Melbourne has been named Australia’s most sexually liberal city, scoring 75.2 out of 100 in a new national ranking that assessed 25 of the country’s largest urban areas.
The Most Sexually Liberal Cities in Australia 2026 report measures everything from queer venues and attitudes towards same-sex marriage to sex work laws, adult nightlife and abortion access.
Brisbane came second with 73.8 points, followed by the Gold Coast on 71.0. Sydney, despite its reputation as Australia’s nightlife capital, landed in 10th place with 61.9.
Melbourne’s queer scene takes centre stage
Melbourne’s biggest strength was its queer life, where it scored a perfect 20 out of 20.
Researchers credited Midsumma Festival, seven dedicated queer bars and clubs, and two regular queer club nights. The city also scored full marks for abortion law, reflecting Victoria’s provision for abortion on request up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Despite taking the top spot, Melbourne fell short in one key category. It ranked 18th for attitudes, scoring 13.2 out of 25. The report measured this through same-sex marriage voting in 2017 and the proportion of residents who reported having no religion in the 2021 Census.
In Melbourne, 64.8% voted Yes to same-sex marriage, while 39.5% reported having no religion.
Why Sydney missed the top five
Sydney topped the after-dark category, with researchers counting 28 adult shops and 13 strip, swingers and kink clubs. It also boasts the internationally recognised Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
However, the city scored just 2.7 out of 25 for attitudes—the lowest result in the ranking. Only 53.5% of Sydney voters backed same-sex marriage in 2017, while 32% of residents reported having no religion.
Brenda Jensen, Head of Data & Research at Erobella, said the findings highlighted the difference between a city’s best-known neighbourhoods and its wider population.
“People assume Sydney is the country’s party town, and on Oxford Street it is. But a city is more than its best postcode. Melbourne has the scene, the law and the attitudes all pulling in the same direction.”
How Melbourne compares with the rest of Australia
Queensland made a strong showing, claiming three of the top five places. Brisbane ranked second, the Gold Coast third and Cairns fifth, helped in part by Queensland’s decriminalisation of sex work in August 2024 and anti-discrimination protections for sex workers.
Canberra placed fourth, while Hobart topped the attitudes category but finished 15th overall. Adelaide ranked 11th and Perth 14th, with more restrictive sex work laws contributing to their results.
At the other end of the table, Albury-Wodonga came last with 36.6 points. Researchers found no Pride event or dedicated queer bar or club in the city.
The report also found that 21 of the 25 cities held a Pride event in 2025 or 2026, but only eight had dedicated queer bars or clubs.
For Melbourne, the overall win came from the combination of a strong queer scene, supportive laws and access to reproductive healthcare, even if its attitudes score suggests there’s still room to grow.
Explore the full Most Sexually Liberal Cities in Australia 2026 ranking, including the night-time map and individual city scores.
