List of cities in Australia Facts for Kids

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.

Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
- Cities acknowledged on the NSW Geographical Names Register
- Cities not acknowledged on the NSW Geographical Names Register
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
See also

Australian Capital Territory

Canberra (national and territory capital city)

New South Wales

Since 1993, only local government areas in New South Wales can be declared as "cities" by the Government, under the Local Government Act 1993. Although the present version of the Act specifies no criteria for city status, a previous version of the Act specified that to be a city, a Council area must:

(a) have a population of at least 25,000 persons and be an independent centre of population; not being a suburb, whether residential, industrial, commercial or maritime, of any other council area or centre of population; or
(b) have a population of at least 150,000, and have a distinct character and entity as a centre of population beyond what would normally be regarded as being of local or suburban significance only; or
(c) satisfy the criteria specified in paragraphs (a) or (b) apart from the population criteria, and be a homogenous centre of importance as a focus of regional commercial, governmental or cultural activity beyond that which would normally be regarded as local, suburban, or subsidiary to another nearby centre.

New South Wales, therefore, has two types of "city": cities that are acknowledged on the register of the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales, and local government areas that have been proclaimed as cities but are not acknowledged on the Geographical Names Register.

Cities acknowledged on the NSW Geographical Names Register

Cities not acknowledged on the NSW Geographical Names Register

This list includes local government areas inside the Sydney metropolitan area but excludes cities also acknowledged on the Geographical Names Register.

City of Blacktown
City of Canada Bay
City of Coffs Harbour
City of Fairfield
City of Griffith
City of Hawkesbury
City of Lake Macquarie
City of Lismore
City of Maitland
City of Randwick
City of Ryde
City of Shellharbour
City of Shoalhaven
City of Willoughby

Former local government areas that were accorded city status (however since amalgamated) include:

City of Bankstown (1980)
City of Botany Bay (1995)
City of Canterbury (1990)
City of Dubbo (1966)
City of Gosford (1979)
City of Greater Taree (1980)
City of Holroyd (1990)
City of Hurstville (1988)
City of Queanbeyan (1972)
City of Rockdale (1995)

Northern Territory

Darwin (Territory capital)
Palmerston

Queensland

Other towns or suburban areas whose local government was accorded city status (including those since amalgamated) include:

South Australia

Tasmania

Hobart (state capital), the metropolitan area of which consists of the City of Clarence, City of Hobart, and the City of Glenorchy
Burnie
Devonport
Launceston

Victoria

Melbourne (state capital)
Ararat
Bairnsdale
Benalla
Ballarat
Bendigo
Dandenong
Frankston
Geelong
Hamilton
Horsham
Latrobe City
Melton
Mildura
Sale
Shepparton
Swan Hill
Wangaratta
Warrnambool
Wodonga

Western Australia

Local government areas with city status not listed above, all of which lie within Perth's metropolitan area, include:

City of Armadale
City of Bayswater
City of Canning
City of Cockburn
City of Gosnells
City of Kalamunda
City of Kwinana
City of Melville
City of Nedlands
City of South Perth
City of Stirling
City of Subiaco
City of Swan
City of Wanneroo

List of cities in Australia facts for kids

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