Melbourne to reclaim biggest city crown

MELBOURNE will overtake Sydney to become Australia’s biggest city within a decade despite the pandemic hitting population growth harder than anywhere else in the country.

More than 6.1 million people will call greater Melbourne home by 2032-33 even though the capital experienced a massive -1.6 per cent decline in population in the first year of Covid-19, according to forecasts by the federal government’s Centre for Population.

But social researcher Mark McCrindle previously told News Corp Melbourne could overtake Sydney as the nation’s biggest metropolis as soon as September 7, 2030, with a population of about 5.8 million.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has praised Victoria’s predicted recovery as a “testament to the state’s appeal”.

“We often see Melbourne voted one of the most liveable cities in the world, so it’s no surprise to see population growth rebound,” he said.

“Given what Victoria went through during the pandemic, this is a great coup for Melbourne and the people that make the place so special.”

Last year the Herald Sun revealed modelling by social researcher Mark McCrindle forecast Melbourne would reclaim its crown lost to Sydney more than a century ago, by the end of 2030.

According to the government’s figures, Melbourne’s population is expected to grow at a rate of 1.6 per cent by 2032, which would be significantly faster than Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Although about 11m people are expected to leave Melbourne that year, it is still well below the more than 30m due to move away from Sydney.

Melbourne will be a popular destination for international migration, with about 72,000 people expected to move to the city – about 10,000 more than will choose Sydney.