Aranda, Australian Capital Territory
Aranda (/ˈərændə/) is a suburb in the district of Belconnen, in the Australian capital city of Canberra. Located at the western foot of Black Mountain and bounded on two sides by nature park, the suburb is characterised by its bush setting. During the planning and development of the suburb, a large proportion of large native trees – predominantly eucalypts – were left in place.
| Aranda Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | |||||||||||||||
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A plaque at Aranda playing fields marks the start of the development of Aranda in 1966 | |||||||||||||||
Aranda | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 35°15′30″S 149°04′48″E | ||||||||||||||
| Population | 2,605 (SAL 2021) | ||||||||||||||
| Gazetted | 22 June 1967 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2614 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 1.6 km2 (0.6 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| District | Belconnen | ||||||||||||||
| Territory electorate(s) | Ginninderra | ||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Canberra | ||||||||||||||
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The suburb derives its name from the Arrernte tribe of Central Australia, previously known as Arunta, which means 'White Cockatoo'. The streets in Aranda are named after Aboriginal tribal groups from around Australia. The suburb comprises an area of 160ha and in 1967 was the first suburb in Belconnen to be settled.
A small plaque at the Aranda District playing fields near the suspension bridge over Belconnen Way marks the settlement of the suburb as the first development in the Belconnen district. It reads:
This tablet marks the inauguration of development of the district of Belconnen by the Minister of State for the Interior The Honourable J. D. Anthony, M.P. 23 June 1966