North Canberra Community Council

DOWNER

Location Map for Downer
Location Map for Downer

Downer is a suburb in Canberra Australia, in the Inner North. The suburb is bounded by Northbourne Avenue, Antill Street and Philip Avenue.

The suburb was gazetted in 1960 and named after Sir John Downer (1844 – 1915) Premier of South Australia and a member of the first Australian Senate in 1901. There is no specific theme for street names.

The buildings which make up the Downer community centre and former shops, were built for the CSIRO in 1930s, and the area now comprising Downer was an agricultural research facility for the CSIRO. The area now comprising the suburb was used between 1939-45 as a plantation for the growth of opium poppy to provide a source for medications in the unavailability of imported supplies. The large pine and gum trees which surround the block around the shops were planted in this time as a wind break for the CSIRO building. Large trees (Camden Woolybutts) along Swinden street were also planted then, as Swinden street was the driveway for the CSIRO building, where it connected to Northbourne Avenue. With the development of the suburb the trees became diseased during the 1980s and a program is underway to replace them with more amenable local varieties of gum. As of September 2008, all but two or three of the older Swinden Street gums have been removed.

Downer has a local oval between Frencham, Melba, Bonython and Bradfield streets, with a shopping centre. However in 2005 the shopping centre was vacant due partly to the poor location of the centre away from major roads. There is also the Canberra Business Centre nearby, which at one time was a school. The Downer Club, which has an observatory, is nearby, although not technically in Downer, on the Dickson side of Antill Street.

The population count of Downer on census night 2021 was 4,296 people.

Local Groups:


Most Recent 5 Downer Development Applications

planningalertsThe latest public Environment and Planning Directorate – Planning notifications can also be accessed from their site. The following is an extract of the public applications selected by NCCC that principally relate to Downer or have an impact on North Canberra or its residents; the extract may not be complete and does not contain development applications that are not publicly notified.


Address: 558 Northbourne Avenue, Downer, ACT

Development Application: 202342285

Desecription: PROPOSAL FOR DWELLING ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS - Partial demolition and internal alterations of existing dwelling, addition includes a ground and upper floor extension, decking, new front entrance, landscaping and associated works.
Comment closure date: 2023-12-01


Address: 62 Phillip Avenue, Downer, ACT

Development Application: 202342312

Desecription: PROPOSAL FOR A SECONDARY RESIDENCE - demolition of existing shed, fence and tree removal. Construction of a new single storey secondary residence in addition to the existing dwelling with concrete landing and associated works.
Comment closure date: 2023-11-24


Address: 3 Swinden Street, Downer, ACT

Development Application: 202342086

Desecription: PROPOSAL FOR DEMOLITION - demolition of the existing dwelling and associated works.
Comment closure date: 2023-10-05


Address: 42 Banfield Street, Downer, ACT

Development Application: 202342036

Desecription: PROPOSAL FOR A SECONDARY RESIDENCE - demolition of existing metal shed, construction of secondary residence with carport and alfresco, new carport connected to the existing dwelling, tree removal and associated works.
Comment closure date: 2023-09-29


Address: 3 Banfield Street, Downer, ACT

Development Application: 202341784

Desecription: PROPOSAL FOR DWELLING ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS - partial demolition of the existing dwelling, demolition of garage, carport, porch, alterations and additions including single storey extension, timber deck, garage and associated works.
Comment closure date: 2023-07-03



(Note: Earlier Development Applications can be seen by accessing the ACTPLA website or by going to PlanningAlerts. Note ACTPLA do remove access to the development application documentation some time after the DA closes, but PlanningAlerts do retain some basic historical information.)