List of cities in Australia by population

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This list of Australian cities by population briefly explains the three different population figures given for Australian cities, and provides rankings for each.

1 Capital city Statistical Divisions and Statistical Districts by population
2 50 largest Urban Centres by population
3 25 largest Local Government Areas by population
4 See also
5 Notes and references

[edit] Capital city Statistical Divisions and Statistical Districts by population

Statistical Divisions (SDs) are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as areas under the unifying influence of one or more major towns or cities. Each capital city forms its own Statistical Division, and in Australia the population of the SD is the most-often quoted figure for that city's population. Statistical Districts are defined as non-capital but predominantly urban areas. The Australian Government treats divisions and districts with more than 100,000 people as metropolitan.^[1]

Statistical Divisions are in bold, the rest are Statistical Districts.

Rank	Statistical Division/District	Preliminary Estimated Resident Population, 2006 ^[2]
1	Sydney, New South Wales	4,293,105
2	Melbourne, Victoria	3,684,461
3	Brisbane, Queensland	1,820,375
4	Perth, Western Australia	1,507,949
5	Adelaide, South Australia	1,138,833
6	Gold Coast-Tweed, Queensland/New South Wales	554,628
7	Newcastle, New South Wales	512,131
8	Canberra-Queanbeyan, Australian Capital Territory/New South Wales	374,766
*	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory^[3]	328,441
9	Wollongong, New South Wales	276,155
10	Sunshine Coast, Queensland	220,199
11	Hobart, Tasmania	205,510
12	Geelong, Victoria	167,781
13	Townsville, Queensland	153,631
14	Cairns, Queensland	127,856
15	Toowoomba, Queensland	121,612
16	Darwin, Northern Territory	113,955
17	Launceston, Tasmania	103,835
18	Albury-Wodonga, New South Wales/Victoria	101,273
19	Ballarat, Victoria	90,303
20	Bendigo, Victoria	85,978
21	Burnie-Devonport, Tasmania	79,954
22	Mandurah, Western Australia	77,619
23	Latrobe Valley, Victoria (incl. Moe, Morwell, Traralgon)	75,553
24	Mackay, Queensland	73,091
25	Rockhampton, Queensland	70,128
26	Bundaberg, Queensland	62,457
27	Bunbury, Western Australia	59,033
28	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales	54,191
29	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	50,368
30	Hervey Bay, Queensland	50,293
31	Mildura, Victoria	48,836
32	Shepparton, Victoria	48,063
33	Tamworth, New South Wales	43,774
34	Gladstone, Queensland	43,507
35	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	41,332
36	Orange, New South Wales	37,982
37	Dubbo, New South Wales	35,972
38	Nowra-Bomaderry, New South Wales	33,364
39	Bathurst, New South Wales	32,398
40	Lismore, New South Wales	31,626
41	Warrnambool, Victoria	31,569
42	Geraldton, Western Australia	31,555
43	Kalgoorlie/Boulder, Western Australia	28,899

[edit] 50 largest Urban Centres by population

Urban Centres are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as being a population cluster of 1,000 or more people. For statistical purposes, people living in Urban Centres are classified as urban. These figures represent the populations of the contiguous built-up areas of each city.

State and territory capitals are in bold.

