Revealed: Australia’s fastest growing suburbs

Australia’s population is booming, driven largely by an increased birth rate and an increase in overseas migration. Are you living in Australia’s fastest and highest growth suburbs?

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics, the strongest growth over the last year has been in Victoria, with Melbourne witnessing fastest-growth at 2.7% in the past 12 months.

Sydney remains Australia’s largest city with a record 5.1 million residents last year, up by 2%.

Brisbane is the other fastest-growing city that saw a 2% increase in the population in the last year.

The latest figures reveal Australia’s east coast — Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane — now account for more than 70% of the country’s population growth.

Canberra has grown by 1.7%, whereas Darwin, Adelaide, and Perth experienced relatively low rates of population growth, each at 1% or less.

Australian Bureau of Statistics’ director of health statistics, Louise Gates, points to migration as the biggest factor for the fastest-growing ones.

“So Sydney and Melbourne, as I said, is mostly net overseas migration, so that means more people arrived from overseas than left. In some of the other cities, in the ACT — or in Canberra — and in Darwin and Hobart, it’s more natural increase. So there was more babies are being born that drove the population growth,” she said.

Here’s a look at the fastest and the highest growth suburbs in Australia’s major cities:

New South Wales

An aerial view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

Net overseas migration was a major contributor to Sydney’s population growth (84,700 people) although, unlike Melbourne, the city experienced a net internal migration loss (-18,100 people) in 2016-17, meaning more people left Sydney for other parts of Australia than arrived. Sydney lost most people to other parts of New South Wales (40,000 people) and Melbourne (14,400).

Largest Growth Suburbs

• Cobbitty – Leppington
• Riverstone – Marsden Park
• Waterloo – Beaconsfield
• Parramatta – Rosehill
• Arncliffe – Bardwell Valley
• Rouse Hill – Beaumont Hills
• Homebush Bay – Silverwater
• Ryde
• Mascot – Eastlakes
  Redfern – Chippendale

Fastest Growth Suburbs

• Cobbitty – Leppington
• Riverstone – Marsden Park
• Arncliffe – Bardwell Valley
• Homebush Bay – Silverwater
• Waterloo – Beaconsfield
• Rouse Hill – Beaumont Hills
• Parramatta – Rosehill
• Elderslie – Harrington Park
• Redfern – Chippendale
• Warwick Farm

Victoria

Aerial stock photo of Melbourne’s central business district.

In Melbourne, net overseas migration was the major contributor to population growth, adding 80,000 people in 2016-17 (64% of total population change). Natural increase contributed 29%, while net internal migration accounted for 7.3% of population growth.

Largest Growth Suburbs

• Cranbourne East
• Melbourne
• Tarneit
• Truganina
• Mernda
• Melton South
• Wollert
• Craigieburn – West
• Beaconsfield – Officer
• Grovedale

Fastest Growth Suburbs

• Mickleham – Yuroke
• Rockbank – Mount Cottrell
• Cranbourne East
• Wollert
• Docklands
• Mernda
• Beaconsfield – Officer
• Point Cook – East
• Craigieburn – West
• Truganina

Queensland

An aerial view of the Brisbane river and the city of Brisbane.

In 2016-17, five of the ten largest population increases (in terms of absolute numbers) were seen in locations outside of Greater Brisbane, with three located on the Gold Coast.

Largest Growth Suburbs

• Pimpama
• Jimboomba
• North Lakes – Mango Hill
• Coomera
• Springfield Lakes
• Murrumba Downs – Griffin
• Caloundra – West
• Upper Coomera – Willow Vale
• Newstead – Bowen Hills
• Deeragun                              

Fastest Growth Suburbs

• Pimpama
• Ripley
• Newstead – Bowen Hills
• Peregian Springs
• Coomera
• South Brisbane
• Rochedale – Burbank
• Springfield Lakes
• Bellbird Park – Brookwater
• Jimboomba

Australian Capital Territory

Overlooking Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra.

In 2016-17, the largest population increase in the Australian Capital Territory (in terms of absolute numbers) was seen in Moncrieff in the north. Other areas with large growth included Kingston on the south-eastern banks of Lake Burley Griffin, the newly-developed western suburb of Coombs and Lawson in the north.

