According to the latest statistics, just over 19 million people live in Australia. But, surprisingly, 10 million of them live in cities located on the eastern and southern coasts of the continent. There are not many large urban settlements in this part of the world, and large cities in Australia are inferior in size and population to their counterparts in other parts of the world. But still we will go to this amazing continent and visit cities with a population of more than 250 thousand inhabitants.
1
Sydney
The city with a population of 5 million people holds the championship in two ways at once. Firstly, it is the largest city in Australia, and secondly, the oldest.
It was founded on January 26, 1788, when the ship's captain Arthur Philip proclaimed himself governor of New South Wales. And he called the new city settlement in a convenient bay in honor of Lord Sydney, who at that time was in charge of the affairs of the colonies in Great Britain.
Many experts note that the many-sided and beautiful largest city in Australia, Sydney is one of the best cities in the world for life.
2
Melbourne
Beautiful and cozy Melbourne proudly bears the title of the most liveable city on the planet. It is not in vain that 4 million 529 thousand people chose it as their place of residence.
In 1835, the land, where the city settlement was then built, was bought from local tribes, and in 1847 Melbourne received city status.
Every tourist who has arrived in Australia will appreciate the comfort of his hotels, a delicious menu of restaurants serving national and European cuisine. In addition, you can attend prestigious sporting events such as Formula 1 or Rugby Championships.
3
Brisbane
Since 1824, the new city was called Edenglassi, and in 1859, when Queensland was formed, it was renamed Brisbane and it became the state capital.
Today, the population of a beautiful city, spreading its quarters in a tropical climate, is 2 million 360 thousand inhabitants. It should be noted that in terms of population growth rate it ranks first in Australia, and tourists are attracted by the mild climate and magnificent beaches.
The architecture of urban development harmoniously combines modern and Victorian architectural styles.
4
Perth
One of the largest cities in Western Australia, which is also the state capital. According to the latest data, Perth's population is just over 2 million people.
Located on the west coast, it was founded in 1829. Now it is called the "pearl of Australia" for its beautiful landscapes and magnificent parks and places for recreation.
There are many museums in Pete itself, including the Mint in the city center that tells the story of gold mining and coin printing in Australia.
5
Adelaide
The city with a beautiful romantic name is located on the south coast, and today is the capital of the state of South Australia. The luxurious city is home to 1 million 225 people.
They founded it in 1836, and by its name he is grateful to the wife of the British monarch William IV, whose name was Adelaide. The city has an original building from a network of streets, and in the center they all converge on 5 main squares.
Previously, these lands were inhabited by Aboriginal tribes, and today Adelaide is the most important financial and economic center of the region.
6
Gold Coast
The main urban settlements of Australia lie on the coast, as happened with the Gold Coast. One of the youngest cities on the continent was founded in 1959, and today almost 600 thousand inhabitants live in it.
It is located on the 60-kilometer coastline of the beautiful and warm Coral Sea, which is why it is known around the world as a center for boating.
The uniqueness of Gold Court is also in that its territory is cut by water channels, along the banks of which multi-story buildings grow.
7
Newcastle
On the coast of the Tasman Sea in the picturesque mouth of the Hunter River in 1804, the city of Newcastle was founded. The city was expanding rapidly, and now about 290 thousand people live in it, and if you count the suburbs, then more than 500 thousand.
The convenient location contributed to the fact that a large port grew here. The main flow of coal shipments passes through this Australian port city.
Until 1950, the city had a unique, and one of the oldest on the continent, tram line. But trams ousted comfortable buses from the streets.
8
Canberra
The capital of Australia is the artificially built city of Canberra; it occupies only 8th place in terms of population. Now the population of the city is 357 thousand people.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Melbourne and Sydney began to dispute who should be the capital of Australia. In 1908, they reached a compromise, and decided to build a new city and assign it the status of the capital of the state. So, in 1913, Canberra appeared.
Literally, the name of the city can be translated from the dialects of the local tribes as "a place for meetings." And indeed, one of the first magnificent buildings of the capital was the white stone building of the Parliament.
9
Sunshine coast
From English, the name of the city with a population of 300 thousand inhabitants is translated as "Sunny Coast". Indeed, this coastal region in Queensland receives tens of thousands of tourists every year.
The first European to land here was James Cook in 1770, and exactly 100 years later the territories were opened for settlement. So the beautiful city of Sunshine Coast grew up on the ocean.
Among the attractions, in addition to the magnificent beaches, it is worth noting the large zoo and the amusement park "Australian World".
10
Wollongong
The first European settlers in the place where the city later grew up began to appear at the beginning of the XIX century. The first inhabitants were engaged in coal mining, and over time Wollongong became the center of ferrous metallurgy.
Now in the city on the shores of the Tasman Sea there are 292,190 inhabitants who are always happy for tourists and travelers. The city is located in the most beautiful places in Australia at the foot of two mountains.
Not far from his residential quarters lies the mirror of the magnificent lagoon lake Illawarra.
By the way, thebiggest.ru website has an interesting article about the largest lakes on the planet.
11
Hobart
In conclusion, we transfer to the island of Tasmania, which is also part of the state of Australia. Founded in 1804, Hobart is second only to Sydney in age.
Initially, it was a huge prison where prisoners from all over the UK were transported. Today it is the main business and financial center of Tasmania, whose population is 245 thousand people.
From the city blocks, you have a beautiful view of one of the main island attractions - Mount Wellington. Tourist routes are laid here, and climbers from all over the world have long chosen rocky ledges for training and climbing to the top.
As you can see, Australian cities are very beautiful and comfortable, and their remoteness from world centers does not prevent tourists from coming here to get acquainted with the sights and plunge into the warm ocean waters. And many come to visit Coober Pedy, an underground city in Australia with a population of 2 thousand people, and many administrative and residential premises located underground in mine workings.
Below you can see on a map all the settlements of Australia, which are described in the article.