Date post: | 14-Apr-2018 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | suncorp-bank |
View: | 222 times |
Download: | 0 times |
of 18
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
1/18
Suncorp Bank
Family FriendlyCity Report
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
2/182 Suncorp Bank
IntroductionLaunceston and Canberra have scooped the pool as Australias most family friendly cities, bumping Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to
14th, 23rd and 24th positions respectively, according to a study into the family friendliness of the nations 30 largest cities.
The inaugural Suncorp Bank Family Friendly Index shows that half of the top 10 family friendly cities are not state or territory capitals and
instead include the smaller, regional cities of Albury/Wodonga, Toowoomba, and Launceston.
The report finds that crowded, stressful, urban jungles and under serviced Eastern seaboard capitals are being upstaged by regional towns
as the most family friendly cities in Australia.
The inaugural Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Index monitors the most populated 30 cities in Australia and ranks them according to
which city is the most family friendly across 10 key indicators. The indicators themselves are divided into two categories; Primary and
Secondary. Primary indicators refer to those indicators that have a larger bearing on a citys livability, (such as, crime education and
housing) as such these indicators are weighted double that of the secondary indicators.
While the Index analyses indicators such as Education, Crime, Health, Income, Unemployment and Connectivity, some notable omissions
include Environment (climate and weather), Lifestyle (beaches and parks) which have not been included due to their subjective nature and a
lack of consistent data for each of the 30 cities analysed.
Methodology
To derive the rankings for the Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Index each city was systematically ranked on each of the 10 indicators.
For reasons previously explained the primary indicators received added weight when compiling the index, with each primary indicator worth
double that of a secondary indicator. Each of the indicators raw sources were tallied and then ranked one to thirty, with one being the mostdesirable score and thirty being the least. All scores (or ranks) were totalled with the lowest score being given the overall number one rank of
the inaugural Suncorp Bank Family Friendly Index.
A note about data sources
The Suncorp Bank Family Friendly Index is based on measurements gathered through robust government and private sector quantitative
data that is publicly available. The following data sources were used to obtain the index measurements.
Unemployment
Percentageoftheworkingagepopulationunemployed
DatasourcedfromtheAustralianBureauofStatistics
SourcedfromtheSocialHealthAtlasofAustralia2010http://www.publichealth.gov.au/data/
Income
Averageindividualtaxableincome
Datafrom2010/11
SourcedfromtheAustralianBureauofStatistics
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/Lookup/by%20Subject/1301.0~2012~Main%20Features~Household%20income,
%20expenditure%20and%20wealth~193
Connectivity
%ofhouseholdswithbroadbandinternetconnections
Datasourcedfromthe2011census
http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/data?opendocument#from-banner=LN
Health 1
NumberofGPservicesprovidedoverthecourseof12monthsasaratioof thepopulation
Datafrom2010/11
SourcedfromtheSocialHealthAtlasofAustralia2010http://www.publichealth.gov.au/data/
Health 2
Currentlong-termconditionandreportingeitherverygoodorexcellenthealth (self-assessment)
Datafrom2008
SourcedfromtheSocialHealthAtlasofAustralia2010http://www.publichealth.gov.au/data/
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
3/183Family Friendly City Report
Crime
Crimeratesper100,000ofpopulation
Latestavailabledatabystate
SourcedfromtheABS,AustralianFederalPolice,VictorianPolice,QueenslandPolice,WesternAustralianPolice,NSWBureauofCrime
statistics, SA Office of Crime statistics and research
Education
Numberofschoolagedchildrenineachcitydividedbythenumberofschools
Datafrom2011/212 SourcedfromAustralianBureauofStatisticsandwww.education.net.au
Child Care
Numberofinfantsaged0-4dividedbythenumberofchildcarecentres
Datafrom2012
Sourcedfromhttp://www.echildcare.com.au/
Housing
Basedonaveragecostofhousingineachcity
Mostup-to-datedatasourcedfrom2011and2012
Sourcedfromwww.domain.com.au
Community
Basedonlocalgovernmentdata releasedinOctober2012
Voluntaryworkforagroupororganisation(basedonABS2011censusdata)
SourcedfromtheSocialHealthAtlasofAustralia2011http://www.publichealth.gov.au/data/
Five primary indicators
Crime
Crime rates dividedby population ofthe city
Health 1
Average numberofGPvisitsby population of
the city
Education
Schools in cityregion divided bynumber of school
age children
Housing
Average cost ofhouse in city
Unemployment
Unemploymentrate of city
Five secondary indicators
Income
Median weekly
disposable income
Child Care
Childcare centres
in city divided bynumber of childrenaged0-4years
Health 2
Self-assessmentof
long-termhealthofcity population
Connectivity
Percentage of
internet broadbandconnection in eachhome
Community
Percentage of
city population thatvolunteer for anorganisation
or group
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
4/184 Suncorp Bank
Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Index
(Key indicator and overall ranking)
Rank
City
(State/
Territory) Crime Health 1 Education Housing Unemployment Health 2 Income Connectivity Childcare Community Total
1st Launceston(TAS)
3 4 1 4 7 15 29 29 6 13 130
2nd Canberra(ACT)
29 6 5 28 3 2 1 1 1 1 148
3rd Toowoomba(QLD)
16 8 16 6 1 13 14 12 15 8 156
4th Albury/Wodonga(NSW)
19 7 6 3 12 12 21 17 12 7 163
Equal5th
Adelaide (SA) 1 24 9 20 19 9 10 13 4 9 191
Equal5th
Perth (WA) 22 12 11 23 6 1 4 4 13 21 191
7th Hobart (TAS) 4 20 17 11 10 11 30 25 6 4 200
Equal8th
Darwin(NT) 6 5 26 29 2 21 2 8 17 17 201
Equal8th
Bunbury (WA) 2 2 28 14 8 7 7 28 27 24 201
10th Bundaberg
(QLD)
14 11 2 5 24 29 11 27 11 19 209
Equal11th
Mackay(QLD) 17 16 3 21 5 27 13 10 13 25 212
Equal11th
Burnie (TAS) 5 1 18 1 29 28 28 30 3 15 212
13th Mandurah(WA)
15 9 19 17 16 4 8 16 22 30 232
Equal14th
Melbourne(VIC)
13 22 10 27 15 5 9 7 16 22 233
Equal14th
WaggaWagga(NSW)
24 17 21 8 11 8 20 20 21 2 233
Equal16th
Bendigo(VIC) 10 13 22 9 22 10 25 22 23 5 237
Equal16th
Townsville(QLD)
27 3 29 16 4 24 16 11 8 20 237
18th Newcastle
(NSW)
7 18 7 25 14 22 23 15 9 28 239
19th Rockhampton(QLD)
23 10 4 10 23 23 12 23 25 17 240
20th SunshineCoast(QLD)
11 30 15 22 17 19 17 5 4 6 241
21st Wollongong(NSW)
9 25 8 19 25 26 22 14 2 22 258
22nd Ballarat(VIC) 21 15 13 7 30 6 26 24 29 3 260
23rd Sydney(NSW)
8 27 12 30 18 14 5 3 24 26 262
24th Brisbane(QLD)
28 21 24 26 9 17 3 2 18 11 267
25th Geelong(VIC) 12 19 27 18 20 3 27 21 26 14 283
26th Hervey Bay(QLD)
18 26 20 12 27 30 6 19 10 26 297
27th Cairns(QLD) 30 14 25 15 26 20 15 9 19 16 299
Equal28th
GoldCoast(QLD)
26 23 14 24 13 18 18 6 30 29 301
Equal28th
LaTrobeValley(VIC)
25 28 23 2 21 16 24 26 28 9 301
30th Coffs Harbour(NSW)
20 29 30 13 28 25 19 18 20 12 334
Key findings
LauncestonisAustraliasnumber1 familyfriendlycity,aheadofCanberra
OfthebigthreeMelbourneisranked14th,aheadofSydney(23rd)andBrisbane(24th)
Queenslandisthemostfamilyfriendlystate,withsixcities inAustraliastop20familyfriendly
TasmaniancityofBurnie isAustraliashealthiestcitywhileLauncestonenjoysthe leastcrowdedschools
QueenslandregionalhotspotToowoombaistheemploymentcapitalofAustralia
AdelaideisAustraliassafestcity,withthelowest levelsofcrime
CanberraisthevolunteercapitalofAustraliawiththecityspopulationclockingupmorecommunityworkhoursthananyothercity,while
it also wins the childcare and disposable income categories.
