The sixth largest country in the world and the largest one in Oceania, Australia, with its 7,688,287 square kilometres (almost the sum of the areas of the European Union and India) boasts a population of 26 million inhabitants (less than half the population of Italy). Almost all of the inhabitants reside along the coast, where the biggest cities in Australia are located, the result of the European colonisation of Australia, which began when James Cook claimed the Australian continent for the British crown in 1770.
The 10 largest Australian cities
Among Australia’s major cities, many are now major metropolises, while others are still growing, transforming and expanding. It is therefore interesting to analyse their development, through the ranking of the 10 biggest Australian cities, starting with the most famous, Sydney.
1 – Sydney, the most densely populated city in Australia
The ranking of Australia’s 10 largest cities starts with Sydney, capital of the state of New South Wales and located on the country’s east coast. Its population – updated to 2023 and relating to “Greater Sydney” – is of 5,450,496. Between 2011 and 2023, the number of residents in Australia’s most populous city grew by 18%. A true multicultural metropolis, Sydney embodies one of the world’s most important artistic centres, and it is no coincidence that it is a must-see destination for those visiting Australia for the first time. From the Opera House, the city’s symbol, to the historic Harbour Bridge, a steel giant standing 134 metres above the sea level, there is a veritable wealth of architectural attractions in this great city.
2 – Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria
The second largest city in Australia is Melbourne, the capital of the State of Victoria. The conurbation informally called Greater Melbourne has a population of 5,207,145, placing Melbourne just behind Sydney in the top 10 of Australia’s largest cities. Melbourne’s population growth in recent years has also been enormous, with +24% between 2011 and 2023. Referred to not infrequently as the ‘cultural capital of Australia’, it is the birthplace of the national cinema, and has been listed several times as the “world’s most liveable city” by The Economist.
3 – Brisbane
We move on to Queensland, Australia’s third largest city. The Greater Brisbane area had a population of 2,706,966 in 2023, a whopping 26% growth compared to 2011. Just like Sydney boasts the historic Harbour Bridge, Brisbane has the gigantic Story Bridge. There are also cultural centres of international importance, such as the continent’s largest art gallery, the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, which has theatres and concert halls. The city’s name, it is worth remembering, comes directly from the river that flows through it into the ocean, the Brisbane River.
4 – Perth, the great city on the West Coast
With its 2,309,388 inhabitants, Perth is Australia’s fourth largest city. This large urban centre is located at the same latitude as Sydney, but on the opposite coast. Just to give an idea, there is a distance of 3,700 kilometres between the two cities, more than there is between Palermo and Stockholm. Perth is the only major city on Australia’s west coast, which is sparsely populated and largely untamed. It is no coincidence that Perth is especially popular with nature-seekers, represented here for example by Kings Park, one of the world’s largest urban parks, the coral reef and Rottnest Island, just off Perth.
5 – Adelaide, capital of the State of South Australia
We now move to the south of Australia, where we find Adelaide and its 1,446,380 inhabitants. Its name was chosen by the colonisers in honour of Queen Adelaide of Saxony-Meiningen, wife of Wilhelm IV, and it is sometimes referred to as the “city of churches”, due to the many cults that have passed through this city, which have left behind countless religious buildings. It is a quiet city, with a rich cultural heritage, characterized by an understated elegance that well represents the typical Australian urban centre.
6 – Canberra, the capital of Australia
Finally, in sixth place we find the capital of Australia, Canberra, which is far from being the largest city in the country. In fact, here we are referring not only to the urban centre of Canberra, but rather to the Australian Capital Territory, which also includes part of Queanbeyan: the population of this area is 466,566. It is Australia’s largest city not on the coast, being located 300 kilometres from Sydney and 650 kilometres from Melbourne; it was planned specifically to be the country’s capital, and as such was designed in the early years of the last century by Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin.
7 – Hobart, the capital of Tasmania
With Hobart, “we get out of” mainland Australia in order to reach the island of Tasmania, of which it is the capital. The total population is 253,654, making it an unmissable base from which to explore this large island in the south of Australia. There are also interesting attractions in the city, starting with the Museum of Old and New Art.
8 – Wollongong, or The Gong
In eighth position in the top 10 biggest Australian cities ranking is Wollongong, also informally called The Gong. This New South Wales city is located 85 kilometres from Sydney and is renowned for its heavy industry, its harbour and its long mining history.
9 – Newcastle, once again in the New South Wales
We go back to the New South Wales: the city of Newcastle has a total population of 168,873. Since 1937, the municipality of Newcastle has been united with 10 other municipalities to form the “City of Greater Newcastle”.
10 – Darwin, the northern town
Finally, we move north to the city of Darwin, with a population of 150,736. Isolated from the big Australian cities, it is often chosen by tourists as a starting point for driving along the Stuart Highway, the very long road that crosses the country from north to south (passing also through Alice Springs) to get to Adelaide.
