CENTRE OF POPULATION

The centre of population is one way in which the spatial distribution of Australia's population can be summarised. This point marks the average latitude and longitude around which the population is distributed.

For more information about how the Centre of Population is calculated, please refer to paragraphs 43 and 44 of the Explanatory Notes in this publication.


AUSTRALIA

Australia's centre of population at June 2017 was approximately 43 kilometres east of the small service town of Ivanhoe in western New South Wales. This location reflects the concentration of population in south-east Australia. The centre of population moved around 8.2 kilometres south-west between 2007 and 2017. This shift reflects rapid population growth in Western Australia and Victoria over this ten-year period, with both states increasing by 23% between 2007 and 2017.

NEW SOUTH WALES

The centre of population for NSW at June 2017 was near the Hawkesbury River on the south-western fringe of the rural suburb of Lower Portland. Between 2007 and 2017, the centre moved around 3.8 kilometres south-east, reflecting strong population growth in Greater Sydney and along the NSW coast.

At June 2017, the centre of population of Greater Sydney was in the suburb of Ermington, just north of the Parramatta River.


VICTORIA

At June 2017, Victoria's centre of population was in the suburb of Coburg North. In the ten years to 2017, the centre moved approximately 2.0 kilometres south-east, towards Melbourne's central business district.

Greater Melbourne's centre of population at June 2017 was in the suburb of Malvern, near the Monash Freeway.


QUEENSLAND

Queensland's centre of population at June 2017 was in the rural suburb of Booubyjan, roughly 95 kilometres south-west of the town of Maryborough. The centre moved around 14 kilometres south-east in the ten years to 2017, reflecting sustained population growth in Greater Brisbane and Queensland's coastal regions over this period.

The centre of population for Greater Brisbane at June 2017 was in the suburb of South Brisbane, to the south-west of the city's central business district.


SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The centre of population for SA at June 2017 was in the suburb of Northfield. In the ten years to 2017, the centre moved around 1.3 kilometres south, towards Adelaide's central business district.

For Greater Adelaide, the centre of population at June 2017 was near the River Torrens, north of Botanic Park, in the suburb of Adelaide.


WESTERN AUSTRALIA

At June 2017, the centre of population for WA was in Moondyne Nature Reserve, roughly 26 kilometres west of the town of Toodyay. In the ten years to 2017, the centre moved around 8.8 kilometres south-west, towards Perth's central business district.

The centre of population for Greater Perth at June 2017 was in the suburb of Como, near the banks of the Swan River.


TASMANIA

Tasmania's centre of population at June 2017 was near Woods Lake, in Central Highlands. In the ten years to 2017, the centre moved around 3.6 kilometres south-east, reflecting continued population growth in Greater Hobart.

For Greater Hobart, the centre of population at June 2017 was just south of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, in the suburb of Queens Domain.


NORTHERN TERRITORY

The centre of population for the NT at June 2017 was roughly 41 kilometres south-west of the town of Katherine near the Victoria Highway. The centre moved around 40 kilometres north-west in the ten years to 2017. This reflects strong population growth in Greater Darwin over this period.

The centre of population for Greater Darwin at June 2017 was in the suburb of Wishart, south of the Stuart Highway.


AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

The centre of population in the ACT at June 2017 was located on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin, in the suburb of Yarralumla. In the ten years to 2017, the centre of population moved approximately 1.8 kilometres north. This reflects population growth in the northern suburbs of Canberra.