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
5/185Family Friendly City Report
Crime
In a surprise result Adelaide took out the title of Australias safest city, having the lowest crime rate (per 100,000 of the population). The
measurement took into account all criminal activity over a 12 month period, with Western Australias Bunbury and Tasmanias Launceston
rounding out the top three.
Cairns,CanberraandBrisbanehadsomeofthehighestrecodedcriminalactivityoverthereportingperiodwithmorethan10%ofthe
population experiencing some form of crime, including domestic violence, fraud and sexual assault.
Rank City (State/Territory)Crime rates (per
100,000 of population
1st Adelaide (SA) 2,365
2nd Bunbury (WA) 2,830
3rd Launceston (TAS) 3,182
4th Hobart (TAS) 3,182
5th Burnie (TAS) 3,769
6th Darwin(NT) 4,606
7th Newcastle(NSW) 5,025
8th Sydney(NSW) 5,150
9th Wollongong(NSW) 6,323
10th Bendigo(VIC) 6,438
11th SunshineCoast(QLD) 6,804
12th Geelong(VIC) 7,021
13th Melbourne(VIC) 7,865
14th Bundaberg(QLD) 8,143
15th Mandurah (WA) 8,504
Rank City (State/Territory)Crime rates (per
100,000 of population
16th Toowoomba(QLD) 8,530
17th Mackay(QLD) 8,568
18th HerveyBay(QLD) 8,845
19th Albury/Wodonga(NSW) 9,188
20th CoffsHarbour(NSW) 9,571
21th Ballarat(VIC) 9,711
22th Perth (WA) 10,047
23th Rockhampton(QLD) 11,436
24th WaggaWagga(NSW) 11,712
25th LaTrobeValley(VIC) 11,977
26th GoldCoast(QLD) 12,083
27th Townsville(QLD) 12,768
28th Brisbane(QLD) 13,205
29th Canberra (ACT) 14,593
30th Cairns(QLD)1 15,531
Rank City (State/Territory)GP visits
per person
1st Burnie (TAS) 1.3
2nd Bunbury (WA) 2
Equal 3rd Townsville(QLD) 2.9
Equal 3rd Launceston (TAS) 2.9
5th Darwin(NT) 3.3
6th Canberra (ACT) 3.5
7th Albury/Wodonga(NSW) 3.8
8th Toowoomba(QLD) 3.9
9th Mandurah (WA) 4
Equal 10th Rockhampton(QLD) 4.3
Equal 10th Bundaberg(QLD) 4.3
12th Perth (WA) 4.4
Equal 13th Bendigo(VIC) 4.5
Equal 13th Cairns(QLD) 4.5
15 Ballarat(VIC) 4.6
Rank City (State/Territory)GP visits
per person
Equal 16th Mackay(QLD) 4.8
Equal 16th WaggaWagga(NSW) 4.8
18th Newcastle(NSW) 5
19th Geelong(VIC) 5.1
20th Hobart (TAS) 5.3
Equal 21st Brisbane(QLD) 5.4
Equal 21st Melbourne(VIC) 5.4
23rd GoldCoast(QLD) 5.5
24th Adelaide (SA) 5.6
25th Wollongong(NSW) 5.9
26th HerveyBay(QLD) 6
Equal 27th Sydney(NSW) 6.1
Equal 27th LaTrobeValley(VIC) 6.1
29th CoffsHarbour(NSW) 7.1
30th SunshineCoast(QLD) 8
Health 1
TheNorthernTasmaniancityofBurnieisthehealthiestcityinAustraliawitheachresidentonlyvisitingtheirdoctoronaverage1.3timesover
thecourseoftheyear.ThisindicatormeasuredhowoftenthecityspopulationvisitedtheirGPoverthecourseof12monthswithBurnie
betteringWesternAustraliasBunbury,QueenslandsTownsvilleandfellowTasmaniancityLauncestonforthetopspot.
AccordingtothismeasureAustraliasunhealthiestcity istheSunshineCoast,wheretheaverageresidentvisitstheirGPeight timesovera
12monthperiod.CoffsHarbour,SydneyandtheLaTrobeValleyalsofeaturedinthebottomthreeofAustraliasunhealthiestcities.
1ItshouldbenotedthattheCairnsdataincludesallcrimesrecordedintheCairnsPoliceDistrict,includingtheCairnsCBD,CooktownandWeipa.
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
6/186 Suncorp Bank
Housing
With a potential saving of up to $400,000, it is little wonder more Australians are moving to regional cities such as Burnie, the LaTrobe
ValleyandAlbury-Wodonga.Buyingafamilyhomeintheseareascostslessthanhalfofwhatyouwillpaytoliveinamajorcapitallike
Sydney, which is unsurprisingly the most expensive place to own a house.RoundingoutthemostexpensiveplacestoliveareresourceboomhotspotDarwinandhomeofthenationalpublicservicesector
Canberra.
Education
Launceston school aged children enjoy the title of having the least crowded schools according to the Family Friendly Index. This
indicatormeasuredthenumberofchildrenineachcity(aged5throughto19)dividedbythenumberofschoolslocatedwithina10km
radiusofthecity.QueenslandregionalhubsBundabergandMackaywereranked2ndand3rdrespectively.
However,anotherQueenslandregionalhubTownsvillerecordedoneoftheworstresultswith1,127childrenperschool,beatenonlyby
theNSWregionalcityofCoffsHarbourwhichhasthemostcrowdedschoolsinthecountrywith1,521kidsperschool.