Rank	Urban Centre	Total number of persons, 2001 census^[4]	Stat. Division/District (if part of larger SD)
1	Sydney, New South Wales	3,455,110
2	Melbourne, Victoria	3,132,900
3	Brisbane, Queensland	1,490,475
4	Perth, Western Australia	1,162,716
5	Adelaide, South Australia	995,955
6	Gold Coast-Tweed Heads, Queensland/New South Wales	406,619
7	Canberra-Queanbeyan, Australian Capital Territory/New South Wales	336,805
8	Newcastle, New South Wales	278,773
9	Central Coast, New South Wales	254,579	Sydney
10	Wollongong, New South Wales	227,522
11	Sunshine Coast, Queensland	165,089
12	Townsville-Thuringowa, Queensland	148,767
13	Geelong, Victoria	129,668
14	Hobart, Tasmania	125 162
15	Cairns, Queensland	90,085
16	Toowoomba, Queensland	88,776
17	Ballarat, Victoria	72,766
18	Albury-Wodonga, New South Wales/Victoria	69,664
19	Darwin, Northern Territory	68,694
20	Bendigo, Victoria	68,480
21	Launceston, Tasmania	68,088
22	Rockingham, Western Australia	60,529	Perth
23	Rockhampton, Queensland	58,950
24	Mackay, Queensland	57,321
25	Maitland, New South Wales	53,391	Newcastle
26	Mandurah, Western Australia	46,549
27	Bunbury, Western Australia	45,153
28	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales	44,272
29	Bundaberg, Queensland	44,154
30	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	37,696
31	Shepparton-Mooroopna, Victoria	35,754
32	Hervey Bay, Queensland	35,106
33	Tamworth, New South Wales	32,440
34	Melton, Victoria	32,007	Melbourne
35	Orange, New South Wales	31,923
36	Dubbo, New South Wales	30,860
37	Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia	28,196
38	Mildura, Victoria	27,931
39	Lismore, New South Wales	27,193
40	Bathurst, New South Wales	26,920
41	Warrnambool, Victoria	26,669
42	Gladstone, Queensland	26,509
43	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	25,828
44	Richmond-Windsor, New South Wales	25,809	Sydney
45	Geraldton, Western Australia	25,324
46	Sunbury, Victoria	25,086	Melbourne
47	Nowra-Bomaderry, New South Wales	24,700
48	Alice Springs, Northern Territory	23,384	(no Stat. dist.)
49	Mount Gambier, South Australia	22,656	(no Stat. dist.)
50	Albany, Western Australia	22,256	(no Stat. dist.)

[edit] 25 largest Local Government Areas by population

Local Government Areas are the main units of local government in Australia. They may be termed cities, shires, councils or other names, but they all function similarly. Brisbane is the only capital city with one LGA covering a large part of its urban area.

Rank	Local Government Area	Provisional estimated resident population, 2006 ^[2]	Stat. Division/District
1	Brisbane City, Queensland	989,152	Brisbane
2	Gold Coast City, Queensland	497,568	Gold Coast
*	Australian Capital Territory^[5]	328,817	Canberra
3	City of Blacktown, New South Wales	287,634	Sydney
4	City of Casey, Victoria	223,424	Melbourne
5	Sutherland Shire, New South Wales	214,030	Sydney
6	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	207,515	Geelong
7	City of Wollongong, New South Wales	192,131	Wollongong
8	City of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales	189,596	Newcastle
9	City of Fairfield, New South Wales	188,074	Sydney
10	City of Stirling, Western Australia	183,897	Perth
11	City of Bankstown, New South Wales	179,719	Sydney
12	City of Brimbank, Victoria	177,807	Melbourne
13	City of Penrith, New South Wales	177,544	Sydney
14	Logan City, Queensland	176,855	Brisbane
15	City of Liverpool, New South Wales	172,050	Sydney
16	City of Gosford, New South Wales	163,469	Sydney
17	City of Monash, Victoria	162,838	Melbourne
18	Baulkham Hills Shire, New South Wales	162,326	Sydney
19	City of Boroondara, Victoria	158,878	Melbourne
20	City of Joondalup, Western Australia	157,793	Perth
21	Hornsby Shire, New South Wales	157,269	Sydney
22	City of Onkaparinga, South Australia	156,037	Adelaide
23	City of Hume, Victoria	155,829	Melbourne
24	City of Parramatta, New South Wales	155,098	Sydney
25	City of Sydney, New South Wales	151,920	Sydney

In comparison with these figures, the populations of the other capitals are relatively small. Darwin has 71,325, Melbourne 67,193, Hobart 48,808, Adelaide 15,299, and Perth only 13,439 (all figures 2006). Most of these cities have suburban LGAs much larger than the central cities.

[edit] See also

List of cities in Australia

[edit] Notes and references

^ 1217.0.55.001 - Glossary of Statistical Geography Terminology, 2003. Australian Bureau of Statistics.
^ ^a ^b 3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2005-06. Australian Bureau of Statistics.
^ Canberra is unique in having a Statistical District as well as a Statistical Division. The Statistical District is larger than the SD, and includes the neighbouring city of Queanbeyan in New South Wales in the population. Only the Statistical District is ranked here.
^ 2016.0 - Census of Population and Housing: Selected Characteristics for Urban Centres, Australia, 2001. Australian Bureau of Statistics.
^ Canberra is technically unincorporated and is not an LGA. All local-level functions are performed by the territory government.