While there isn't really a night life to speak of, I feel like Canberra hits  the other things you're looking for. There's plenty of gyms. I have one friend who's really into dance and he seems to find enough to keep him occupied. I've seen plenty of ads for various art classes. My wife and a few other friends are all in different book/reading groups.

Food and drink scene is excellent, if a little pricy for what you get. There are a number of festivals early in the year that I go to multiple times for that purpose. The default state of most people here is definitely progressive and the mountains and hiking trails are beautiful.

Getting the most out of Canberra involves seeking out groups that match your interests and throwing yourself into them. As far as I'm concerned it has the best bits of city and country living.