Rank City (State/Territory)
Number of children at
each school (based on5 to 19 ages)
1st Launceston (TAS) 323
2nd Bundaberg(QLD) 349
3rd Mackay(QLD) 378
4th Rockhampton(QLD) 432
5th Canberra (ACT) 450
6th Albury/Wodonga(NSW) 467
7th Newcastle(NSW) 492
8th Wollongong(NSW) 494
9th Adelaide (SA) 515
10th Melbourne(VIC) 542
11th Perth (WA) 548
12th Sydney(NSW) 563
13th Ballarat(VIC) 591
14th GoldCoast(QLD) 614
15th SunshineCoast(QLD) 651
Rank City (State/Territory)
Number of children at
each school (based on5 to 19 ages)
16th Toowoomba(QLD) 658
17th Hobart (TAS) 659
Equal18th Burnie (TAS) 663
Equal18th Mandurah (WA) 663
20th HerveyBay(QLD) 694
21st WaggaWagga(NSW) 715
22nd Bendigo(VIC) 750
23rd LaTrobeValley(VIC) 767
24th Brisbane(QLD) 775
25th Cairns(QLD) 856
26th Darwin(NT) 978
27th Geelong(VIC) 1007
28th Bunbury (WA) 1070
29th Townsville(QLD) 1127
30th CoffsHarbour(NSW) 1521
Rank City (State/Territory)Average cost of
a house
1st Burnie (TAS) $230,000
2nd LaTrobeValley(VIC) $232,000
3rd Albury/Wodonga(NSW) $267,000
Equal 4th Launceston (TAS) $280,000
Equal 4th Bundaberg(QLD) $280,000
6th Toowoomba(QLD) $286,000
7th Ballarat(VIC) $300,000
8th WaggaWagga(NSW) $305,000
9th Bendigo(VIC) $311,000
10th Rockhampton(QLD) $320,000
Equal 11th Hobart (TAS) $330,000
Equal 11th HerveyBay(QLD) $330,000
13th CoffsHarbour(NSW) $335,000
14th Bunbury (WA) $340,000
15th Cairns(QLD) $345,000
Rank City (State/Territory)Average cost of
a house
16th Townsville(QLD) $365,000
17th Mandurah (WA) $373,000
18th Geelong(VIC) $386,000
19th Wollongong(NSW) $397,000
20th Adelaide (SA) $405,000
21th Mackay(QLD) $420,000
22th SunshineCoast(QLD) $430,000
Equal 23rd Perth (WA) $467,000
Equal 23rd GoldCoast(QLD) $467,000
25th Newcastle(NSW) $474,000
26th Brisbane(QLD) $505,000
27th Melbourne(VIC) $530,000
28th Canberra (ACT) $545,000
29th Darwin(NT) $609,000
30th Sydney(NSW) $642,000
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
7/187Family Friendly City Report
Unemployment
Queenslandslargestinlandcity,Toowoomba,recordedthelowestlevelofunemployment,whichmaybeinpartduetothegeneration
ofjobstohelpwithrecoveryeffortsfollowingthedevastatingfloodsinandaroundtheLockyerValleyin2011,withthecityat1.9%
unemployment.Darwin(2.1%)andCanberra(2.9%)werethecitieswiththenextlowestunemploymentlevels.
Ballarat,BurnieandCoffsHarbourrecordedthehighestunemploymentratesonandaround8%,thankslargelytomanufacturing
downturns which have crippled regional communities over the past decade.
Rank City (State/Territory) Unemployment
1st Toowoomba(QLD) 1.90%
2nd Darwin(NT) 2.10%
3rd Canberra (ACT) 2.90%
4th Townsville(QLD) 3.20%
5th Mackay(QLD) 3.50%
6th Perth (WA) 3.70%
7th Launceston (TAS) 3.80%
8th Bunbury (WA) 3.90%
9th Brisbane(QLD) 4.00%
10th Hobart (TAS) 4.20%
11th WaggaWagga(NSW) 4.50%
Equal 12th Albury/Wodonga(NSW) 5.00%
Equal 12th GoldCoast(QLD) 5.00%
Equal 14th Newcastle(NSW) 5.10%
Equal 14th Melbourne(VIC) 5.10%
Rank City (State/Territory) Unemployment
16th Mandurah (WA) 5.10%
17th SunshineCoast(QLD) 5.30%
18th Sydney(NSW) 5.60%
19th Adelaide (SA) 5.90%
20th Geelong(VIC) 6.00%
21st LaTrobeValley(VIC) 6.10%
22nd Bendigo(VIC) 6.40%
Equal 23rd Rockhampton(QLD) 6.70%
Equal 23rd Bundaberg(QLD) 6.70%
25th Wollongong(NSW) 6.90%
26th Cairns(QLD) 7.20%
27th HerveyBay(QLD) 7.50%
28th CoffsHarbour(NSW) 7.80%
Equal29th Burnie (TAS) 8.00%
Equal29th Ballarat(VIC) 8.00%
Health 2
Thesecondhealthindicatorisaself-assessmentbasedonwhethertheresidentsofeachcityconsiderthemselvesinexcellentorvery
good health. While the measurement is subjective, it is nonetheless a worthwhile indicator into how a citys residents perceive their
health, which can be used as a comparison to the overall population.
Perthisthenationshealthiestcitywith72%ofthecityspopulationconsideringtheirlong-termhealthoutlookverygoodorexcellent.
Canberra,GeelongandManduraharealsoingoodhealth.MandurahisthesecondcityinWesternAustraliainthetopthree,making
WA the nations most healthy state.HerveyBay,BundabergandBurniearethenationsunhealthiestwithonly60%ofthepopulationconsideringthemselvesinverygood
or excellent health.
Rank City Score (%)
1st Perth (WA) 72
2nd Canberra (ACT) 71.9
Equal 3rd Geelong(VIC) 70
Equal 3rd Mandurah (WA) 70
5th Melbourne(VIC) 69.9
6th Ballarat(VIC) 69.8
7th Bunbury (WA) 69.6
8th WaggaWagga(NSW) 69.5
9th Adelaide (SA) 69.2
10th Bendigo(VIC) 69
11th Hobart (TAS) 68.8
12th Albury/Wodonga(NSW) 68.7
13th Toowoomba(QLD) 68.1
Equal14th Sydney(NSW) 67.9
Equal14th Launceston (TAS) 67.9
Rank City Score (%)
16th LaTrobeValley(VIC) 67.8
17th Brisbane(QLD) 67.5
18th GoldCoast(QLD) 67.4
19th SunshineCoast(QLD) 66.6
Equal 20th Cairns(QLD) 66.4
Equal 20th Darwin(NT) 66.4
22nd Newcastle(NSW) 66.2
23rd Rockhampton(QLD) 66.1
24th Townsville(QLD) 65.7
25th CoffsHarbour(NSW) 65.6
26th Wollongong(NSW) 65.5
27th Mackay(QLD) 65.1
28th Burnie (TAS) 64.8
29th Bundaberg(QLD) 64.2
30th HerveyBay(QLD) 60.7
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
8/188 Suncorp Bank
Income1
Australias capital city Canberra took out the gong for Australias wealthiest city, which measured average wages and disposable income
from the 2011 calendar year as recorded by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Canberra, which employs Australias most senior
publicservants,recordedmedianweeklydisposableincomeof$1,009whichismorethan$52,000ayear,aroundthecostofanew
family sized sedan.
One of the main themes we wanted to measure was how wealthy a city was in terms of its citizens and the contribution they make
to the local economy. It was argued that if a city had more disposable income its citizens would have more income to drive the local
economy and hence increase the wealth of that city and its contribution to the national economy
TheTasmaniancitiesofHobart,LauncestonandBurnierecordedthelowestmedianweeklydisposableincome$593.
