Melbourne gets a lot of praise on the global stage, appearing regularly on rankings such as the most liveable cities in the world and the World’s Best Cities list. But, what is it like actually living here, and which neighbourhoods feel the most liveable in Melbourne and around the country? That’s what the 2023 Australian Liveability Census aimed to uncover. Over 25, 000 people responded to the census, adding 89, 000 records into the database. This census asked three questions:
- What is important to you in your ideal neighbourhood?
- How is your current neighbourhood performing for you?
- What are your ideas to make your neighbourhood more liveable?
Here’s what they found out.
2023 Australian Liveability Census
Australian communities valued neighbourhoods that are green, clean, safe, walkable and with access to nearby amenities, such as cafes, shops and pharmacies. Three Victorian local government areas made it to the top 10 liveable neighbourhoods of Australia. They were Boroondara (4th place), Surf Coast Shire (5th) and Port Phillip Council (9th).
Subiaco in Western Australia was the top neighbourhood in the country, followed by Sydney’s Lane Cove and Sydney’s Hunters Hill.
In Melbourne, people living in medium density areas tended to report higher levels of liveability. These places, which offer a broad variety of housing choices between the skyscrapers of the CBD and the detached houses on the suburban fringe, allow for a greater diversity of people, while still providing neighbourhood amenities such as parks and shops.
The top 5 liveable neighbourhoods in Melbourne are:
- Boroondara (suburbs like Balwyn, Camberwell, Canterbury, Hawthorn and Kew)
- Port Phillip (suburbs like Albert Park, Elwood, Ripponlea and Southbank)
- Bayside (suburbs like Beaumaris, Brighton, Hampton and Sandringham)
- Darebin (suburbs like Fairfield, Northcote, Preston and Thornbury)
- Stonnington (suburbs like Armadale, Glen Iris, Malvern and Prahran)
You can read the report and find out more here.