Quick answerMelbourne is a city in Australia, with 5,328,274 people inside the city limits in 2025. The wider metropolitan area had about 5.4 million people in 2025. It is best known for the Laneways and street art, the Coffee culture and the Sport (MCG, Australian Open). Its official language is English, and its currency is the Australian dollar.
Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and Australia's largest city by urban area, with 5,328,274 people in June 2025. It sits on Port Phillip Bay and is known for its laneways, coffee culture and sport.
Key facts
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 5,328,274 (2025) |
| Population (metro) | 5,435,590 (2025) · ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Area (GCCSA), June 2025 |
| Elevation | 31 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Australia/Melbourne |
| Language | English |
| Currency | Australian dollar (AUD, $) |
| Coordinates | 37.8142° S, 144.9631° E |
Overview
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city of Victoria, in south-eastern Australia. Its urban area had 5,328,274 people in June 2025 — more than Sydney's 5,219,674, making Melbourne Australia's largest city by urban area. By the wider Greater Capital City measure, Sydney is still larger: Greater Melbourne had 5,435,590 people, against Greater Sydney's 5,638,830. The city occupies much of the northern and eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay, across 30 local government areas.
The area has been home to Aboriginal Victorians for over 40,000 years, and the traditional custodians are the peoples of the Kulin nation, including the Boonwurrung and Woiwurrung. Melbourne was founded in 1835 and grew fast on the gold rushes of the 1850s, becoming one of the richest cities in the British Empire. It was the capital of Australia from federation in 1901 until Canberra's Parliament House opened in 1927.
Today Melbourne is known for its laneways and street art, its coffee culture and its sport: the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Australian Open and the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Federation Square, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Queen Victoria Market are among its best-known sights, and the city is often ranked among the world's most liveable.
What Melbourne is known for
- Laneways and street art
- Coffee culture
- Sport (MCG, Australian Open)
- Federation Square
Landmarks
- Federation Square
- Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Royal Botanic Gardens
- Queen Victoria Market
- Flinders Street Station
- St Kilda Beach
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Melbourne?
Melbourne's urban area had 5,328,274 people in June 2025, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics — more than Sydney's 5,219,674, making Melbourne Australia's largest city by urban area. The wider Greater Melbourne area had 5,435,590 people, still smaller than Greater Sydney's 5,638,830.
Where is Melbourne and what is it known for?
Melbourne is in south-eastern Australia, in Victoria, on Port Phillip Bay, about 870 kilometres by road south-west of Sydney. It is the capital of Victoria and is known for its laneways and street art, its coffee culture and its sport, including the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Its coordinates are 37.81° S, 144.96° E.
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Keep exploring
- Australia — the country Melbourne is in
- Sydney — another city in Australia
- Brisbane — another city in Australia
- Canberra — another city in Australia
- All cities in Australia
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, via Wikipedia — Melbourne
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, via Wikipedia — List of cities in Australia by population
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.