Want to know which is the biggest city in Australia? Here’s a list of the largest cities in Australia 2019, ranked by population and total area as well as more information about each major Australian city.
The Largest Cities in Australia by Population
Sydney
Sydney is the largest city in Australia ranked by population, and it’s also one of the most popular tourist destinations as well as university cities.
The city is also known for the iconic Opera House in Sydney and for being a multi-cultural society with people from all over the world. As for housing, Sydney is one of the most expensive cities in Australia.
Population: 4,627,345
Melbourne
Australia’s second-largest is known for its quality of life, and Melbourne is consistently ranked at the top of the most liveable cities in the world.
Melbourne is also closing in on the gap to Sydney since the population growth here is faster with more people moving to Melbourne than other major cities in Australia.
The city is also known for its amazing street art and food scene, which has something for every budget and taste.
Population: 4,246,375
Brisbane
Brisbane is the biggest city in Australia in terms of total area, but it’s “only” ranked third by population, which means it’s less densely populated than Sydney and Melbourne.
Brisbane is the State Capital of Queensland and is known for its pleasant climate year-round as well as being one of the most popular tourist destinations.
Population: 2,189,878
Perth
Perth is the capital city of the largest Australian state – Western Australia. It’s also the largest city in that state with a population of more than 1.8 million people.
Perth is also known for being the most isolated city in the world, and it takes about 5 hours to fly here from Sydney, which is on the opposite side of the country.
Population: 1,896,548
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of the state of South Australia, and the fifth most populous city in Australia. The city is known for its laid-back lifestyle and the proximity of some of the best wine regions in the world.
Adelaide is also known for low housing prices, being one of the cleanest Australian cities as well as having a large number of churches.
Population: 1,225,235
Gold Coast
Gold Coast is famous for its sandy beaches, surfing as well as beautiful canals and waterways. It’s one of the most populous cities in Queensland and it’s also a major tourist destination.
Population: 591,473
Canberra
Canberra is the capital of Australia and it’s a planned capital city similar to Washington D.C in the U.S and Brasilia in Brazil. The Commonwealth Government is the largest single employer in the city, which is home to an estimated population of 367,752 people.
Population: 367,752
Newcastle
Newcastle is the second most populated city in the state of New South Wales, and the city is located by the Hunter River. It has one of the busiest and most important ports in the country.
Newcastle also has the world’s largest coal export, which accounts for more than 90% of its tonnage.
Population: 308,308
Wollongong
The name of Wollongong originated from the Aboriginal word Woolyungah, which means five islands. Aboriginals have lived here for at least 30,000 years.
The city is also renowned for its fishing industry as well as surfing.
Population: 292,190
Logan City
Logan City is a transportation hub between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. It also borders the Scenic Rim Region, and the city is one of the fastest-growing Australian cities.
Population: 282,673
Geelong
Geelong is a port city in the state of Victoria and has positioned itself as one of the leading non-capital cities in Australia.
Population: 226,034
Hobart
Hobart is the capital of Tasmania and is home to about 40% of Tasmania’s population. It’s the second-oldest capital city after Sydney, and it was founded already in 1804 as a British colony.
Population: 216,656
Townsville
Townsville is one of the largest cities in Queensland and has on average 300 sunny days per year. It’s also known for having the largest living coral reef aquarium – The Reef HQ.
Population: 196,219
Cairns
Cairns is the gateway to exploring the Great Barrier Reef as well as the Wet Tropics Rainforest. It’s a popular tourist destination with pleasant temperatures and climate year-round.
Population: 153,075
Darwin
Darwin is the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory, and one of the largest cities in Australia with a population of more than 140 000 people. It works as a gateway to Southeast Asia and countries like Indonesia and East Timor.
The greater Darwin area is the ancestral home of the Larrakia people.
Population: 140,000
The Biggest Cities in Australia by area
Below are the biggest Australian cities by area (km²), and as you can see the list slightly differ from the most populated cities in Australia.
| Rank | City | Area (km²) |
| 1 | Brisbane | 15 826 |
| 2 | Sydney | 12 368 |
| 3 | Melbourne | 9990 |
| 4 | Perth | 6418 |
| 5 | Adelaide | 3258 |
| 6 | Darwin | 3164 |
| 7 | Hobart | 1696 |
More about the largest Australian cities
Sydney continues to be the largest Australian city in 2019, but Melbourne is closing in on the gap and is expected to overtake the first place within 10 years. Most of Australia’s population are living in any of the major cities, especially the State capitals.
Greater Sydney, Greater Melbourne, and Greater Brisbane are the fastest growing regions in the country in 2019.
What is the biggest city in Australia?
Brisbane is the biggest Australian city with an area of 15,826 km².
What is the most populated city in Australia?
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia with a population of 4,627,345 people.
What is the fastest-growing city in Australia?
Melbourne is the fastest growing city among the largest cities in Australia. Overall the city of Camden saw the fastest population growth last year.
How many of the largest cities in Australia did you know about? Leave a comment below!