A new history of the Woden Valley suburb chronicles its years from far-flung sheep paddock nicknamed "North Cooma" - such was its isolation - to a centrally-located, leafy, sought-after community where homes regularly sell for more than $1 million.

Jenny Tyrrell's entertaining book The Neighbourhood of Hughes says Hughes was the first of 11 suburbs planned for a new south-western district called Woden, eventually gazetted on September 20, 1962.

Construction of the first houses began in February, 1963, and within six months, 220 houses were either under construction or completed.

Early residents of Pope Street recalled "sheep grazing over their back fences and residents of Downes Place remembered Charlie Russell's cattle behind their homes". Big news in 1963 was when three public telephones were promised for the suburb.

The first homes occupied in Hughes were in Jensen Street. The Goodfellow and Rich families moved in in July, 1963.

Arthur Rich remembered there were no street lights at the time.

"Only a few distant lights of some of the remaining sheep stations spread around the valley. It really felt like the end of the world then," he told Mrs Tyrrell, in the book.

But there was also a sense of forging a new frontier and that they were all in this together.

"It was a time when all the families with young children formed the local P & C committee and preschool plus junior sporting clubs and scouts. It was great watching the suburb grow up through the years, like watching a whole generation grow," Mr Rich said.

Hughes was planned as a very liveable suburb, which even earned the approval of anthropologist Margaret Mead when she visited Australia in the early 1960s.

Mrs Tyrrell notes in the book that central to this liveability was the separation of cars and people as much as possible.

"The layout of the suburb should enable housewives to walk safely and easily to the school and shops without crossing major roads. Most of the housing was to be built along loop streets and cul-de-sacs. The idea was that conveniently close facilities should reduce the need for using cars for daily errands," she noted.

In May, 1963, the National Capital Development Commission invited tenders for the construction of 11 "special houses" in Kent Street for senior public servants and other dignitaries. The Member for Richmond and later deputy prime minister Doug Anthony lived in 151 Kent Street with his family.

By 1998, following a focus on new growth in Tuggeranong, Hughes became the demographic heart of Canberra. But that centre had since moved slightly north to around the Royal Canberra Golf Club in Yarralumla as the national capital's growth headed north to Gungahlin.

Mrs Tyrrell has worked on the book for more than three years. Proceeds from it will help raise awareness and funds for the Immune Deficiency Foundation of Australia, in honour of her son who has an immune deficiency.

The book will be unveiled at the Hughes Primary School Food and Wine Extravaganza at 4.40pm on Saturday, October 28. It will be launched by local historian Alan Foskett and Hughes Primary principal Nina McCabe, who was also a student of the school.

Mrs Tyrrell, who moved to the suburb in 1992, said the qualities that attracted people to Hughes in those early days, remained 55 years later.

"It's quite a small community and everyone is very friendly," she said.

"People do walk and talk to each other because it's designed for people to walk and we do value our green space, and we want to protect it. We love it."

Pharmacist Harry Katsaros has worked in the Hughes chemist for eight years and owned it for three.

"I love the people, really. The community is amazing," he said.

"The people of Hughes, and Garran, too, are just different, but in a good way. Very friendly, very caring, we all feel like family really."

Peter and Nita Dorizas will next year celebrate a decade running the Hughes takeaway.

"We love our regulars and we know them by name and their orders," Nita said.

"The community is friendly and we know them all."