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All states and territories experienced population growth between June 2001 and June 2006.

The three most populous states recorded the largest population growth in the five-year period to June 2006. Queensland experienced the largest growth (462,600 people), followed by Victoria (323,600) and New South Wales (242,000). In the previous five-year period the largest gain in population was in New South Wales (370,500), followed by Queensland (290,300) and Victoria (244,600).

The fastest population growth in the five years to June 2006 was in Queensland, with the population increasing by 2.4% per year on average. Western Australia also experienced fast growth, recording an average population increase of 1.6% per year over the five years to 2006.

In the five years to June 2006, the remaining states and territories recorded annual growth rates equal to or lower than the average annual growth rate for Australia overall (1.3%). Victoria and the Northern Territory experienced the third fastest growth of all states and territories between June 2001 and June 2006, with an average annual growth rate equal to Australia's, at 1.3%. The Australian Capital Territory's population grew at a rate of 0.9% per year over the five years to June 2006, Tasmania recorded an increase of 0.8% per year and South Australia and New South Wales both increased at an average annual rate of 0.7%.

The growth rate during the five years to June 2006 was faster than the previous five-year period in all but two of the states and territories. The exceptions were the Northern Territory and New South Wales, which grew at a slower rate than in the earlier five years. Tasmania's population had decreased in the five years to June 2001 but increased in the five years to June 2006.

In each state and territory, the regions with the most prominent growth during the five years to June 2006 continued to be outer suburbs, inner areas of capital cities and some regional centres, particularly along the coast.

Population change, Australia - June 2001 to June 2006

Growth in the combined capital city SDs occurred at an average annual rate of 1.3% between 2001 and 2006, a slight increase compared with the previous five-year period, when the combined capital city SDs recorded an average growth rate of 1.2% per year.

In the five years to June 2006, Melbourne SD recorded the largest growth of all capital cities, increasing by 272,700 people. Brisbane SD recorded the second largest growth, increasing by 191,300 people, followed by Sydney SD (up 156,100) and Perth SD (up 126,500). In comparison, between June 1996 and June 2001, the capital city SD to record the largest growth was Sydney SD (up 247,100), followed by Melbourne SD (188,300), Brisbane SD (128,300) and Perth SD (97,900).

The fastest growing capital city between June 2001 and June 2006 was Brisbane SD, recording an average annual growth rate of 2.2%. The second fastest growing capital city SD was Perth SD, which increased at a rate of 1.8% per year, followed by Melbourne SD (1.5%). In contrast, during the previous five-year period, Darwin SD experienced the fastest growth of all capital city SDs, recording an average annual growth rate of 2.2%, followed by Brisbane SD (1.7%) and Perth SD (1.5%).

In Perth, the city fringe LGA of Wanneroo (C) recorded the largest growth of all LGAs in Western Australia, increasing by 31,400 people over the five years to June 2006. The second largest growth was in Rockingham (C) (up 13,500 people), followed closely by Gosnells (C) and Swan (C).

In the smaller capital cities, many outer suburban areas also recorded strong growth. The outer Adelaide LGA of Salisbury (C) recorded the largest growth of all LGAs in South Australia in the five years to June 2006, while Port Adelaide Enfield (C), Onkaparinga (C) and Playford (C) also experienced large growth. The outer suburban LGA of Kingborough (M) experienced the largest growth of LGAs in Tasmania, while Palmerston (C), on the outskirts of Darwin, also recorded a large population increase over the five years to June 2006. The Canberra SLAs of Gungahlin, Dunlop and Amaroo, located on the northern fringes of the city, were among the strongest growing SLAs in the Australian Capital Territory.

The Brisbane inner city SLAs of Bowen Hills (13.7% average annual growth), Fortitude Valley (12.5%) and Newstead (12.4%) all recorded rapid growth over the five years to June 2006. The Brisbane SLA of City - Remainder also had a large increase of 2,800 people between June 2001 and June 2006. The Darwin SLAs of City - Inner and Stuart Park both increased at a rapid rate of 5.0% per year over the five years to June 2006, while in Canberra, Braddon, in the inner north, increased at an average annual rate of 5.3%. Turner, also in the inner north, recorded a large increase of 1,300 people between June 2001 and June 2006.

