Australia's capital cities experienced strong population growth in the 12 months to 30 June 2007, according to population estimates released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The population growth rate for all capital cities combined in 2006-07 was the highest recorded for several years. The total population of all capital city Statistical Divisions (SDs) grew by 1.6% in 2006-07, compared to an average growth of just 1.3% for the five years to June 2007.
Melbourne SD experienced the largest population growth of all Australian capital city SDs, increasing by 61,700 people in 2006-07, followed by Sydney SD (52,000 people). The fastest growing capital city SD was Darwin SD (2.6%).
Brisbane local government area (LGA) is the first LGA in Australia to pass the population milestone of one million, reaching 1,010,000 people in June 2007.
Fast growth in inner cities
The inner-city LGA of Perth was the fastest growing of all LGAs in capital city SDs in Australia, with a 9.1% increase in population during 2006-07.
Other inner-city LGAs to grow significantly were Melbourne (5.8%) and Adelaide (4.8%).
Growth along the coast
Excluding capital city SDs, the most prominent population growth in 2006-07 continued to be along the coast of Australia.
Queensland coastal LGAs continued to experience large growth, particularly the Gold Coast, which had the largest growth (17,200 people) of all LGAs in Australia.
Developments associated with the resources sector may have contributed to the four fastest growing coastal LGAs in Australia, these being Ravensthorpe (10.8%), Capel (5.8%) and Broome (5.7%) in Western Australia and Weipa (6.4%) in Queensland.
Further information is available in
Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2006-07 (cat. no. 3218.0)
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State/Territory highlights
NEW SOUTH WALES
- The state's 2006-07 growth rate of 1.1% was its highest since 2000-01.
- The Sydney Statistical Division (SD) grew by 52,000 people in 2006-07.
- Outside of the Sydney SD, the fastest growth rates occurred along the NSW coast in the Richmond-Tweed (1.3%) and Hunter (1.1%) SDs.
VICTORIA
- Melbourne SD's growth of 61,700 people was the largest of all the Australian capital city SDs in 2006-07.
- The fastest growing local government areas (LGAs) were Wyndham (6.2%) and Melton (5.8%) in the outer suburbs of the Melbourne SD and the inner city Melbourne LGA (5.8%).
- Outside of the Melbourne SD the fastest growing LGAs were Surf Coast (3.2%), Mitchell (2.2%) and Bass Coast (2.0%).
QUEENSLAND
- The population of Brisbane LGA surpassed the population milestone of one million during 2006-07, to reach 1,010,000.
- Of all Statistical Local Areas in Australia with a population greater than 2,000 as at 30 June 2006, the three fastest-growing were in Brisbane SD, namely Wakerley (22.0%), City-Inner (21.2%) and Griffin-Mango Hill (20.2%).
- Gold Coast recorded the largest population increase of all LGAs in Australia, up 17,200 people.
- The mining town of Weipa continued to be Queensland's fastest-growing LGA (up 6.4%).
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
- South Australia's growth of 16,300 people in 2006-07 was its largest since 1974-75.
- The inner-city LGA of Adelaide had the fastest population growth (4.8%) of all South Australian LGAs in 2006-07.
- Whyalla recorded its largest annual population increase (280 people) for more than 30 years.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
- Western Australia had the fastest population growth (2.3%) of the states and territories of Australia in 2006-07.
- The inner-city LGA of Perth had the fastest population growth (9.1%) in the Perth SD.
- Rapid growth in the Kimberley, Pilbara and South Eastern SDs can be partly attributed to development associated with the expansion of the resources sector in these SDs.
TASMANIA
- Tasmania's resident population grew by 0.7% in 2006-07 as it had in the previous two years.
- The Greater Hobart-Southern region increased its share of the state's population, while the share in Mersey-Lyell SD continued to decline.
- Brighton (3.2%), Sorrell (2.4%) and Latrobe (2.1%) were the fastest-growing LGAs in Tasmania for the second year running.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
- Darwin SD (2.6%) was the fastest-growing capital city SD in Australia in 2006-07.
- Palmerston recorded the largest growth (1,200 people) of all Northern Territory LGAs.
- The inner-city SLAs of Bayview-Woolner and City - Inner increased by 7.6% and 5.1%, respectively.
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
- The population of the Australian Capital Territory increased by 5,600 people in 2006-07, which was its largest annual increase since 1990-91.
- Population growth was largest in the northern suburban fringes of Canberra, particularly in the SLAs of Harrison (870 people) and Gungahlin (770 people).
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