According to Australian Bureau of Statistics, the strongest growth over the last year has been in Victoria, with Melbourne witnessing fastest-growth at 2.7% in the past 12 months.
Sydney remains Australia’s largest city with a record 5.1 million residents last year, up by 2%.
Brisbane is the other fastest-growing city that saw a 2% increase in the population in the last year.
The latest figures reveal Australia’s east coast -- Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane -- now account for more than 70% of the country's population growth.
Canberra has grown by 1.7%, whereas Darwin, Adelaide, and Perth experienced relatively low rates of population growth, each at 1% or less.
Australian Bureau of Statistics' director of health statistics, Louise Gates, points to migration as the biggest factor for the fastest-growing ones.
"So Sydney and Melbourne, as I said, is mostly net overseas migration, so that means more people arrived from overseas than left. In some of the other cities, in the ACT -- or in Canberra -- and in Darwin and Hobart, it's more natural increase. So there was more babies are being born that drove the population growth," she said.
Here’s a look at the fastest and the highest growth suburbs in Australia’s major cities:
New South WalesImage
Net overseas migration was a major contributor to Sydney's population growth (84,700 people) although, unlike Melbourne, the city experienced a net internal migration loss (-18,100 people) in 2016-17, meaning more people left Sydney for other parts of Australia than arrived. Sydney lost most people to other parts of New South Wales (40,000 people) and Melbourne (14,400).
Largest Growth Suburbs
Cobbitty - Leppington
Riverstone - Marsden Park
Waterloo - Beaconsfield
Parramatta - Rosehill
Arncliffe - Bardwell Valley
Rouse Hill - Beaumont Hills
Homebush Bay - Silverwater
Ryde
Mascot - Eastlakes
Redfern - Chippendale
Fastest Growth Suburbs
Cobbitty - Leppington
Riverstone - Marsden Park
Arncliffe - Bardwell Valley
Homebush Bay - Silverwater
Waterloo - Beaconsfield
Rouse Hill - Beaumont Hills
Parramatta - Rosehill
Elderslie - Harrington Park
Redfern - Chippendale
Warwick Farm
Victoria
In Melbourne, net overseas migration was the major contributor to population growth, adding 80,000 people in 2016-17 (64% of total population change). Natural increase contributed 29%, while net internal migration accounted for 7.3% of population growth.
Largest Growth Suburbs
Cranbourne East
Melbourne
Tarneit
Truganina
Mernda
Melton South
Wollert
Craigieburn - West
Beaconsfield - Officer
Grovedale
Fastest Growth Suburbs
Mickleham - Yuroke
Rockbank - Mount Cottrell
Cranbourne East
Wollert
Docklands
Mernda
Beaconsfield - Officer
Point Cook - East
Craigieburn - West
Truganina
QueenslandImage
In 2016-17, five of the ten largest population increases (in terms of absolute numbers) were seen in locations outside of Greater Brisbane, with three located on the Gold Coast.
Largest Growth Suburbs
Pimpama
Jimboomba
North Lakes - Mango Hill
Coomera
Springfield Lakes
Murrumba Downs - Griffin
Caloundra - West
Upper Coomera - Willow Vale
Newstead - Bowen Hills
Deeragun
Fastest Growth Suburbs
Pimpama
Ripley
Newstead - Bowen Hills
Peregian Springs
Coomera
South Brisbane
Rochedale - Burbank
Springfield Lakes
Bellbird Park - Brookwater
Jimboomba
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Australian Capital TerritoryImage
In 2016-17, the largest population increase in the Australian Capital Territory (in terms of absolute numbers) was seen in Moncrieff in the north. Other areas with large growth included Kingston on the south-eastern banks of Lake Burley Griffin, the newly-developed western suburb of Coombs and Lawson in the north.
Largest Growth Suburbs
Moncrieff
Kingston
Coombs
Lawson
Harrison
Franklin
Wright
Ngunnawal
Casey
Crace
Fastest Growth Suburbs
Coombs
Wright
Kingston
Phillip
Crace
Civic
Franklin
Harrison
Casey
Greenway
Western AustraliaImage
In 2016-17, the largest population increases in Western Australia were all within Greater Perth. Ellenbrook, in Perth's north-east, had the largest growth in terms of absolute numbers, increasing by 2,300 to reach 39,500 people.
Large growth also occurred in Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters in Perth's south-east, the outer coastal of Alkimos – Eglinton, north-west of the city, and Baldivis in the south-west.
Largest Growth Suburbs
Ellenbrook
Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters
Alkimos - Eglinton
Baldivis
Byford
Bertram - Wellard (West)
Madeley - Darch - Landsdale
The Vines
Yanchep
Singleton - Golden Bay - Secret Harbour
Fastest Growth Suburbs
Alkimos - Eglinton
North Coogee
Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters
Casuarina - Wandi
Byford
Bertram - Wellard (West)
Yanchep
The Vines
Ellenbrook
Baldivis
South AustraliaImage
In 2016-17, nine of the ten areas with the largest population increases in South Australia were within Greater Adelaide. The outer-northern Munno Para West - Angle Vale had the largest growth in terms of absolute numbers (760 people), followed by Northgate - Oakden - Gilles Plains (610) also in the north, and Seaford (590) in Adelaide's outer south.
Largest Growth Areas
Munno Para West - Angle Vale
Northgate - Oakden - Gilles Plains
Seaford
Adelaide
Mount Barker
Gawler - South
Craigmore - Blakeview
Parafield Gardens
Hindmarsh - Brompton
Murray Bridge
Fastest Growth Areas
Munno Para West - Angle Vale
Adelaide
Virginia - Waterloo Corner
Seaford
Mount Barker
Northgate - Oakden - Gilles Plains
Nairne
Craigmore - Blakeview
Yankalilla
Gawler - South
TasmaniaImage
In 2016-17, the largest population increases in Tasmania were within Greater Hobart. Sorell - Richmond, in Hobart's north-east, had the largest growth in terms of absolute numbers (170 people), followed by Rokeby in the east and Brighton - Pontville in the north (both 160).
Largest Growth Suburbs
Sorell - Richmond
Rokeby
Brighton - Pontville
Glenorchy
Port Sorell
Kingston Beach - Blackmans Bay
Margate - Snug
Old Beach - Otago
Howrah - Tranmere
Kingston - Huntingfield
Fastest Growth Suburbs
Old Beach - Otago
Brighton - Pontville
Miandetta - Don
Port Sorell
Rokeby
Cygnet
Hadspen - Carrick
Sorell - Richmond
Risdon Vale
Legana
Northern TerritoryImage
In 2016-17, Palmerston - South had the largest growth in terms of absolute numbers (800 people), followed by Lyons (520) on the northern fringe of the city.
Largest Growth Suburbs
Palmerston - South
Lyons
Darwin City
Rosebery - Bellamack
Durack - Marlow Lagoon
East Side
Parap
Howard Springs
Fannie Bay - The Gardens
Virginia
Fastest Growth Suburbs
Palmerston - South
Lyons
Parap
Darwin City
Rosebery - Bellamack
Durack - Marlow Lagoon
Virginia
Fannie Bay - The Gardens
East Side
Thamarrurr
