3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia and New Zealand, 2001-02  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/04/2003   
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MEDIA RELEASE

April 3, 2003
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
35/2003
Melbourne and Sydney experience largest population growth, but Brisbane records the fastest growth: ABS

Melbourne and Sydney experienced the largest population increases of all capital cities in the year to June 2002 (increasing by 52,500 and 42,700 people respectively), while Brisbane recorded the fastest population increase at 2.3%, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Large increases in population were recorded in many outer suburban areas, such as the Melbourne Local Government Areas (LGA) of Casey, Melton and Wyndham and the Sydney LGAs of Blacktown, Baulkham Hills and Liverpool.

Population growth in outer suburban areas was also apparent in other capital cities, such as Parkinson-Drewvale in Brisbane, Salisbury in Adelaide, Wanneroo in Perth, Bakewell in Darwin, Kingborough in Hobart and Amaroo in Canberra.

Inner city areas of capital cities continued to experience high levels of growth in 2001-02. The LGA with the fastest increasing population in Australia was the city of Perth, while the LGAs of the city of Sydney and city of Melbourne also experienced continuing high growth.

Population growth in many coastal regions continued during 2001-02. The largest increase (outside of Australia's capital cities) occurred in the city of Gold Coast in Queensland. In New South Wales, increases in population were recorded in every coastal LGA outside Sydney, while in Victoria the LGAs of Bass Coast and Surf Coast continued to experience high growth.

Various regional centres throughout Australia continued to grow during 2001-02, such as Maitland in New South Wales, Albury-Wodonga on the New South Wales/Victorian border, Greater Geelong in Victoria and Cairns in Queensland.

Further information is in Regional Population Growth, Australia and New Zealand, 2001-02 (cat. no. 3218.0).

Media Note: A Fact Sheet with highlights for states and territories accompanies this News Release.


REGIONAL POPULATION GROWTH HIGHLIGHTS (2001-02)


New South Wales

The population of the Sydney Statistical Division (SD) at June 2002 was 4.2 million people, an increase of 42,700 people since June 2001. The largest increases in population in NSW occurred within the Sydney SD, in the Local Government Areas (LGA) of Blacktown (C) (up 5,300 people), Baulkham Hills (A) (up 4,500) and Liverpool (C) (up 4,400). Outside the Sydney SD, the populations of all coastal LGAs in New South Wales increased in 2001-02, as did various regional centres such as Maitland (C) and Queanbeyan (C).

Victoria

The population of the Melbourne Statistical Division (SD) at June 2002 was 3.5 million people, up 52,500 people since June 2001. This was the largest increase in population of the capital cities. Outer suburban fringe areas of Melbourne SD experienced the largest growth in Victoria in 2001-02, with Casey (C) increasing by 10,100 people, Melton (S) by 5,900 and Wyndham (C) by 5,500. Outside Melbourne SD, growth was recorded in the regional centres of Greater Geelong (C) (up 3,700 people), Greater Bendigo (C) (up 1,400) and Ballarat (C) (up 1,200), while the coastal Local Government Areas (LGA) of Bass Coast (S) (up 4.5%) and Surf Coast (S) (up 3.6%) were amongst the fastest growing LGAs in Victoria in 2001-02.

Queensland

Brisbane Statistical Division's (SD) annual growth rate of 2.3% in 2001-02 was the highest of the capital cities, increasing Brisbane SD's population by 38,700 people to reach 1.7 million at June 2002. The Local Government Area (LGA) of Brisbane (C) recorded the largest increase in population of Australia's LGAs in 2001-02, up 20,600 people, while the LGA of Gold Coast (C) recorded the second largest increase, up 14,800 people. Other LGAs to experience large increases were Pine Rivers (S) (up 5,100 people), Maroochy (S) (up 4,200) and Redland (S) (up 3,100).

South Australia

The population of the Adelaide Statistical Division (SD) was 1.1 million people at June 2002, an increase of 6,300 people over the June 2001 population. The four largest increases in population in South Australia in 2001-02 occurred within the Adelaide SD. These were the LGAs of Salisbury (C) which increased by 1,300 people, Onkaparinga (C) which increased by 1,100 people, and Port Adelaide Enfield (C) and Playford (C), each of which increased by 730 people.

Western Australia

The population of the Perth Statistical Division (SD) increased by 20,600 people in 2001-02 to reach 1.4 million people, with large increases continuing in the outer metropolitan Local Government Areas (LGA) of Wanneroo (C) (up 4,300 people), Swan (C) (up 2,300), Rockingham (C) (up 2,200) and Cockburn (up 1,900). At the same time the inner-city LGA of Perth (C) recorded the highest annual growth rate of all LGAs in Australia in 2001-02, increasing by 11.8%. Significant growth was recorded in the LGAs of Mandurah (C) (up 2,000 people) and Busselton (S) (up 1,300) in the South West SD as well as in each of the four LGAs that comprise the Kimberley SD.


Tasmania

The population of the Greater Hobart Statistical Division (SD) increased by 740 people in 2001-02 to reach 198,000 people at June 2002. The Local Government Area (LGA) of Kingborough (M), a fringe urban area in Hobart's south, recorded the largest and fastest increase in population of all LGAs in Tasmania in 2001-02, up 570 people or 1.9%. In the north of the state, West Tamar (M) (up 190 people) and Meander Valley (M) (up 150 people) recorded the second and third largest increases in population in Tasmania.

Northern Territory

During 2001-02 the population of Darwin Statistical Division (SD) increased by 530 people, to reach 107,400 people. The main growth area within the Northern Territory was the Palmerston-East Arm Statistical Subdivision (SSD) within Darwin SD, where Bakewell and Palmerston (C) Bal recorded the largest increases in Statistical Local Area (SLA) populations in the Northern Territory, up 410 and 320 people respectively.

Australian Capital Territory

The population of the ACT increased by 2,500 people in the year to June 2002, to reach 321,800 people at June 2002. Gungahlin-Hall Statistical Subdivision (SSD) continued as the ACT's main region of growth, up 1,400 people overall, with the Statistical Local Area (SLA) of Amaroo recording the largest increase in population in the ACT, up 720 people. The Belconnen SLA of Dunlop, on the north-western fringe of Canberra, recorded the second largest increase, up 710 people, while Nicholls, also part of the Gungahlin-Hall SSD, recorded the third largest increase, up 330 people.