Capital city growth outpaced growth in the state balances in all states and territories except Queensland and South Australia in the five years to June 2006, although the growth rate in the balance of New South Wales almost equalled that of Sydney SD.

In the five years to June 2006, as in the previous five-year period, the largest state balance growth occurred in the balance of Queensland, which increased by 271,300 people. This growth was over three times larger than that of the next largest state balance growth in New South Wales (85,900 people) and over five times larger than the third largest state balance growth in Victoria (50,800 people).

In Victoria, the coastal LGA of Greater Geelong (C), increased by 11,500 people (or 1.2% per year) over the five years to June 2006, making it the LGA with the largest growth outside of the Melbourne SD. This growth is consistent with the growth in Greater Geelong (C) during the previous five years (up 10,800 or 1.1% per annum).

The coastal LGAs in Western Australia continued to record strong growth during the five years to June 2006, particularly Mandurah (C), which increased by 9,600 people. Many other Western Australian coastal LGAs experienced strong growth during 2001 to 2006, including Busselton (S) and Capel (S) in the south-west of Western Australia and the mining area of Roebourne (S) in the Pilbara. In New South Wales, significant growth occurred in many coastal LGAs, including Tweed (A) (up 8,400), Newcastle (C) (7,000) and Hastings (A) (6,000).

The South Australian LGA of Alexandrina (DC) recorded relatively large and rapid growth during the five years to June 2006, increasing by 3,300, or 3.4% per year. Other South Australian LGAs along the coast to experience rapid growth included Victor Harbor (C) and Yankalilla (DC), which both recorded an average annual growth rate of 2.4%.

Although not strictly on the coast, the Statistical Districts of Rockhampton (Queensland) and Nowra-Bomaderry (located to the south of Wollongong in New South Wales) are within close proximity to the coast. Between June 2001 to June 2006 both areas experienced rapid growth, increasing at an average annual rate of 1.7% and 1.3% respectively.

Between June 2001 and June 2006, rapid growth occurred within the inland Statistical Districts of Toowoomba (Queensland) and Bendigo (Victoria), increasing by 2.2% and 1.3% per year respectively.

Large population declines were also recorded within many state and territory balances (outside capital city SDs) between June 2001 and June 2006, especially in areas that have been affected by drought, for example the New South Wales LGAs of Moree Plains (A) and Walgett (A) declined by 1,700 and 1,100 people respectively.

Population density at June 2006 was highest in city centres, particularly in Sydney, where the three most densely populated SLAs in Australia were located. These were Sydney (C) - East (with 8,100 people per square kilometre); Sydney (C) - West (7,200); and Waverley (A) (6,900), which is just east of the city centre and includes the beach suburbs of Coogee, Bronte and Bondi Beach. Fourth on the list, and the most densely populated SLA in Victoria was Melbourne (C) - Inner (6,600) followed by Port Phillip (C) - St Kilda, which is on the shores of the bay just south of the city centre, with 6,000 people per square kilometre. The two most densely populated SLAs in Queensland were the inner Brisbane SLAs of New Farm and Kangaroo Point, which both had 5,700 people per square kilometre.

At June 2006, there were over 260 SLAs in Australia with less than 1 person per square kilometre. For information about the areas of SLAs see paragraph 29 of the Explanatory Notes.

CENTRE OF POPULATION

The centre of population is one measure to describe the spatial distribution of the population. This point marks the average latitude and longitude around which the population is distributed. The inherent imprecision in small area population estimates, and the use of geographic centroids, means the centre of population provides only an indication of the distribution of the population, and cannot with any certainty be ascribed to an exact location. See paragraphs 23 and 24 of the Explanatory Notes for more detail.

At June 2006 the centre of Australia's population was located around 54 kilometres east of the town of Ivanhoe in the western New South Wales LGA of Central Darling (A), reflecting the concentration of people in the south-east of Australia, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne. Between June 2001 and June 2006 the centre of population moved approximately 9 kilometres north, as a result of the relatively faster population growth in northern Australia, especially in south-east Queensland. In comparison, the centre of population moved 6 kilometres northward in the previous five-year period, moving the centre of population out of the Carrathool (A) and into Central Darling (A).

