar; and The Tradies (The Dickson Tradesman's Union Club.)
Daytime meeting places and cafes include: Deli Marco, Sfoglia, Hudson's, Deek's

Robert de Castella

Robert Francois de Castella, MBE is an Australian former world champion marathon runner. He is widely known as "Deek" or "Deeks" to the Australian public, and "Tree" to his competitors due to his thick legs and inner calm...

, the Rainbow Hippie Place, Jumping Bean, Dickson Cakes, Elaine's Pies, TurkOz, Granny's Bakery and Dickson Library

Changes

The Dickson Centre Planning Project has been active since 2009, and remains open for community comment until 24 September 2010.

Transport

Dickson Centre is primarily accessed by car. It is located at the corner of two major roads - Antill Street and Northbourne Avenue. These streets also intersect with Mouat Street, a major route to suburbs in northern Belconnen

Belconnen

Belconnen is a district of Canberra, the capital city of Australia, comprising 25 suburbs with 29,900 dwellings housing 82,247 people of the 311,518 people in the Australian Capital Territory ....

.

The centre is well served by buses running along Northbourne Avenue to Belconnen and Gungahlin

Gungahlin

Gungahlin is a name of a district and the northernmost town centre of Canberra, Australia. Gungahlin is situated 10 km north of Canberra's city centre and is one of five satellites of Canberra including Woden, Tuggeranong, Weston Creek and Belconnen. Currently Gungahlin comprises 11 suburbs,...

. It is also served by the number 38 bus which travels to Hackett

Hackett, Australian Capital Territory

Hackett is an Inner North suburb of Canberra. It was named after Sir John Winthrop Hackett , who was a newspaper editor and worker for the Federation of Australia. Streets in Hackett are named after scientists....

, Watson

Watson, Australian Capital Territory

Watson is a suburb of Canberra, Australia in the North Canberra district. Watson is named after the third Prime Minister of Australia, John Christian Watson. The suburb name was gazetted on 7 April 1960. Streets in Watson are named after Australian judges and other legal professionals...

, Ainslie

Ainslie, Australian Capital Territory

Ainslie is a leafy suburb of Canberra, Australia in the North Canberra district.The suburb is bounded by Limestone Avenue and Majura Avenue to the west and north, Phillip Avenue to the north-east, Mount Ainslie to the east and Quick Street to the south.Ainslie is within walking distance of the...

, and Civic before travelling to Woden Town Centre

Woden Town Centre

Woden Town Centre is the main commercial centre of the district of Woden Valley in Canberra, Australia. It is located in the Canberra suburb of Phillip....

 via Narrabundah

Narrabundah, Australian Capital Territory

Narrabundah is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 'Narrabundah' is a Ngunnawal word meaning 'bird of prey', celebrated in the sculpture by Andy Townshend and Suzie Bleach, in the park opposite the main shops....

. Similarly, the 35 bus runs via Lyneham

Lyneham, Australian Capital Territory

Lyneham is a suburb of Canberra, Australia in the North Canberra district. It is named after Sir William Lyne, premier of the Australian state of New South Wales from 1899 to 1901. The suburb name was gazetted in 1928, but development did not commence until 1958. The streets of Lyneham are named...

, O'Connor

O'Connor, Australian Capital Territory

O'Connor is a suburb of Canberra, Australia in the North Canberra district. It was named after Richard Edward O'Connor , who was a judge in the High Court and a founder of the Australian constitution. Street names in O'Connor are named after explorers, Australian flora, legislators and pioneers...

 and Turner

Turner, Australian Capital Territory

Turner is a leafy early Canberra suburb, close to Canberra City and the Australian National University ....

 before heading to Civic and Narrabundah

Narrabundah, Australian Capital Territory

Narrabundah is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 'Narrabundah' is a Ngunnawal word meaning 'bird of prey', celebrated in the sculpture by Andy Townshend and Suzie Bleach, in the park opposite the main shops....

. Interestingly, the 39 and the 36 run from Watson

Watson, Australian Capital Territory

Watson is a suburb of Canberra, Australia in the North Canberra district. Watson is named after the third Prime Minister of Australia, John Christian Watson. The suburb name was gazetted on 7 April 1960. Streets in Watson are named after Australian judges and other legal professionals...

 via Dickson into Civic and beyond, while the 33 meanders through North Lyneham, Lyneham

Lyneham, Australian Capital Territory

Lyneham is a suburb of Canberra, Australia in the North Canberra district. It is named after Sir William Lyne, premier of the Australian state of New South Wales from 1899 to 1901. The suburb name was gazetted in 1928, but development did not commence until 1958. The streets of Lyneham are named...

, O'Connor

O'Connor, Australian Capital Territory

O'Connor is a suburb of Canberra, Australia in the North Canberra district. It was named after Richard Edward O'Connor , who was a judge in the High Court and a founder of the Australian constitution. Street names in O'Connor are named after explorers, Australian flora, legislators and pioneers...

, Turner

Turner, Australian Capital Territory

Turner is a leafy early Canberra suburb, close to Canberra City and the Australian National University ....

 and Civic on its way to the defence complexes in Campbell

Campbell, Australian Capital Territory

Campbell is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Covering an area to the South East of the central business district, Campbell sits at the base of Mount Ainslie. On Census night 2006, Campbell had a population of 4,797 people...

, via the Australian War Memorial

Australian War Memorial

The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...

, Canberra's most popular tourist destination. In contrast, the 48 bus - which originates at Gungahlin

Gungahlin

Gungahlin is a name of a district and the northernmost town centre of Canberra, Australia. Gungahlin is situated 10 km north of Canberra's city centre and is one of five satellites of Canberra including Woden, Tuggeranong, Weston Creek and Belconnen. Currently Gungahlin comprises 11 suburbs,...

 cemetery - does not go through Civic, but rather runs across Canberra direct to Belconnen

Belconnen

Belconnen is a district of Canberra, the capital city of Australia, comprising 25 suburbs with 29,900 dwellings housing 82,247 people of the 311,518 people in the Australian Capital Territory ....

.

Northbourne Aviation Ground

The area that became Dickson oval and Dickson shops was once an aerodrome in the early history of Canberra. On the side of the Dickson Library is a plaque which marks this, and reads:

Northbourne Aviation Ground

This plaque marks the site of Canberra's first aerodrome, which was declared operational on 4 March 1924. The first aviation fatality in the ACT occurred here on 26 February 1926. Aircraft operations continued at this site until November 1926 when they were transferred to a site on the western half of the present Canberra Airport.