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MAIN FEATURES

• Australia's estimated resident population (ERP) reached 24.2 million at 30 June 2016, increasing by 3.8 million people or 18% in the ten years since 30 June 2006.

• All states and territories experienced population growth between 2006 and 2016. Victoria had the largest growth in terms of absolute numbers (1.1 million people), followed by New South Wales (996,600) and Queensland (840,900).

• Western Australia's population grew fastest (that is it had the strongest growth rate) in the ten years to 2016 (mainly due to strong growth between 2006 and 2011), increasing by 25%, followed by Victoria (22%), Queensland (21%), the Australian Capital Territory (20%), Northern Territory (18%) and New South Wales (15%). Tasmania had the slowest growth (5.8%) followed by South Australia (10%).

• The combined population of Greater Capital Cities increased by 2.9 million people (22%) between 30 June 2006 and 30 June 2016, accounting for 77% of the country's total population growth.

• Melbourne had the largest growth of all Greater Capital Cities in the ten years to 2016 (964,600), followed by Sydney (773,600), Brisbane (452,000) and Perth (445,100).

• Darwin had the fastest growth (29%) between 2006 and 2016, ahead of Perth (28%), Melbourne (26%) and Brisbane (24%).

ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION, States and Territories - Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSAs)
		ERP AT 30 JUNE		CHANGE
		2006	2016pr	2006-2016pr
GCCSA		no.	no.	no.	%
NSW
	Greater Sydney	4 256 161	5 029 768	773 607	18.2
	Rest of NSW	2 486 529	2 709 506	222 977	9.0
	Total	6 742 690	7 739 274	996 584	14.8
Vic.
	Greater Melbourne	3 760 760	4 725 316	964 556	25.6
	Rest of Vic.	1 300 506	1 453 933	153 427	11.8
	Total	5 061 266	6 179 249	1 117 983	22.1
Qld
	Greater Brisbane	1 908 265	2 360 241	451 976	23.7
	Rest of Qld	2 099 727	2 488 636	388 909	18.5
	Total	4 007 992	4 848 877	840 885	21.0
SA
	Greater Adelaide	1 189 243	1 324 279	135 036	11.4
	Rest of SA	363 286	388 775	25 489	7.0
	Total	1 552 529	1 713 054	160 525	10.3
WA
	Greater Perth	1 576 912	2 022 044	445 132	28.2
	Rest of WA	473 669	536 907	63 238	13.4
	Total	2 050 581	2 558 951	508 370	24.8
Tas.
	Greater Hobart	204 753	224 462	19 709	9.6
	Rest of Tas.	284 549	293 126	8 577	3.0
	Total	489 302	517 588	28 286	5.8
NT
	Greater Darwin	113 461	145 916	32 455	28.6
	Rest of NT	95 596	99 824	4 228	4.4
	Total	209 057	245 740	36 683	17.5
ACT		335 170	403 468	68 298	20.4
Australia(a)
	Greater Capital City	13 344 725	16 235 494	2 890 769	21.7
	Rest of Australia	7 103 862	7 970 707	866 845	12.2
	Total	20 450 966	24 210 809	3 759 843	18.4

• Five of the ten Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2s) with the largest population growth in Australia between 30 June 2006 and 30 June 2016 were suburbs of Greater Melbourne, including Tarneit (up by 28,800 people) in the outer west, the inner city SA2 of Melbourne (26,200) and Cranbourne East (22,600) in the south-east. Other outer-suburban SA2s to experience high growth included Ellenbrook (23,600) in Perth's north-east and Parklea - Kellyville Ridge (22,200) in Sydney's north-west.

• Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters in Perth's south-east had the fastest growth of all SA2s in Australia between 2006 and 2016 (1,480%). This was followed by three outer-suburban SA2s in Greater Melbourne: Doreen in the north-east and Truganina in the west (both 700%) and Cranbourne East (530%).
  
  

  SA2s WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH IN 2006-2016
  		ERP AT 30 JUNE		CHANGE
  		2006	2016pr	2006-2016pr
  National rank & SA2(a)	GCCSA	no.	no.	no.	%
  LARGEST GROWTH
  1 Tarneit	Greater Melbourne	7 740	36 532	28 792	372.0
  2 Baldivis	Greater Perth	6 936	34 287	27 351	394.3
  3 Melbourne	Greater Melbourne	15 249	41 473	26 224	172.0
  4 Ellenbrook	Greater Perth	13 671	37 251	23 580	172.5
  5 Cranbourne East	Greater Melbourne	4 230	26 826	22 596	534.2
  6 Parklea - Kellyville Ridge	Greater Sydney	11 498	33 702	22 204	193.1
  7 North Lakes - Mango Hill	Greater Brisbane	9 157	31 141	21 984	240.1
  8 Truganina	Greater Melbourne	3 128	24 977	21 849	698.5
  9 Doreen	Greater Melbourne	2 733	21 904	19 171	701.5
  10 Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters	Greater Perth	1 276	20 111	18 835	1 476.1
  FASTEST GROWTH (b)
  1 Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters	Greater Perth	1 276	20 111	18 835	1 476.1
  2 Doreen	Greater Melbourne	2 733	21 904	19 171	701.5
  3 Truganina	Greater Melbourne	3 128	24 977	21 849	698.5
  4 Cranbourne East	Greater Melbourne	4 230	26 826	22 596	534.2
  5 Pimpama	Rest of Qld	1 728	9 620	7 892	456.7
  6 Baldivis	Greater Perth	6 936	34 287	27 351	394.3
  7 Tarneit	Greater Melbourne	7 740	36 532	28 792	372.0
  8 Peregian Springs	Rest of Qld	1 662	7 607	5 945	357.7
  9 Rosebery - Bellamack	Greater Darwin	1 607	7 062	5 455	339.5
  10 Bertram - Wellard (West)	Greater Perth	3 624	14 610	10 986	303.1
  (a) National Rank based on population change between June 2006 and June 2016. See paragraphs 24 and 25 of the Explanatory Notes. (b) Excludes SA2s with a population of less than 1,000 at June 2006.

POPULATION CHANGE BY SA2, Australia - 2006-2016