Centre of population, Australia - June 1996, 2001 and 2006

ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION, States and territories - Capital city and balance of state/territory
		ERP at 30 June			Change
		1996	2001	2006p	1996-2001		2001-2006p
Part of state/territory		no.	no.	no.	no.	%(a)	no.	%(a)
New South Wales
	Sydney SD	3 881 136	4 128 272	4 284 379	247 136	1.2	156 107	0.7
	Balance of state	2 323 592	2 446 945	2 532 803	123 353	1.0	85 858	0.7
	Total	6 204 728	6 575 217	6 817 182	370 489	1.2	241 965	0.7
Victoria
	Melbourne SD	3 283 278	3 471 625	3 744 373	188 347	1.1	272 748	1.5
	Balance of state	1 276 877	1 333 101	1 383 937	56 224	0.9	50 836	0.8
	Total	4 560 155	4 804 726	5 128 310	244 571	1.1	323 584	1.3
Queensland
	Brisbane SD	1 500 803	1 629 133	1 820 400	128 330	1.7	191 267	2.2
	Balance of state	1 837 887	1 999 813	2 271 146	161 926	1.7	271 333	2.6
	Total	3 338 690	3 628 946	4 091 546	290 256	1.7	462 600	2.4
South Australia
	Adelaide SD	1 078 437	1 107 986	1 146 119	29 549	0.5	38 133	0.7
	Balance of state	395 816	403 742	422 085	7 926	0.4	18 343	0.9
	Total	1 474 253	1 511 728	1 568 204	37 475	0.5	56 476	0.7
Western Australia
	Perth SD	1 295 092	1 393 002	1 519 510	97 910	1.5	126 508	1.8
	Balance of state	470 164	508 157	539 535	37 993	1.6	31 378	1.2
	Total	1 765 256	1 901 159	2 059 045	135 903	1.5	157 886	1.6
Tasmania
	Hobart SD	195 718	197 282	205 566	1 564	0.2	8 284	0.8
	Balance of state	278 725	274 513	284 356	-4 212	-0.3	9 843	0.7
	Total	474 443	471 795	489 922	-2 648	-0.1	18 127	0.8
Northern Territory
	Darwin SD	95 829	106 842	114 368	11 013	2.2	7 526	1.4
	Balance of territory	86 014	90 926	96 306	4 912	1.1	5 380	1.2
	Total	181 843	197 768	210 674	15 925	1.7	12 906	1.3
Australian Capital Territory
	Canberra SD	307 917	318 939	333 940	11 022	0.7	15 001	0.9
	Balance of territory	334	378	285	44	2.5	-93	-5.5
	Total	308 251	319 317	334 225	11 066	0.7	14 908	0.9
Other Territories		3 095	2 584	2 380	-511	-3.5	-204	-1.6
Australia
	Capital City	11 638 210	12 353 081	13 168 655	714 871	1.2	815 574	1.3
	Balance of Australia(b)	6 672 504	7 060 159	7 532 833	387 655	1.1	472 674	1.3
	Total	18 310 714	19 413 240	20 701 488	1 102 526	1.2	1 288 248	1.3
(a) Average annual growth rate.
(b) Includes Other Territories.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS WITH LARGEST POPULATION CHANGES
		ERP at 30 June			Change
		1996	2001	2006p	1996-2001		2001-2006p
National rank(b) LGA	Part of state/territory	no.	no.	no.	no.	%(a)	no.	%(a)
LARGEST INCREASES IN 2001-2006
1 Brisbane (C)	Brisbane	824 489	896 649	992 176	72 160	1.7	95 527	2.0
2 Gold Coast (C)	Qld Balance	356 441	423 719	507 439	67 278	3.5	83 720	3.7
3 Casey (C)	Melbourne	148 957	181 562	222 236	32 605	4.0	40 674	4.1
4 Sydney (C)	Sydney	106 573	129 696	164 547	23 123	4.0	34 851	4.9
5 Wanneroo (C)	Perth	64 999	84 132	115 513	19 133	5.3	31 381	6.5
