COVID, war, sky-rocketing mortgages, "cookers", some particularly sad Canberra incidents ... the year has, sadly, been more defined by the down points than the high points. But, there have also been glimmers of hope that 2023 will prove the year things turn around and we stop talking about "the new normal".
And despite it all, there were still key moments where Canberrans came together, showing the community spirit that defines the capital as they faced the challenges the year put forward.
As we start thinking about 2023 and what's ahead, it's always helpful to look a little bit back and remember what 2022 held. So, to help put some context to the year that was, here are the top 10* most-read stories on our site this year. It is a bit bleak at points, but keep on reading as things look up as we get to the end.
Kyrgios charged with assaulting former girlfriend in Canberra
Our most-read story isn't a big surprise, as it was a world exclusive. The Canberra tennis star was just competing at Wimbledon, when we got word of impending charges. The matter is still before the courts, and he has asked the court to dismiss the assault charge on mental health grounds.
Tennis star Nick Kyrgios has been summonsed to face a Canberra court after allegedly assaulting a former girlfriend late last year.
The Canberra Times can reveal the world no.40, who is in the UK preparing to play Cristian Garin in a Wimbledon quarter final, is due to appear in court next month.
Rare $2 coins are skyrocketing in value after Queen Elizabeth's death
This one perhaps says a bit more about the power of search engines, which is where much of the readership came, and about people's urge to see if there's a windfall in their pocket.
If there's ever been a time to check your lose change, this is it, with the value of rare $2 coins are skyrocketing following the death of the Queen.
The 2012 Red Poppy coin and the 2013 Purple Coronation coin were now fetching a combined price of up to $550, avid coin collector Joel Kandiah said.
The Perth teacher has amassed a huge following on his TikTok and Instagram accounts called The History of Money, and he said commemorative coins are in high demand following the Queen's death.
Tough new COVID rules suddenly introduced for ACT
Remember back in January, when the Omicron wave was growing, and, to be frank, there was a fair bit of angst in the community about what came next? The government was bringing in some tough new rules to help slow the wave.
The ACT government has toughened up the controls to try to slow the accelerating spread of COVID. It said further measures may be necessary in the next few days, including the return of restrictions on indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Most category two and three elective surgeries at Calvary Public Hospital will be halted for the next six to eight weeks, Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said.
The sudden tightening of regulations comes with what the Health Minister called "increased pressure" on the health system as more than 200 workers were quarantined.
Police track down driver after two teenage girls die in horror crash
This is one of the more recent, and heart-breaking stories of the year.
Two girls aged 14 and 15 were killed when the car they were in left the road and smashed into a tree next to the Monaro Highway on Saturday night.
They were passengers in the car which was so badly damaged officers initially couldn't identify the make of it.
Two teenage boys who were in the car, one of them the driver, are thought to have fled the scene but were identified by police later.
Since then, a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, has admitted killing the two teenage girls while driving without supervision.
Supported by his grandmother and sister, he pleaded guilty to two counts of culpable driving causing death. He also admitted a charge of driving as an unaccompanied learner.
Search to resume on Sunday for missing boy after bodies discovered in Yerrabi Pond
Continuing with the heart-breaking. Sadly, the eight-year-old was also found dead the next day. Police believe the three deaths in Yerrabi Pond were a murder by the mother and then the suicide of the mother herself.
Police will resume the search for a missing eight-year-old boy at daylight Sunday as efforts, including divers and a drone operator, stopped at nightfall on Saturday.
Pranav Vivekanandan is missing after the bodies of a woman and child, believed to be his mother and brother, were discovered in Yerrabi Pond on Saturday morning.
Police have taken away a white Subaru from the banks of Yerrabi Pond in Gungahlin and will continue to search for a young boy there on Sunday.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Mensline 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
Canberra woman known for her impeccable style dies
It was one of those uncanny coincidences that happen at times. Hours before news broke that Queen Elizabeth had died, we learned that the woman known affectionately known as the Queen of Canberra, Alison Aitken, had passed. Both were 96.
