List of cities in Australia

The definition of a city in Australia varies between the states. State capital cities may include multiple local government areas  (LGAs) within their boundaries and these LGAs may be cities in their own right. Cities listed below are those as defined by the states in which they are located. Also included are former cities that have lost city status due to LGA amalgamations or other factors.

Melbourne

The first Australian city on this list is Melbourne. It is situated in the Victoria. The population of this city is estimated to be more than 5 million, and thus it comes second in the list of most populated cities of Australia. People belonging to Tasmania laid down the foundations for the city of Melbourne in 1835. Later, in 1837 British Officers made the city a part of the British Crown, and thus the city was named Melbourne. Settlers took the name of this city from the name of the British Prime Minister at that time, "William Lamb II Viscount Melbourne".

Before establishing a British colony in the area, the area belonged to the Aboriginal Australian Inhabitants. These people belonged to the communities of Wurundjeri, Wathaurong, and Bunurong.

Several international sports events are also organized in Melbourne annually. Some of these events include the Australian Grand Prix, Australian Open, and Melbourne has also hosted Summer Olympics in 1956 and the Commonwealth Games of 2006. Some of the most visited places in the city of Melbourne are Melbourne Cricket Ground, Flinders Street Station, Royal Exhibition Building, Shrine of Remembrance, and the Melbourne Skyline.

Sydney

Sydney is amongst the largest and most culturally diverse cities in Australia. The city is located in the Australian state of New South Wales and is present along the eastern coast of the Australia. The population of this city is estimated to be more than 5 million. The population places Sydney at the first spot in the list of cities with highest population in Australia. People belonging to the city of Sydney are referred to as " Sydneysiders". Also, the city is famous with the name "Emerald City" and "Harbour City". The history of this beautiful city can be traced back to 1788, when Sydney was founded as a British penal colony by Arthur Phillip. Later, due to a large migration after the second world war, Sydney developed as an important economic center of Australia.

Popular places to visit in the city of Sydney are the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Moreover, the world-renowned University of Sydney founded in 1850 is also present here.

Brisbane

The next Australian city on the list is Brisbane. It is the capital city of Queensland and among the highest populated cities of Australia. Currently, the population of this city is estimated to be around 2.6 million, and the city is spread across an area of around 16,000 sq km. The people of Brisbane are popularly known as Brisbanite. The current area of Brisbane City was first occupied in 1824 as Moreton Bay Penal Settlement.

The name of this beautiful city and the adjacent river comes from Thomas Brisbane, governor of New South Wales. Later, the city became a popular commercial port, and many people started to settle in the area. Currently, this city is among the most technologically advanced cities, with research being done in cryptocurrency, biotechnology, green energy, mining, etc.

Brisbane's most visited places include Brisbane City Hall, Gallery of Modern Art, the Brisbane Skyline, Jacaranda Blossoms, Queensland Parliament, Story Bridge, etc.

Perth

Perth is an Australian city situated in the state of Western Australia. The city's current population is estimated to be around 2.2 million, and the area of Perth is spread across more than 6,400 sq km.

The foundations for this modern city were laid down in 1829 by Captain James Stirling. Initially, it was developed to serve as an administrative center for the Colony of Swan River. But soon, the city developed into a large settlement and one of the biggest cities in Australia. It is also one of the biggest mining centers of Australia and was an important part of the West Australian gold rushes.

Some of the must-visit places in Perth include the Swan River, the Perth Stadium, Kings Park, Parliament House, Yagan Square, etc.

Adelaide

Adelaide is the next Australian city on this list which is also the important urban center of South Australia. The current site of Adelaide has previously belonged to the people of the Kaurna community, and they referred to this place by the name of Tarndanyangga. The word Tarndanyangga means the place of red kangaroo. The population of this city is estimated to be around 1.4 million. The area of this city is spread across 3,200 sq km.

The city of Adelaide was a systematically planned settlement and was founded in 1836. Settlers gave the name of Adelaide in honor of Queen Adelaide of the United Kingdom. An alternate name also knows the city of "City of Churches". The most beautiful places to visit in Adelaide are St Peter's Cathedral, Victoria Square, Elder Park, the UniSA building, etc.

Goldcoast

Goldcoast is another Australian city on this list of belonging to the state of Queensland. The city has a population of around 700,000 people, and the city is spread across an area of around 414 sq km.

Historically, the area of the city of Goldcoast was populated by the people belonging to the Yugambeh community. The first European settlement took place in 1823 with the arrival of John Oxley. This city is famous globally for its tropical climate with sunny beaches. Several theme parks, disco clubs, five-star hotels, surfing beaches, etc., add different aspects to the beauty of this city.

Canberra

The next city on this list is the capital city of Australia, Canberra. The city of Canberra is very well-planned. Such a level of city planning is not very common in other cities of Australia.

The population of this city is estimated to be around 440,000. The total area of this city is spread across 814 sq km. The community of Nugunnawal people occupied the current area of this city for more than 21,000 years.

The history of the city of Canberra is very interesting. There were six independent colonies on the Australian continent by the end of the 20th century. When a decision to form a federation of colonies was taken, people faced a big conflict of selecting the capital City for this federation. There were some suggestions to choose either Sydney or Melbourne as the capital city of the Commonwealth of Australia. But people could not reach a single decision. As a result, a decision to build a new decision was taken, and thus the city of Canberra was founded.

After an international design contest for the city of Canberra, the city design proposed by Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin won this contest, and administrators built the city of Canberra according to this design.

The best places to visit in Canberra include the Mount Ainslie, the Australian war memorial, Lake Burley Griffin, etc.