Rank City (State/Territory)Median weekly disposable
income (2011)
1st Canberra (ACT) $1,009
2nd Darwin(NT) $895
3rd Brisbane(QLD) $783
4th Perth (WA) $780
5th Sydney(NSW) $779
Equal 6th Bunbury (WA) $743
Equal 6th Mandurah (WA) $743
8th Melbourne(VIC) $732
9th Adelaide (SA) $726
Equal 10th HerveyBay(QLD) $670
Equal 10th Bundaberg(QLD) $670
Equal 10th Rockhampton(QLD) $670
Equal 10th Mackay(QLD) $670
Equal 10th Toowoomba(QLD) $670
Equal 10th Cairns(QLD) $670
Rank City (State/Territory)Median weekly disposable
income (2011)
Equal 10th Townsville(QLD) $670
Equal 10th SunshineCoast(QLD) $670
Equal 10th GoldCoast(QLD) $670
Equal18th CoffsHarbour(NSW) $652
Equal18th WaggaWagga(NSW) $652
Equal18th Albury/Wodonga(NSW) $652
Equal18th Wollongong(NSW) $652
Equal18th Newcastle(NSW) $652
Equal 23rd LaTrobeValley(VIC) $610
Equal 23rd Bendigo(VIC) $610
Equal 23rd Ballarat(VIC) $610
Equal 23rd Geelong(VIC) $610
Equal 27th Burnie (TAS) $593
Equal 27th Launceston (TAS) $593
Equal 27th Hobart (TAS) $593
Connectivity
Canberratookouttheconnectivityindicator,withamassive78.4%ofallhouseholdshavingbroadbandinternetintheirhome.State
capitalsBrisbane(75.10%)andSydney(73.80%)roundedoutthetopthree.
Again,TasmanialaggedtherestofthecountrywithBurnie(59.80%)andLaunceston(61.0%)recordingthelowestscoresoverall.
Rank City (State/Territory) Broadband in home (2011)
1st Canberra (ACT) 78.40%
2nd Brisbane(QLD) 75.10%
3rd Sydney(NSW) 73.80%
4th Perth (WA) 73.40%
Equal 5th GoldCoast(QLD) 73.00%
Equal 5th SunshineCoast(QLD) 73.00%
7th Melbourne(VIC) 72.60%
8th Darwin(NT) 70.40%
9th Cairns(QLD) 70.30%
10th Mackay(QLD) 69.40%
11th Townsville(QLD) 69.10%
12th Toowoomba(QLD) 68.10%
13th Adelaide (SA) 67.20%
Equal 14th Mandurah (WA) 66.90%
Equal 14th Newcastle(NSW) 66.90%
Rank City (State/Territory) Broadband in home (2011)
Equal 14th Wollongong(NSW) 66.90%
17th Albury/Wodonga(NSW) 66.50%
Equal18th HerveyBay(QLD) 66.30%
Equal18th CoffsHarbour(NSW) 66.30%
20th WaggaWagga(NSW) 66.00%
Equal 21st Bendigo(VIC) 65.50%
Equal 21st Geelong(VIC) 65.50%
23rd Rockhampton(QLD) 65.30%
24th Ballarat(VIC) 65.20%
25th Hobart (TAS) 64.80%
26th LaTrobeValley(VIC) 63.00%
27th Bundaberg(QLD) 62.00%
28th Bunbury (WA) 61.60%
29th Launceston (TAS) 61.00%
30th Burnie (TAS) 59.80%
DuetotheunavailabilityofdataforsomeAustraliancities,regionalcitieswithinthesamestatehavebeengiventhesamedisposableincome.
1 The disposable income indicator was used as an important measure to differentiate living in a capital city to a regional city. However, as disposable incomes were notavailable for every city measures an aggregate state wide disposable income has been used for regional cities across Australia.
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
9/189Family Friendly City Report
Child Care
Canberrainfantsenjoytheleastcrowdedchildcarecentresandmoreone-on-oneinteractionwithcarersaccordingtotheIndex.
Theindicatorlookedatthenumberofinfants(aged0-4years)ineachcityanddividedthatbyhowmanylong-andshort-termchildcare
centres operated in and around the city. Wollongong and Burnie rounded out the top three family friendly childcare cities.
Ontheotherendofthespectrum,theGoldCoast(30th),Ballarat(29th)andtheLaTrobeValley(28th)representedthecitieswiththe
most crowded child care centres in the country, with almost 300 children per child care centre.
Rank City (State/Territory)
Children per childcare
centre (based on 1 to 4
years)
1st Canberra (ACT) 27
2nd Wollongong(NSW) 42
3rd Burnie (TAS) 65
Equal 4th Adelaide (SA) 71
Equal 4th SunshineCoast(QLD) 71
Equal 6th Launceston (TAS) 77
Equal 6th Hobart (TAS) 77
8th Townsville(QLD) 80
9th Newcastle(NSW) 81
10th HerveyBay(QLD) 88
11th Bundaberg(QLD) 89
12th Albury/Wodonga(NSW) 92
Equal 13th Perth (WA) 95
Equal 13th Mackay(QLD) 95
15th Toowoomba(QLD) 98
Rank City (State/Territory)
Children per childcare
centre (based on 1 to 4
years)
16th Melbourne(VIC) 106
17th Darwin(NT) 110
18th Brisbane(QLD) 116
19th Cairns(QLD) 120
20th CoffsHarbour(NSW) 123
21st WaggaWagga(NSW) 125
22nd Mandurah (WA) 146
23rd Bendigo(VIC) 147
24th Sydney(NSW) 148
25th Rockhampton(QLD) 154
26th Geelong(VIC) 155
27th Bunbury (WA) 164
28th LaTrobeValley(VIC) 202
29th Ballarat(VIC) 237
30th GoldCoast(QLD) 292
Community
One in four Canberrans volunteer their time and energy each year for an organisation or group, making them Australias most
community-orientedstateorterritory.NSWruralhubWaggaWaggaandVictoriasBallaratwere2ndand3rdrespectivelyinthis
category.
WesternAustraliasMandurahholdsthetitleofAustraliasleastphilanthropiccitywithlessthan15%ofitspopulationvolunteeringduring
thepast12months.TheGoldCoastandNewcastleroundedoutthebottomthreecitiesforthisindicator,bothwithlessthan16%ofthe
population undertaking volunteer work.
Rank City
Population %
that volunteer with
an organisation
or group
1st Canberra 24.80%
2nd Wagga Wagga 24.40%
3rd Ballarat 22.50%
4th Hobart 22.10%
5th Bendigo 21.50%
6th Sunshine Coast 20.90%
7th Albury/Wodonga 20.70%
8th Toowoomba 20.60%
Equal9th LaTrobeValley 19.40%
Equal9th Adelaide 19.40%
11th Brisbane 19.20%
12th Coffs Harbour 19%
13th Launceston 18.80%
14th Geelong 18.60%
15th Burnie 18.00%
Rank City
Population %
that volunteer with
an organisation
or group
16th Cairns 17.90%
Equal 17th Rockhampton 17.80%
Equal18th Darwin 17.80%
19th Bundaberg 17.40%
20th Townsville 17.30%
21st Perth 17.10%
Equal 22nd Wollongong 16.90%
Equal 22nd Melbourne 16.90%
24th Bunbury 16.50%
25th Mackay 16.10%
Equal 26th Sydney 16%
Equal 26th Hervey Bay 16%
28th Newcastle 15.80%
29th GoldCoast 15.40%
30th Mandurah 14.50%
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
10/1810 Suncorp Bank
1. Launceston Where the Living is Easy
Rank Indicator
3rd Crime
4th Health 1
1st Education
4th Housing
7th Unemployment
15th Health 2
29th Income
29th Connectivity
6th Child Care
13th Community
According to the Launceston City website Launceston has a
fantastic lifestyle, low unemployment, Mediterranean climate, great
educational opportunities, low levels of crime and affordable real
estatemakeLauncestonanidealsea-changedestination.
