We sought community and stakeholder input from July to August 2024 to help shape a connected, sustainable, and diverse new suburb, Kenny.

Kenny, named after the pioneering Australian health practitioner, Elizabeth Kenny, will set a new benchmark for liveability in Canberra – with a focus on eco-friendly design, diverse housing options, Ngunnawal culture, nature and water connections and community infrastructure.

The suburb is included in the ACT Government Indicative Land Release Program. In time the suburb is expected to be home to more than 4,000 residents.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. The Listening Report has now been released summarising the feedback received during the engagement period. There were many ways to get involved including an online survey and comments via this page, pop-ups and workshops and email submissions. A total of 394 people shared their feedback and ideas on the Kenny Place Vision. Key feedback on the seven themes presented included:

• Closely Connected: Easy access to amenities, nature, and jobs
  • We heard active travel infrastructure and safe pathways were important including a connection from Kenny to the light rail stops on Flemington Road.
• Sustainable: Eco-friendly and climate-wise design
  • Respondents told us what was most important to achieving a sustainable new neighbourhood in Kenny including an extensive tree canopy to promote urban cooling and provide habitat; a neighbourhood design encouraging active transport rather than car travel; a landscape design encouraging biodiversity of plants and animals; social facilities and project that build community wellbeing such as community gardens; and a connection to the adjacent nature reserve and water saving initiatives.
• Diverse: A variety of housing options for different needs
  • We heard a range of housing styles and sizes were important as were a range of price points. Also important were quality public spaces including parks and playgrounds for all ages and accessible spaces which were disability-friendly and also catering to cultural and religious needs.
• Ngunnawal Culture: Respecting and honouring Ngunnawal culture and Country
  • Key themes identified by First Nations people include water, resilience and memory, journeys through Country, knowledge sharing, the spiritual landscape, ongoing programming, caring for non-human kin and health and healing.
• Nature: Strong connections to nature and water
  • Respondents told us the three activities in order of priority to support nature in Kenny were to naturalise creeks and waterways; achieve at least 30% or more tree coverage; and to create green/nature corridors through the suburb to enable animals to travel safely.
• Social Infrastructure: Key amenities and services for residents
  • We heard calls for an economically sustainable local shopping centre, play spaces including parks, playgrounds and sports facilities as well as health facilities such as an accessible medical centre.
• Village Feel: A village centre of shops, cafes and community spaces
  • There was a broad range of feedback across the various engagement activities however the consistent theme in the feedback was for a welcoming and accessible village that was comfortable for all users. Specifically, we heard calls for a variety of retail and dining options, recreation and green spaces and amenities such as public toilets and seating.

The Listening Report contains a more detailed summary of the feedback across all engagement activities. Feedback from this engagement will inform the development of a masterplan design for the new suburb, which will be shared with First Nations stakeholders and the community ahead of being provided to the planning authority as part of the subdivision design application.

Sign up below to be updated on our plans for Kenny.

Kenny is nestled between the inner north suburb of Watson and the Gungahlin suburb of Harrison. As such, it is a well located, central suburb for north Canberra, adjacent to nature reserves and easily accessible to many parts of Canberra.

The adjacent Nadjung Mada Nature Reserve was established in 2021 to preserve and enhance native wildlife and box gum woodland in the area. Nadjung Mada means 'wet-land' in Ngunnawal language. Both Nadjung Mada and the Sullivans Creek Catchment are near the future suburb. Both sites hold great cultural and environmental significance and will be integrated thoughtfully into the future design.

The 155-hectare suburb is bounded by Wells Station Drive to the north, Horse Park Drive to the east and Federal Highway to the south.

In delivering Kenny we seek to:

• Provide a variety of housing options for Canberra's growing population and diverse needs.
• Offer an attractive lifestyle balancing urban convenience with access to nature reserves and public transport links.
• Create a thriving, sustainable community that respects the culture of the Ngunnawal people while reflecting the aspirations of future residents.

We're committed to a collaborative design process for Kenny and have already begun working closely with the First Nations community to understand the Country and narrative of this specific site to support practical steps to implement connecting with Country principles into the project. Key themes identified include: Water, resilience and memory; Journeys through Country; Knowledge sharing; The spiritual landscape; Ongoing programming; Caring for non-human kin; Health and healing.

We will continue to engage with local First nations community members as the design of Kenny progresses.

Engagement was carried out by the ACT Government to inform planning for the Shirley Smith High School in 2023.

Extensive consultation for the Territory Plan 2023 helped guide the creation of the Gungahlin District Strategy which will guide how Gungahlin will change and grow towards 2038 and beyond to 2050. Kenny is identified as a Category 1 Change Area within the District Strategy, where change could occur within the next 0-5 years.

The Suburban Land Agency has recently engaged with First Nations peoples on Kenny to gain a deep understanding of the sites’ associated stories, values, and significance to inform cultural design principles for the future development, ensuring it responds harmoniously to and promotes the wellbeing of Ngunnawal Country and community. This engagement has informed a guiding Framework for Kenny.

Entries by ACT Government employees, immediate family members of an ACT Government employee (siblings, children and family living under the same roof) or a person who is directly involved in the promotion were not eligible to enter the draw. Click here for the full T&Cs.

Your feedback will help us understand community views on our initial Kenny Place Vision, whether it meets the needs and desires of future residents, and how we might make the vision a reality. A place vision is developed early in the site development process and highlights the unique qualities of the site, builds understanding of the existing and future people it will benefit and defines aspirations and core principles of the place.

It will inform a detailed masterplan reflecting community priorities, including aspects like housing options, public spaces, and connections to surrounding areas. We will use your feedback to realise the design of Kenny. The design will form the basis of a plan to progress the development of the suburb in 2025.