I had only been living in my apartment in the Gungahlin Town Centre for a few weeks before I was ready to declare my love of the area to newsroom.
This surprised some of my colleagues. I had, after all, traded in life in the desirable Inner North and the 15-minute walk to work for a 25-minute tram commute.
I'd moved from a townhouse in Reid to a place many Canberrans from the inner suburbs never visit.
But that red railway, so beautifully illustrated by David Pope in his new art tribute to Gungahlin, delivered me to a place brimming with positives.
And as relatively new Canberran with an open mind about all parts of this city, I haven't been disappointed.
Canberra's lack of crowds and traffic are usually sold as drawcards. But the quietness of Civic life, at least outside of Friday and Saturday nights, had started to get to me.
Sometimes visitors to my place would tell me it felt like no one lived in Reid.
That all changed when I moved to Gungahlin. It's been nice to be on a busy tram on the way home and to see people exercising when I go for a walk after work.
There are even people out for dinner on random Wednesday nights.
That brings me to the hospitality scene: there are lots of options and it's been fun to explore them, especially when I can convince my colleagues to catch the tram home with me on a week night.
Moving away from Braddon's restaurants and cafes, I was worried it would be something I would miss.
But I have pretty much everything I could want close to me. All the main food chains, all the cuisines I could want.
Growing up in Melbourne's outer western suburbs, which spent many years on the Australian Bureau of Statistics' fastest growing postcode list, a diverse community full of different cultures is what I am used to.
This diversity influences the types of independent grocery stores. Again, I'm spoilt for choice in Gungahlin, along with the generous hours they stay open.
It would be easy to sit here and think I have rose-tinted glasses on.
I know the place is not perfect. Along with all of these greats, Gungahlin is home to growing schools, the highest number of recorded crashes and its fare share of crime.
But as I write this overlooking a beautiful view of the town centre and the surrounding mountains, I am glad that I get to call this place home.
It's a great place, with people who make it vibrant and welcoming. Gungahlin certainly deserves to be celebrated.