Launceston offers a climate for living away from the gridlock of city
congestion with the ambience of a cosmopolitan European city. The
freshest air, the healthiest climate and the wildest places are on thecitys doorstep.
NortheasternTasmaniaisfastbecomingknownasahavenfrom
the harshest impacts of global climate change.
Quitesimply,Launcestonisaperfectplaceto;
Buildabusiness
Findyourdreamjob
Progressyourcareer
Unleashyourcreativity
Raiseafamily.
http://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/lcc/
2. Canberra Australias Capital Region
Rank Indicator
29th Crime
6th Health 1
5th Education
28th Housing
3rd Unemployment
2nd Health 2
1st Income
1st Connectivity
1st Child Care
1st Community
Canberra is modern city, set within extensive parks and gardens
and enjoys four distinct seasons. It will celebrate its centenary as
the nations capital in 2013.
Canberra is located in the Australian Capital Territory, surrounded
byNewSouthWales.Thecityis150kilometresinlandand571
metresabovethePacificOcean,281kilometresfromSydneyand
660 kilometres from Melbourne. The latitude and longitude is 35
degreessouthand149degreeseast.
LocatedontheancientlandsoftheIndigenousNgunnawalpeople,
Canberras name is thought to mean meeting place, derived fromthe Aboriginal word Kamberra.
Europeansettlersarrivedinthe1830s,andtheareawonselection
byballotforthefederalcapitalin1908.Canberrasspecialcontrast
ofnatureandurbanlivingwasplannedin1912bymasterdesigner,
WalterBurleyGriffin,aChicagoarchitect,whowonaninternational
design competition.
TheprovisionalParliamentHouseopenedin1927inwhatwasthen
a treeless paddock. Since then, Canberra has grown into a vibrant,
cosmopolitan city with national attractions housing the heritage,
history and national collections that make Canberra the home of the
Australian story.
www.visitcanberra.com.au
3. Toowoomba The Garden City
Rank Indicator
16th Crime
8th Health 1
16th Education
6th Housing
1st Unemployment
13th Health 2
14th Income
12th Connectivity
15th Child Care
8th Community
Toowoomba is a picturesque mountain city located in south east
Queenslandsome127Kmwestofthestatescapital,Brisbane.
ClingingtotheedgeoftheGreatDividingRangeescarpmentatan
altitudeofsevenhundredmetersabovesea-level,thecityaffords
breathtakingviewsofTableTopMountainandtheLockyerValley
region across the east.
The city covers an area of approx. 117 Sq Km and is centred at the
intersectionoftheWarregoandNewEnglandhighways.Toowoombas climate can best be described as pleasant with
temperature ranges averaging a cool 5C to 16C in winter and a
mild 17C to 27C in summer.
Throughout the second half of the nineteenth century, Toowoomba
wouldprosper,beingproclaimedamunicipalityin1860,atownship
in1892,andacityin1904.
There are many things to see and do in Toowoomba all year round.
In spring time, Toowoombas parks and gardens become vibrant
and ablaze with colour and life, and to celebrate Toowoombas
statusasTheGardenCity,everyyearinSeptembertheCarnival
of Flowers is held, with a street parade, and other activities.
http://www.toowoomba.org/
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
11/1811Family Friendly City Report
4. Albury-Wodonga The Twin Cities
Rank Indicator
19th Crime
7th Health 1
6th Education
3rd Housing
12th Unemployment
12th Health 2
21st Income
17th Connectivity
12th Child Care
7th Community
Albury and Wodonga are located on opposite sides of the MurrayRiver,withAlburyCitylocatedinNewSouthWalesandtheCityofWodongalocatedinVictoria.Thecitiesaresituatedsome300kilometresnorth-eastofMelbourneand570kilometressouth-westofSydney.AlburyCityisboundbyGreaterHumeShireinthenorth,north-eastandnorth-west,whiletheCityofWodongaisboundbyTowongShireinthesouth-eastandIndigoShireinthesouthand
south-west.Theregionhasadistinctivenaturalbeauty:themajesticMurrayRiver winds its way through alpine terrain to the east and fertile riverplains to the west.It combines the convenience of a metropolitanlifestyle with the appeal of rural living. The region is all about lettingpeople enjoy life at their own pace, whether that be taking a strollalong the rivers edge, a day trip to historic Beechworth or thewineries at Rutherglen, a hit of golf on one of the four golf courses,water activities at Lake Hume or taking advantage of the proximityof the snowfields, there is something for everyone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albury-Wodonga
alburywodongaaustralia.com.au
5. Adelaide City of Churches
Rank Indicator
1st Crime
24th Health 1
9th Education
20th Housing
19th Unemployment
9th Health 2
10th Income
13th Connectivity
4th Child Care
9th Community
AdelaideisthecapitalcityofSouthAustraliaandthefifth-largestcity in Australia. Adelaide is north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, ontheAdelaidePlainsbetweentheGulfStVincentandthelow-lyingMount Lofty Ranges which surround the city. Adelaide stretches 20km(12mi)fromthecoasttothefoothills,and90km(56mi)fromGawleratitsnorthernextenttoSellicksBeachinthesouth.
NamedinhonourofAdelaideofSaxe-Meiningen,queenconsorttoKingWilliamIV,thecitywasfoundedin1836astheplannedcapitalfor a freely settled British province in Australia. Early Adelaidewas shaped by religious freedom and a commitment to politicalprogressivismandcivilliberties,whichledtothemonikerCityofChurches.
Adelaide is noted for its many festivals and sporting events, its food,wine and culture, its long beachfronts, and its large defence andmanufacturing sectors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide
southaustralia.com
5. Perth City of Light
Rank Indicator
22nd Crime
12th Health 1
11th Education
23rd Housing
6th Unemployment
1st Health 2
4th Income
4th Connectivity
13th Child Care
21st Community
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of
Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia.
Perths metropolitan area is formally divided into a number of local
government areas, which themselves consist of a large number of
suburbs, extending from Two Rocks in the north to Rockingham in
the south, and east inland to The Lakes.
PerthwasoriginallyfoundedbyCaptainJamesStirlingin1829asthe administrative centre of the Swan River Colony, and gained city
statusin1856(currentlyvestedinthesmallerCityofPerth).Perth
becameknownworldwideastheCityofLightwhencityresidents
lit their house lights and streetlights as American astronaut John
GlennpassedoverheadwhileorbitingtheearthonFriendship7in
1962.ThecityrepeatedtheactasGlennpassedoverheadonthe
SpaceShuttlein1998.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perth
cityofperth.wa.gov.au
westernaustralia.com
7. Hobart The Colonial City
Rank Indicator
4th Crime
20th Health 1
17th Education
11th Housing
10th Unemployment
11th Health 2
30th Income
25th Connectivity
6th Child Care
4th Community
The City of Hobart is one of the most beautiful and liveable Cities
in the world. As the second oldest city in Australia the City offers a
wonderful blend of built and cultural heritage; environment; a vibrant
artanddynamicsportingcultureandalowstresslifestyle.Nestled
underMtWellingtonontheDerwentRiverHobartisrenownedforits
heritage buildings, beautiful parks, fine restaurants, the Salamanca
Markets and its Festivals. It is a city rich in maritime history, and
is shaped and defined by water. A diverse range of craft including
Antarctic supply vessels, sailing dinghies, catamarans, kayaks,
ocean racing yachts, fishing boats and square riggers ply the waters
oftheDerwent.