6 Wyndham (C)	Melbourne	76 239	87 141	116 001	10 902	2.7	28 860	5.9
7 Melton (S)	Melbourne	40 612	52 830	80 911	12 218	5.4	28 081	8.9
8 Melbourne (C)	Melbourne	39 716	50 673	76 678	10 957	5.0	26 005	8.6
9 Maroochy (S)	Qld Balance	108 072	127 202	152 664	19 130	3.3	25 462	3.7
10 Pine Rivers (S)	Brisbane	106 277	122 303	144 860	16 026	2.8	22 557	3.4
11 Caboolture (S)	Brisbane	100 757	114 338	135 359	13 581	2.6	21 021	3.4
12 Baulkham Hills (A)	Sydney	125 598	146 045	165 931	20 447	3.1	19 886	2.6
13 Cairns (C)	Qld Balance	111 469	117 629	136 558	6 160	1.1	18 929	3.0
14 Hume (C)	Melbourne	120 819	135 986	153 729	15 167	2.4	17 743	2.5
15 Caloundra (C)	Qld Balance	65 999	76 207	93 248	10 208	2.9	17 041	4.1
16 Ipswich (C)	Brisbane	123 894	126 663	143 649	2 769	0.4	16 986	2.5
17 Blacktown (C)	Sydney	239 818	264 799	279 759	24 981	2.0	14 960	1.1
18 Mackay (C)	Qld Balance	71 448	75 993	90 303	4 545	1.2	14 310	3.5
19 Redland (S)	Brisbane	103 082	117 252	131 332	14 170	2.6	14 080	2.3
20 Rockingham (C)	Perth	61 631	74 018	87 541	12 387	3.7	13 523	3.4
LARGEST DECLINES IN 2001-2006
1 Campbelltown (C)	Sydney	148 218	150 154	147 177	1 936	0.3	-2 977	-0.4
2 Fairfield (C)	Sydney	189 108	189 034	186 414	-74	-	-2 620	-0.3
3 Moree Plains (A)	NSW Balance	15 364	16 233	14 580	869	1.1	-1 653	-2.1
4 Ku-ring-gai (A)	Sydney	105 392	107 655	106 029	2 263	0.4	-1 626	-0.3
5 Canterbury (C)	Sydney	138 715	137 492	136 032	-1 223	-0.2	-1 460	-0.2
6 Marrickville (A)	Sydney	79 876	76 743	75 525	-3 133	-0.8	-1 218	-0.3
7 Walgett (A)	NSW Balance	8 289	8 328	7 199	39	0.1	-1 129	-2.9
8 Sutherland Shire (A)	Sydney	203 753	213 828	212 813	10 075	1.0	-1 015	-0.1
9 Broken Hill (C)	NSW Balance	21 986	21 098	20 139	-888	-0.8	-959	-0.9
10 Blue Mountains (C)	Sydney	74 880	77 021	76 080	2 141	0.6	-941	-0.2
11 Narrabri (A)	NSW Balance	14 328	14 537	13 680	209	0.3	-857	-1.2
12 Hawkesbury (C)	Sydney	59 081	62 814	62 031	3 733	1.2	-783	-0.3
13 Derby-West Kimberley (S)	WA Balance	6 512	8 287	7 511	1 775	4.9	-776	-1.9
14 Penrith (C)	Sydney	167 868	177 413	176 661	9 545	1.1	-752	-0.1
15 Bourke (A)	NSW Balance	3 974	3 951	3 217	-23	-0.1	-734	-4.0
16 Northern Grampians (S)	Vic. Balance	13 292	13 055	12 330	-237	-0.4	-725	-1.1
17 Balonne (S)	Qld Balance	4 825	5 580	4 936	755	3.0	-644	-2.4
18 Warrumbungle Shire (A)	NSW Balance	10 832	10 849	10 208	17	-	-641	-1.2
19 Lachlan (A)	NSW Balance	7 588	7 560	6 927	-28	-0.1	-633	-1.7
20 Deniliquin (A)	NSW Balance	8 264	8 333	7 715	69	0.2	-618	-1.5
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Average annual growth rate.
(b) National rank based on population change between June 2001 and June 2006.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS WITH FASTEST POPULATION CHANGES
		ERP at 30 June			Change
		1996	2001	2006p	1996-2001		2001-2006p
National rank(b) LGA	Part of state/territory	no.	no.	no.	no.	%(a)	no.	%(a)
FASTEST INCREASES IN 2001-2006
1 Perth (C)	Perth	5 600	7 808	12 549	2 208	6.9	4 741	10.0
