If hitting socially on a Tuesday isn't scratching the itch, Canberra has a real competitive scene behind it — you just have to know where to look. Here's what's out there, roughly from "turn up and have a go" to "bring your A game".
Pennant / interclub
Badminton ACT runs a graded pennant competition through the season, with divisions for different standards so a brand-new team isn't thrown in against the territory's best. Teams are usually organised through a club, so this is the natural next step once you've found a regular hitting group you like.
Open tournaments
Alongside the team pennant, Badminton ACT and affiliated clubs run open tournaments across the year in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, usually graded so beginners aren't drawn against seeded players in round one. These are the ones to enter if you want a taste of "real" competition without committing to a whole season.
Juniors and pathways
There's a junior pathway alongside the adult competitions, feeding into representative squads that compete against other states and territories. If you're getting a kid into the sport, this is generally the door to walk through first.
However far you take it, the same rule applies as everywhere else on this site: turn up, have a hit, and don't worry about the jump smash. Nobody's is that good.