http://www.hobartcity.com.au/Hobart/Living_in_Hobart
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
12/1812 Suncorp Bank
8. Darwin The Cosmopolitan City
Rank Indicator
6th Crime
5th Health 1
26th Education
29th Housing
2nd Unemployment
21st Health 2
2nd Income
8th Connectivity
17th Child Care
17th Community
DarwinisarguablyAustraliasmostcosmopolitancity,boasting
a population made up of people from more than 60 nationalities
and 70 different ethnic backgrounds. The citys multicultural mix is
particularly highlighted by its many exciting ethnic cultural festivals
andweeklyfoodandcraftmarkets.Darwinhasevolvedfromits
days as an incredibly laid back frontier town and while it still retains
its relaxed charm, it has become a highly sophisticated city. In
businessandindustrycircles,DarwinisdescribedasAustralias
gateway with South East Asia. Its closer to the Indonesian capital of
Jakarta than it is to Canberra and is about the same flying time from
Singapore and Manila as it is from Sydney and Melbourne.
http://www.darwin.nt.gov.au/
8. Bunbury The City of Three Waters
Rank Indicator
2nd Crime
2nd Health 1
28th Education
14th Housing
8th Unemployment
7th Health 2
7th Income
28th Connectivity
27th Child Care
24th Community
The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia
after the state capital, Perth, and Mandurah. It is situated 175
kilometres(109mi)southofPerthscentralbusinessdistrict(CBD).
The port services the farming, mining and timber industries of thesouth west originally connected via an extensive rail network.
The city of Bunbury is renowned for its wild but friendly bottlenose
dolphins which you can meet at the shoreline or out in the bay
aboard a dolphin watching and swimming tour. Its also the setting
of many maritime legends and the northern gateway to Australias
SouthWest-oneofthemostbiodiverseregionsonEarth,where
world-classwine,pristinebeachesandforestsoftimbergiantscan
all be enjoyed in a single day.
http:www/bunbury.wa.gov.au
10. Bundaberg A City of Charm
Rank Indicator
14th Crime
11th Health 1
2nd Education
5th Housing
24th Unemployment
29th Health 2
11th Income
27th Connectivity
11th Child Care
19th Community
Bundabergwasnamedin1867,thenamecomingfromthelinking
ofBundathenameofanaboriginalelderandbergbeinga
variation of an old Saxon word for town (burg). These days a more
familiar version has surfaced with the name being shortened to
Bundy for use in conversation.
WiththeGreatBarrierReefjustoffourshoresandahostofthings
to see and do, Bundaberg is a great place to visit.http://www.sunzine.com.au/bundaberg/bundaberg-city.html
bundabergregion.org
11. Mackay The Sugar Capital
Rank Indicator
17th Crime
16th Health 1
3rd Education
21st Housing
5th Unemployment
27th Health 2
13th Income
10th Connectivity
13th Child Care
25th Community
MackayisacityontheeasterncoastofQueensland,Australia,
about970kilometres(603mi)northofBrisbane,onthePioneer
River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because
its region produces more than a third of Australias cane sugar.[2]
Tropical, picturesque and relaxed, Mackay city offers everything
you could want from a major regional centre. The blue Pioneer River
flows past the citys historical buildings, and stately palm trees
fringe the main street with shopping hotspots, and plenty of magical
spots for a picnic by the river, or dine al fresco by the marina on our
fabulous local seafood.
Mackay is famous for its history as one of Australias largest cane
farming regions. However, in recent years, the mining industry has
become the mainstay of the local economy. Heavy investment and
planning is also going into Mackays growing tourism industry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackay,_Queensland
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
13/1813Family Friendly City Report
11. Burnie Australias Sleepy City
Rank Indicator
5th Crime
1st Health 1
18th Education
1st Housing
29th Unemployment
28th Health 2
28th Income
30th Connectivity
3rd Child Care
15th Community
BurnieoverlooksEmuBay,onthenorth-westcoastofTasmania.
Burnie is a proud industrial city and is Australias fifth largest
container port. Burnie was once surrounded by dense rainforest, but
this slowly disappeared as fortunes were made felling and milling
timber. The paper and pulp mill on the citys outskirts operated from
1938to1998.
Burnie was first explored by Bass and Flinders and was known as
EmuBaywhenitwassettledbytheVanDiemensLandCompany
in1827.Burnieexperiencestemperateconditions,withanaverage
maximum of 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) in January
and 13.5 degrees Celsius (56.5 degrees Fahrenheit) in June.
Thecityis30minutesdrivewestofDevonportor152kilometres
(94.5miles)north-westofLaunceston.
http://www.about-australia.com/destinations/burnie/
burnie.net
13. Mandurah Dynamic, Diverse
and Friendly
Rank Indicator
15th Crime
9th Health 1
19th Education
17th Housing
16th Unemployment
4th Health 2
8th Income
16th Connectivity
22nd Child Care
30th Community
Mandurah is one of the most vibrant regional cities in Western
Australia. The city is also a gateway to the States South West
Region. Situated on Western Australias beautiful coastline about
72km south of Perth, Mandurah prides itself on a mix of inner city
andsemi-rurallivingbetweentheIndianOcean,theexpansive
waterwaysofthePeel-HarveyEstuaryandthelowerreachesofthe
Serpentine River.
Mandurah has retained its relaxed, holiday atmosphere despite
recent rapid growth as a major sea change destination in Australia.
One of Mandurahs greatest assets is its diverse and friendly
community.VotedtwiceasWAsTopTourismTown,Mandurahwelcomes friends and family from around the globe to enjoy its
relaxed coastal lifestyle. In fact, the name Mandurah is derived from
the Aboriginal word, mandjar meaning meeting place.
http://www.mandurah.wa.gov.au/
14. Melbourne Australias Cultural Capital
Rank Indicator
13th Crime
22nd Health 1
10th Education
27th Housing
15th Unemployment
5th Health 2
9th Income
7th Connectivity
16th Child Care
22nd Community
TheentireMelbournemetropolitanareacovers7,694sqkmand
has a population of around 4.1 million, it also hosts over a million
international visitors each year.
Melbourne has a reputation for its changeable weather. A tip for any
visitor is to be prepared for anything take an umbrella and wear
layers that can be worn or removed as needed.
As a general rule, Melbourne enjoys a temperate climate with warmto hot summers, mild and sometimes balmy springs and autumns,
and cool winters.
While Melbourne has a reputation for rain, the city actually receives
less rainfall than either Brisbane or Sydney.
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/AboutMelbourne/
MelbourneProfile/Pages/Melbournelifestyle.aspx
14. Wagga Wagga The City of Good Sports
Rank Indicator
24th Crime
17th Health 1
21st Education
8th Housing
11th Unemployment
8th Health 2
20th Income
20th Connectivity
21st Child Care
2nd Community
The City of Wagga Wagga is part of the Murrumbidgee Region in
theheartlandoftheNewSouthWalesRiverina.Wagga Wagga is also one of the seven recognised EvoCities in
regionalNewSouthWales.TheseareCitieswhichasdefinedas
clean and green, vibrant, dynamic, innovative,
professional, accessible and globally linked regional destinations
that provide a certain quality of life and livability that continues to
attract visitors and residents alike.
