Deakin Residents’ Association is a non-profit association incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory with these objectives:

  • to enhance the residential, suburban, social and environmental qualities of Deakin,
    • consistent with garden city planning principles,
    • through participation in community discussion on and input to planning and land management in the ACT,  and
    • advocacy to the ACT and Commonwealth Governments, and before tribunals and courts.

Membership is open to any resident of Deakin, holder of a residential lease in Deakin, or a person sharing the objectives of the Association.

The Deakin Residents’ Association (DRA) is a voluntary group of residents who work to preserve and enhance the special character, amenity, and community values of Deakin, a garden suburb and community in the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra). We share common interests with similar suburban communities through the Inner South Canberra Community Council (ISCCC) and other groups interested in the quality of Canberra’s residential environment.

The ACT has complex planning and development approval processes. Active representation of residents is essential, to ensure outcomes that properly balance development pressures with preservation of residents’ quality of life and long-term personal investments in their homes.


Continuing priorities for DRA are:

  • Ensure that medium-density residential developments in Deakin live up to government promises that the impact of increased density will be balanced against preservation of neighbourhood character
  • Ensure integration of traffic and parking issues with planning and development decisions, to enhance safety for pedestrians particularly around schools,  early learning centres, the Deakin Local Centre (Deakin shops), and all areas to be affected by the proposed Canberra Brickworks and Environs developments at Deakin West.
  • Preserve the scope and improve the amenity of public open spaces and community facilities, particularly in and around Latrobe Park,  the Deakin Soccer Club, and Rosemary Dobson Park.
  • Monitor and advise on flow-on to Deakin from implementation of paid parking in the Parliamentary Triangle.

Past actions and current updates on these and other issues can be found by browsing or searching this site.

You are welcome to contact us regarding any of these issues or to raise relevant concerns, to join the Association, or to sign up for our occasional email updates.

Maps and links to relevant sites can be found on our Useful links page (see top menu).


Deakin Residents Association Rules

Rules of Deakin Residents’ Association Registration No A05199

  1. Objects, operations, interpretations and powers
  2. Membership
  3. Committee
  4. General Meetings
  5. Management
  6. Miscellaneous

The full text of the Rules can be a seen at Deakin Residents Association Rules as amended from 17 September 2020.