2 Melton (S)	Melbourne	40 612	52 830	80 911	12 218	5.4	28 081	8.9
3 Melbourne (C)	Melbourne	39 716	50 673	76 678	10 957	5.0	26 005	8.6
4 Capel (S)	WA Balance	5 989	7 107	10 630	1 118	3.5	3 523	8.4
5 Weipa (T)	Qld Balance	2 485	2 173	3 029	-312	-2.6	856	6.9
6 Wanneroo (C)	Perth	64 999	84 132	115 513	19 133	5.3	31 381	6.5
7 Wyndham (C)	Melbourne	76 239	87 141	116 001	10 902	2.7	28 860	5.9
8 Adelaide (C)	Adelaide	12 831	13 289	17 723	458	0.7	4 434	5.9
9 Crow's Nest (S)	Qld Balance	8 833	10 259	13 311	1 426	3.0	3 052	5.3
10 Nebo (S)	Qld Balance	2 257	2 094	2 682	-163	-1.5	588	5.1
11 Sydney (C)	Sydney	106 573	129 696	164 547	23 123	4.0	34 851	4.9
12 Hervey Bay (C)	Qld Balance	38 809	43 298	55 113	4 489	2.2	11 815	4.9
13 East Pilbara (S)	WA Balance	6 755	5 628	7 160	-1 127	-3.6	1 532	4.9
14 Chittering (S)	WA Balance	2 409	2 936	3 683	527	4.0	747	4.6
15 Cardinia (S)	Melbourne	42 716	47 010	58 559	4 294	1.9	11 549	4.5
16 Casey (C)	Melbourne	148 957	181 562	222 236	32 605	4.0	40 674	4.1
17 Caloundra (C)	Qld Balance	65 999	76 207	93 248	10 208	2.9	17 041	4.1
18 Light (RegC)	SA Balance	9 524	10 542	12 846	1 018	2.1	2 304	4.0
19 Cambooya (S)	Qld Balance	4 223	5 085	6 154	862	3.8	1 069	3.9
20 Miriam Vale (S)	Qld Balance	3 975	4 484	5 408	509	2.4	924	3.8
FASTEST DECLINES IN 2001-2006
1 Bourke (A)	NSW Balance	3 974	3 951	3 217	-23	-0.1	-734	-4.0
2 Central Darling (A)	NSW Balance	2 473	2 451	2 008	-22	-0.2	-443	-3.9
3 Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AC)	SA Balance	2 590	2 672	2 204	82	0.6	-468	-3.8
4 Coober Pedy (DC)	SA Balance	2 668	2 424	1 996	-244	-1.9	-428	-3.8
5 Walgett (A)	NSW Balance	8 289	8 328	7 199	39	0.1	-1 129	-2.9
6 Warren (A)	NSW Balance	3 425	3 320	2 871	-105	-0.6	-449	-2.9
7 Carrathool (A)	NSW Balance	3 200	3 316	2 911	116	0.7	-405	-2.6
8 Cloncurry (S)	Qld Balance	3 193	3 827	3 362	634	3.7	-465	-2.6
9 Balonne (S)	Qld Balance	4 825	5 580	4 936	755	3.0	-644	-2.4
10 Coonamble (A)	NSW Balance	5 009	4 836	4 342	-173	-0.7	-494	-2.1
11 Moree Plains (A)	NSW Balance	15 364	16 233	14 580	869	1.1	-1 653	-2.1
12 Carpentaria (S)	Qld Balance	1 976	2 290	2 084	314	3.0	-206	-1.9
13 Derby-West Kimberley (S)	WA Balance	6 512	8 287	7 511	1 775	4.9	-776	-1.9
14 Flinders (S)	Qld Balance	2 234	2 090	1 907	-144	-1.3	-183	-1.8
15 Merredin (S)	WA Balance	3 731	3 768	3 436	37	0.2	-332	-1.8
16 Balranald (A)	NSW Balance	2 934	2 773	2 546	-161	-1.1	-227	-1.7
17 Lachlan (A)	NSW Balance	7 588	7 560	6 927	-28	-0.1	-633	-1.7
18 Wakool (A)	NSW Balance	4 935	4 929	4 530	-6	-	-399	-1.7
19 Carnarvon (S)	WA Balance	6 385	6 723	6 159	338	1.0	-564	-1.7
20 Brewarrina (A)	NSW Balance	2 234	2 165	1 998	-69	-0.6	-167	-1.6
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Average annual growth rate.
(b) National rank based on population change between June 2001 and June 2006, excluding LGAs with a population of less than 2,000 at June 2001.