KnownastheCityofGoodSports,manyofAustraliassporting
heroes hail from the regional city of Wagga Wagga, including
former Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor, rugby league great
Peter Sterling and AFL legend Paul Kelly. The high number of elite
athletes produced by the Riverina City was the subject of a study by
the Australian Institute of Sport in 2005. The research proved that
the Citys talent pool was more than just good luck, describing thesporting phenomenon as the Wagga Effect.
http://www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
14/1814 Suncorp Bank
16. Bendigo The Goldrush City
Rank Indicator
10th Crime
13th Health 1
22nd Education
9th Housing
22nd Unemployment
10th Health 2
25th Income
22nd Connectivity
23rd Child Care
5th Community
TheCityofGreaterBendigoissituatedinthegeographiccentre
ofVictoria,ontraditionalJaaraCountry,covering3,000square
kilometres. Bendigo has a rich and prosperous heritage dating
back to the days when gold was discovered in the area in the
1850s.Sincethen,Bendigohasbeenthesecondhighestproducing
goldfield in Australia and remains the seventh largest in the world.
Bendigos rich gold history has produced a city of unparalleledopulence and grandeur. Stunning architecture and manicured
gardens are all symbolic of Bendigo.
http://www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/About_us/About_Greater_Bendigo
16. Townsville The Gateway City
Rank Indicator
27th Crime
3rd Health 1
29th Education
16th Housing
4th Unemployment
24th Health 2
16th Income
11th Connectivity
8th Child Care
20th Community
TownsvilleisthecapitalofNorthQueenslandandremainsone
of the fastest growing cities in the state. Located about halfway
between the tip of Cape York and Brisbane, Townsville stretches
across 3,736km2 and is nestled on the shores of Cleveland Bay.
Even from its earliest days, Townsville has been the commercial,industrialandadministrativehubofNorthQueensland.Thecitys
strategic location, with rail and road links the north, south and west
allows the sea port to manage shipments of minerals, livestock,
sugar and other cargo. Businesses are also attracted by our plentiful
supply of water, power and real estate. The city is renowned for its
easy going lifestyle, tropical weather, and natural surroundings, from
aridlandscapestorainforestsandtheGreatBarrierReef.Family-
friendly entertainment and vibrant cultural experiences are on offer
both day and night. In terms of lifestyle, Townsville has something
for everyone!
http://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/townsville/cityinfo/Pages/default.aspx
18. Newcastle The Steel City
Rank Indicator
7th Crime
18th Health 1
7th Education
25th Housing
14th Unemployment
22nd Health 2
23rd Income
15th Connectivity
9th Child Care
28th Community
NewcastleisNSWssecondoldestcity,andisaregionrichwith
unique history. The Awabakal and Worimi peoples are recognised
and acknowledged as traditional custodians of the land and waters
oftheNewcastlearea.TheearliestAboriginalreferencetothe
namingofNewcastleisMuloobinba,meaningedibleseafern.
FollowingEuropeansettlement,Newcastlebecameapenalstation,
acoaltown,asteelcity.Today,itisNSWssecondlargestcityand
the seventh largest city in Australia.
FormerlyknownasSteelCity,Newcastlehasundergonea
transformationinthepastdecadefromanindustrialtown-hometo
BHPSteelworksformorethan90years-toabuzzing,compactand
highly liveable city with a vibrant culture of cafes, food and wine,
surf, art, theatre, music and fashion.
http://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/pages/newcastle-snapshot/
19. Rockhampton The Beef Capital
of Australia
Rank Indicator
23rd Crime
10th Health 1
4th Education
10th Housing
23rd Unemployment
23rd Health 2
12th Income
23rd Connectivity
25th Child Care
17th Community
Rockhampton, the Beef Capital of Australia is located on the
Tropic of Capricorn and is the gateway to the Coast and the
Outback.Foundedin1853,themajestyofRockhamptonshistorical
architecture has captured the hearts of visitors for decades.
Many fine public and private buildings, including the Customs
House, old Post Office, Cathedrals, banks, business houses
and homes, are constant reminders of the city with an exciting
background. Six bull statues representing the main breeds of
the area are situated throughout Rockhampton in recognition of
RockhamptonsBeefCapitalofAustraliatitle.GracemereSaleyards,
on the outskirts of Rockhampton, handle the largest throughput
ofexportbeefcattleinQueensland,andisthelargeststud-selling
venue in the Southern Hemisphere. Public are welcome. Experience
thecountryinthecityattheGreatWesternHotel,whichholdsweekly rodeos at the back of the pub.
http://www.sunzine.com.au/rockhampton/rockhampton-city.html
rockhamptioregion.qld.gov.au
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
15/1815Family Friendly City Report
20. Sunshine Coast City of Beaches
Rank Indicator
11th Crime
30th Health 1
15th Education
22nd Housing
17th Unemployment
19th Health 2
17th Income
5th Connectivity
4th Child Care
6th Community
Although it does not have a central business district, by population
the Sunshine Coast ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia
andthethirdlargestinQueensland.
The Sunshine Coast economy is currently dominated by three main
sectors tourism, retail and construction. The region also has a
strong agricultural sector. Strong efforts are being made to diversify
the regional economy by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council andotherswithanemphasisoncleanandgreenknowledge-based
businesses across sectors such as information and communication
technologies, cleantech, creative industries, aviation, education and
food and beverages.
Several stretches of the Sunshine Coast are lined with
unbrokenbeachesfromSunshineBeachnearNoosato
Coolum Beach; the coast from Point Arkwright to Mudjimba;
the MaroochydoreMooloolaba stretch; and from Buddina past
Caloundra to Pelican Waters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Coast,_Queensland#Beaches
visitsunshinecoast.com.au
21. Wollongong The City of Five Islands
Rank Indicator
9th Crime
25th Health 1
8th Education
19th Housing
25th Unemployment
26th Health 2
22nd Income
14th Connectivity
2nd Child Care
22nd Community
WollongongisAustraliasninthlargestcityandislocated80km
south of Sydney on a narrow coastal strip bordered by the Royal
NationalParktothenorth,LakeIllawarratothesouth,theTasman
Sea to the east and the Illawarra Escarpment to the west. It is a
city with strong manufacturing, education, technology research &
development sectors.
The name Wollongong originated from the Aboriginal word
woolyungah meaning five islands. Archaeological evidence indicates
that Aboriginals have lived here for at least 30,000 years. Wodi Wodi
is the tribe name of the Aboriginal people of the Illawarra.
http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/city/demographics/Pages/
default.aspx
22. Ballarat The Resting Place
Rank Indicator
21st Crime
15th Health 1
13th Education
7th Housing
30th Unemployment
6th Health 2
26th Income
24th Connectivity
29th Child Care
3rd Community
Ballarat is located on the Yarrowee River and lower western plains
oftheGreatDividingRangeinthestateofVictoria,Australia,
approximately105kilometres(65mi)west-north-westofthestate
capital; Melbourne. Ballarat is the third most populous urban area in
the state and one of Australias most populated inland settlements.
Ballarat was named by Scottish squatter Archibald Yuille who
established the first settlement, his sheep run called Ballarat in1837[7]withthenamederivedfromlocalWathaurongAboriginal
wordsforthearea,Ballarat,thoughttomeanrestingplace.
TheVictoriangoldrushtransformedBallaratfromasmallsheep
stationtoamajorsettlement.GoldwasdiscoveredatPovertyPoint
on18August1851andnewsquicklyspreadofrichalluvialfields
where gold could easily be extracted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballarat
ballarat.com
23. Sydney The Emerald City
Rank Indicator
8th Crime
27th Health 1
12th Education
30th Housing
18th Unemployment
14th Health 2
5th Income
3rd Connectivity
24th Child Care
26th Community
SydneyisthecapitalofNewSouthWalesandthemostpopulated
cityinAustralia.Givenitslocationastheeconomicandcultural
heart of Australia, the City of Sydney is highly and densely
urbanised. Its land is intensively used for a variety of purposes
including residential and commercial use as well as tourist and
cultural attractions, and parks and open space. It is home to the
highest commercial and residential densities in Australia.