Alison Aitken, affectionately known as the Queen of Canberra, has died at 96-years-old.
Mrs Aitken has lived in Canberra since before Lake Burley Griffin became a feature.
She was widely known for her impeccable style and love of hats. And for having lunch with her son at the Kurrajong Hotel in Barton every second Thursday for almost two decades.
But her crowning glory was her work with the Australian War Memorial for almost 50 years.
Three arrests made at anti-vaccine mandate rally
It was bigger than authorities expected, but just perhaps not as bigly as some of those attending attest. The so-called "Convoy to Canberra" descended on Parliament House en masse. It was one of the bigger (but not quite the biggest) protests we've had.
The protesters were made up of a number of loosely affiliated groups, such as sovereign citizens, anti-vaccine conspiracists and evangelicals, all demonstrating together against vaccine mandates.
Up to 10,000 of protesters descended on Parliament House as part of the so-called "Convoy to Canberra" protests on Saturday.
It was the biggest anti-mandate protests yet, as organisers made good on their pledge for a record turnout on Saturday.
The crowd was so large that it has split over from the grass areas between Old Parliament House and Parliament House, sprawling across the lawns to State Circle.
Just don't point out that the million people claimed to be there wouldn't come close to fitting. They don't like that; it proves your part of the big pharma, one-world-government conspiracy.
Young, double-vaccinated Canberra man dies of COVID-19 in Sydney
This was one of those moments that brought home to people what we were (some would say still are) facing. There'd been a tendency by some to see COVID as an old person's disease, that just inconvenienced the young - especially if they weren't one of the people above, who didn't like needles.
A Canberra man in his 20s has died from COVID-19 in a Sydney hospital, despite being fully vaccinated and having no underlying health conditions.
NSW Health on Thursday said the man, who had received two doses of a vaccine, died at St Vincent's Hospital. He was one of six people to die from COVID-19 in the latest reporting period.
Perrottet green lights talks for ACT to expand border into NSW
We're getting to some of the more upbeat parts of the list now. For the first time in 110 years, the ACT is set to get a bit bigger. Though, technically it's more just fixing a bit of an historic anomoly where, as the Chief Minister put it: "For one reason or another, a straight line was drawn through the middle of a paddock here and all we're seeking to do is ... move the border to a river corridor effectively for this parcel of land that the territory owns." Still, a bigger territory!
The NSW Premier has given the green light for negotiations to start between the ACT and NSW about expanding the border in Canberra's north.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said he has been contacted directly by Dominic Perrottet who has indicated in-principle support for the expansion of the territory's borders.
Officials from the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet and the ACT's Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate have entered into discussions about the possible shift of the border.
You can read the full story here.
The Boat House named Canberra's best restaurant of 2022
Continuing the good news, especially after we'd all spent so long ordering takeaway rather than eating out.
The Boat House has been named Canberra's top restaurant of the year at the 2022 Restaurant and Catering Awards last night.
In a year where Canberra hospitality continued to suffer through the repercussions of the COVID pandemic, there was an air of optimism at the black tie function at the Hotel Realm.
The Boat House also won best contemporary Australian restaurant (formal) alongside the top award.
You can read the full story here.
'F--k off': is this Canberra's next Aussie of the Year?
OK, OK, we said 10, but that always means an artificial list set to an arbitrary number. And besides, it would mean we would need to leave this fine gentleman out. And how could we do that?
The passionate response from a frustrated Canberra road user asked for his opinion during an anti-vaccination mandate protest is garnering widespread support online.
The man did not hold back when he was approached inside his vehicle on the weekend and asked whether he thought the coronavirus vaccine saved lives.
And what was that passionate response? Well, chances are you remember, but it's well worth watching the video above to remind yourself. And if you're thinking of who to nominate as an Australian of the year, here's the link. Just saying....
Here's hoping for a more upbeat list next year. Happy new year to all our subscribers and readers.
