Latham, Australian Capital Territory

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Latham
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Population:

3,645 (2001 census)

Established:

1971

Postcode:

2615

Property Value:

AUD $296,000 (2005)[1]

LGA:

Belconnen

Assembly Electorate:

Ginninderra

Federal Division:

Fraser

Suburbs around Latham:
Charnwood	Flynn	Melba
Macgregor	Latham	Florey
Holt	Higgins	Scullin

Latham is a suburb in the Canberra district of Belconnen. The postcode is 2615. The suburb is named for John Latham, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1935 to 1952.

It is next to the suburbs of Charnwood, Flynn, Florey, Higgins, Holt and Macgregor. It is surrounded by Ginninderra Drive on the north, Florey Drive on the west, Southern Cross Drive on the south, and Kingsford Smith Drive on the east.

Latham has a primary school and neighbourhood oval. It also has an ACTEW substation. Ginninderra creek runs through Latham, and there are open areas of grassland nearby, such as the Umbagong district park.

From the mid 1970's Latham did have a shopping centre (supermarket, butcher, Chinese restaurant, chemist (later a school uniform/limited sportswear store), hair dresser, bakery, newsagent, doctor's surgery (later physiotherapist) and post office), and a petrol/service centre (closed in early 1993)

The shopping centre wound down between 1996-1998 due to a fire that destroyed the supermarket and caused roof damage to the rest of the centre with the post office closing just after the fire and moved to the abandoned petrol station site and the uniform shop following suit not long after with the post office authorised to limited "corner store" duties from early 1998.

The butcher, restaurant and physiotherapist left 12-18 months after the fire with the restaurant last to leave and the complex finally fenced off in May 1998.

The complex no longer exists as a townhouse development with a small corner store now occupies the site with the store located at the corner of the complex at the corner of Onslow St and Dalley Cr.

[edit] Geology

Most of Latham is covered by the upper Silurian Deakin Volcanics. From the north east of Latham to the South west you can pass up through the stratigraphic layers of volcanics.