Largest Growth Suburbs

• Moncrieff
• Kingston
• Coombs
• Lawson
• Harrison
• Franklin
• Wright
• Ngunnawal
• Casey
• Crace

Fastest Growth Suburbs

• Coombs
• Wright
• Kingston
• Phillip
• Crace
• Civic
• Franklin
• Harrison
• Casey
• Greenway

Western Australia

A general view of the Swan River and the City of Perth.

In 2016-17, the largest population increases in Western Australia were all within Greater Perth. Ellenbrook, in Perth’s north-east, had the largest growth in terms of absolute numbers, increasing by 2,300 to reach 39,500 people.

Large growth also occurred in Forrestdale – Harrisdale – Piara Waters in Perth’s south-east, the outer coastal of Alkimos – Eglinton, north-west of the city, and Baldivis in the south-west.

Largest Growth Suburbs

• Ellenbrook
• Forrestdale – Harrisdale – Piara Waters
• Alkimos – Eglinton
• Baldivis
• Byford
• Bertram – Wellard (West)
• Madeley – Darch – Landsdale
• The Vines
• Yanchep
• Singleton – Golden Bay – Secret Harbour

Fastest Growth Suburbs

• Alkimos – Eglinton
• North Coogee
• Forrestdale – Harrisdale – Piara Waters
• Casuarina – Wandi
• Byford
• Bertram – Wellard (West)
• Yanchep
• The Vines
• Ellenbrook
• Baldivis

South Australia

Adelaide central business district, South Australia.

In 2016-17, nine of the ten areas with the largest population increases in South Australia were within Greater Adelaide. The outer-northern Munno Para West – Angle Vale had the largest growth in terms of absolute numbers (760 people), followed by Northgate – Oakden – Gilles Plains (610) also in the north, and Seaford (590) in Adelaide’s outer south.

Largest Growth Areas

• Munno Para West – Angle Vale
• Northgate – Oakden – Gilles Plains
• Seaford
• Adelaide
• Mount Barker
• Gawler – South
• Craigmore – Blakeview
• Parafield Gardens
• Hindmarsh – Brompton
• Murray Bridge

Fastest Growth Areas

• Munno Para West – Angle Vale
• Adelaide
• Virginia – Waterloo Corner
• Seaford
• Mount Barker
• Northgate – Oakden – Gilles Plains
• Nairne
• Craigmore – Blakeview
• Yankalilla
• Gawler – South

Tasmania

Tourists walk to a lookout at ‘The Neck’ on Bruny Island, off south eastern Tasmania.

In 2016-17, the largest population increases in Tasmania were within Greater Hobart. Sorell – Richmond, in Hobart’s north-east, had the largest growth in terms of absolute numbers (170 people), followed by Rokeby in the east and Brighton – Pontville in the north (both 160).

Largest Growth Suburbs

• Sorell – Richmond
• Rokeby
• Brighton – Pontville
• Glenorchy
• Port Sorell
• Kingston Beach – Blackmans Bay
• Margate – Snug
• Old Beach – Otago
• Howrah – Tranmere
• Kingston – Huntingfield

Fastest Growth Suburbs

• Old Beach – Otago
• Brighton – Pontville
• Miandetta – Don
• Port Sorell
• Rokeby
• Cygnet
• Hadspen – Carrick
• Sorell – Richmond
• Risdon Vale
• Legana

Northern Territory

Jim Jim Falls in the World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park, Darwin.

In 2016-17, Palmerston – South had the largest growth in terms of absolute numbers (800 people), followed by Lyons (520) on the northern fringe of the city.

Largest Growth Suburbs

• Palmerston – South
• Lyons
• Darwin City
• Rosebery – Bellamack
• Durack – Marlow Lagoon
• East Side
• Parap
• Howard Springs
• Fannie Bay – The Gardens
• Virginia

Fastest Growth Suburbs

• Palmerston – South
• Lyons
• Parap
• Darwin City
• Rosebery – Bellamack
• Durack – Marlow Lagoon
• Virginia
• Fannie Bay – The Gardens
• East Side
• Thamarrurr

 

From SBS