TheSydneyOlympicGames(2000),widelyregardedasthebest
games ever, put Sydney on the map internationally.
The term Emerald City is used as a metaphor by the character
ElaineRossinDavidWilliamsonsPlayOz,describingSydneyas
theEmeraldCityofOz,wherepeoplegoexpectingtheirdreams
to be fulfilled, only to end up with superficial substitutes and brokendreams.SubsequentlyEmeraldCityhasoccasionallybeenused
as an unofficial nickname for the city of Sydney.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_City
Sydney.com.au
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
16/1816 Suncorp Bank
24. Brisbane The River City
Rank Indicator
28th Crime
21st Health 1
24th Education
26th Housing
9th Unemployment
17th Health 2
3rd Income
2nd Connectivity
18th Child Care
11th Community
BrisbaneisthecapitalofQueenslandandnamedafterSirThomas
Brisbane,notedastronomerandformerGovernorofNewSouth
Wales.BrisbaneisthemostpopulouscityinQueenslandandthe
third most populous city in Australia.
BrisbanewaschosenasthecapitalwhenQueenslandwas
proclaimedaseparatecolonyfromNewSouthWalesin1859.
Brisbane has hosted many large cultural and sporting events,includingthe1982CommonwealthGames,WorldExpo88and
thefinalGoodwillGamesin2001.Brisbaneisthelargesteconomy
betweenSydneyandSingapore,andasof2008isclassifiedas
aGlobalcity.[6]Itwasalsoratedthe16thmostlivablecityinthe
worldin2009bytheEconomistIntelligenceUnit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane
visitbrisbane.com
25. Geelong The Cliff City
Rank Indicator
12th Crime
19th Health 1
27th Education
18th Housing
20th Unemployment
3rd Health 2
27th Income
21st Connectivity
26th Child Care
14th Community
GeelongisaportcitylocatedonCorioBayandtheBarwonRiver,inthestateofVictoria,Australia,75kilometressouth-westofthestate
capital,Melbourne.ItisthesecondmostpopulatedcityinVictoria
andthefifthmostpopulatednon-capitalcityinAustralia.
Geelongwasnamedin1827byGovernorRichardBurke,with
the name derived from the local Wathaurong Aboriginal name for
theregion,Jillong,thoughttomeanlandorcliffs.Geelongwas
proclaimedacityin1910,withindustrialgrowthfromthistimeuntil
the1960sestablishingthecityasamanufacturingcentreforthe
state. It is known for being home to car manufacturer Ford Australia
andalsotheGeelongFootballClub,nicknamedTheCats.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geelong
geelongaustralia.com.au
visitgeelongbellarine.com.au
26. Hervey Bay The Whale Watch Capital
of the World
Rank Indicator
18th Crime
26th Health 1
20th Education
12th Housing
27th Unemployment
30th Health 2
6th Income
19th Connectivity
10th Child Care
26th Community
HerveyBayhasoftenbeencalledthejewelinQueenslandscrown.
It is also referred to as the Whale Watch Capital of the World. A
scenic 3 hours drive north of Brisbane and only 45 minutes by air
from Brisbane.
The city has a wonderful subtropical climate. Temperatures range
from14to23degreesCentigradeinwinterand22to29degreesCentigrade in summer.
RainfallislowandtherearemorefinedaysthanotherQueensland
city.
http://www.discoverherveybay.com/
27. Cairns Australias Tropical Paradise
Rank Indicator
30th Crime
14th Health 1
25th Education
15th Housing
26th Unemployment
20th Health 2
15th Income
9th Connectivity
19th Child Care
16th Community
NestledonthecoastofFarNorthQueensland,Cairnsistucked
betweentheGreatBarrierReefintheCoralSeaandthelush
rolling downs of the Atherton Tableland to the west. The city was
namedafterWilliamWellingtonCairns,then-currentGovernorofQueensland.Itwasformedtoserveminersheadingforthe
Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an
easierroutewasdiscoveredfromPortDouglas.Itlaterdeveloped
into a railhead and major port for exporting sugar cane, gold and
other metals, minerals and agricultural products from surrounding
coastal areas and the Atherton Tableland region.
CairnsisknownforitstourismisattractionsliketheGreatBarrier
Reef and the Wet Tropics World Heritage rainforest.
http://tools.cairns.com.au/about-cairns/about-cairns.php
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
17/1817Family Friendly City Report
28. Gold Coast Australias Golden City
Rank Indicator
26th Crime
23rd Health 1
14th Education
24th Housing
13th Unemployment
18th Health 2
18th Income
6th Connectivity
30th Child Care
29th Community
Famousforitssun,surfandsand,GoldCoastCitystretchesalong
57 kilometres of coastline.
TheGoldCoastisknownforitsbeautifulbeachesandvast
rainforest hinterland. It is the sixth largest city in Australia and one of
the fastest growing regions in the country.
Covering an area of 1400 square kilometres, the citys boundaries
extend from just south of Beenleigh to Coolangatta, taking inSouth Stradbroke Island and part of Moreton Bay and extending
west to the hinterland of Mount Tamborine and the Lamington and
DarlingtonRanges.
http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/default.html
28. La Trobe Valley Mountains, Lakes and
Beaches
Rank Indicator
25th Crime
28th Health 1
23rd Education
2nd Housing
21st Unemployment
16th Health 2
24th Income
26th Connectivity
28th Child Care
9th Community
TheLatrobeValleyisaninlandgeographicalregionandurbanarea
insideGippslandinthestateofVictoria.ItiseastoftheCityOf
Melbourne and nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges to the southandtheGreatDividingRange(BawBawRanges)tothenorthwith
thehighestpeaktothenorthoftheLatrobeValleyapproximately
due north of Moe being Mount Baw Baw.
The area has four major centres (from west to east) Warragul, Moe,
Morwell and Traralgon, with minor centres including Churchill,
Drouin&Trafalgar.ThecityofMoeisthemostcentralcitytothe
LatrobeValley.LatrobeCityboastsalloftherecreationaland
cultural facilities of a large diverse regional centre with the added
benefit of being nestled amongst some of the best tourist attractions
in the state.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latrobe_Valley
Latrobe.vis.gov.au
30. Coffs Harbour Home of the Big
Banana
Rank Indicator
20th Crime
29th Health 1
30th Education
13th Housing
28th Unemployment
25th Health 2
19th Income
18th Connectivity
20th Child Care
12th Community
CoffsHarbourisacoastalcitylocatedonthenorthcoastofNew
SouthWalesabout540kmnorthofSydney,and390kmsouthof
Brisbane. Popular with people wanting to relocate from big cities to
small towns on the coast or in rural areas, Coffs Harbour continues
to grow at an exceptional rate.
According to the CSIRO, Coffs Harbour has the most liveableclimate in Australia, and it is nestled between a high mountain
backdropanddozensofunspoiledbeaches.CoffsHarbours
economy is based mainly on farming (of bananas), tourism, and
manufacturing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffs_Harbour
visitcoffsharbour.com
coffscoast.com.au
coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au
7/29/2019 Suncorp Bank Family Friendly City Report
18/18