Sydney is significantly older than Melbourne, founded as Australia's first European settlement and penal colony in 1788, while Melbourne was established much later, in 1835, by free settlers, making Sydney the first and oldest city in Australia by several decades.
The oldest and first city to be built in Australia is Sydney. Sydney officially became the first Australian city in 1842 after Great Britain colonised New South Wales.
With an approximate population of 4.5 million inhabitants, Sydney is the largest and the oldest city in Australia. The first settlers arrived in 1788.
Since its founding in 1835, Melbourne has taken form from a small settlement to the vibrant city it is today.
New South Wales (NSW) is Australia's oldest state and contains the most populated city in Australia, Sydney.
In recent years, science has confirmed what Aboriginal Australians, the world's oldest continuous living culture, always knew: the Pilbara region of Western Australia is among the oldest places on Earth.
In 1788, the First Fleet of convicts, led by Arthur Phillip, founded Sydney as a British penal colony, the first European settlement in Australia. After World War II, Sydney experienced mass migration and by 2021 over 40 per cent of the population was born overseas.
Sydney was first settled in 1788 with Melbourne settled in 1835, so from that perspective Sydney wins. However, from 1901 - 1927 Melbourne was the Capital of Australia while they were building Canberra, so from that perspective Melbourne wins.
Sydney is Australia's richest city, leading with the most resident millionaires, centi-millionaires, and billionaires, driven by its strong financial sector, global appeal, and high-end real estate market, followed closely by Melbourne, with both cities consistently ranking globally for wealth. These cities attract High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs) due to amenities, business opportunities, and exclusive suburbs like Sydney's Point Piper and Melbourne's Toorak.
Although many will not have heard of this man, the city of Sydney is named after him. Thomas Townshend was elevated to the peerage with the title of 'Baron Sydney' in 1783. As Home Secretary in the British Parliament, he was responsible for devising a plan to settle convicts at Botany Bay in Australia.
Jericho, West Bank, Palestine
Jericho is another that is arguably the oldest city in the world at around 11,000 years old. It's located in the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank, and archaeological evidence has documented 23 layers of ancient sites and civilizations there dating back to the 10th millennium B.C.E.
The establishment of further colonies at what are now Hobart (in 1804), Brisbane (1824), Perth (1829), Adelaide (1836) and Melbourne (1837) expanded the development focus from the original colony (Australian Government 2010).
Sydney's oldest colonial neighborhood, the Rocks is a warren of atmospheric sandstone warehouses, quiet courtyards, and cobbled alleys on the western side of Circular Quay.
Sydney has better weather than Melbourne, and is a better destination for people who want to combine beach and outdoor time with city sightseeing, dining and nightlife, and who don't mind walking a well-trodden tourist trail.
Sydney is Australia's largest and oldest city and provides many options for living and recreation. Sydney is among the top fifteen most-visited cities in the world, with millions of tourists coming each year to see the city's landmarks.
Australia's "most beautiful" place is subjective, but top contenders include the Great Barrier Reef (world's largest reef system with stunning islands like the Whitsundays' Whitehaven Beach), Kakadu National Park (diverse landscapes, waterfalls, wildlife), Tasmania's Bay of Fires (vibrant orange lichen on white sand), and the rugged, otherworldly Kimberley region, offering unique natural wonders from turquoise gorges to vast wilderness. Other favorites are Uluru (iconic monolith), Sydney Harbour (harbor, bridge, opera house), and Tasmania's Cradle Mountain.
Mungallala Methodist Church was built in 1964. It has now closed. In 2016, the Australian Taxation Office listed Mungallala as having the lowest mean taxable income by postcode, making it the poorest town in Australia, which led the ABC to do a documentary on the town for their online "storyhunters" program.
More billionaires from the list live in the elite Melbourne suburb of Toorak, five kilometres southeast of the CBD, than any other Australian suburbs. Toorak boasts gated cul-de-sacs, privacy hedges, tree-lined streets and 22 of Australia's richest people.
It's big, has soul and culture and an energy that you don't find in Sydney. If you work in finance and love to surf move to Sydney. For everyone else, Melbourne will welcome you with open arms. Great culture great shopping great restaurants and cafes awesome sport and just a wonderful vibe!
Common nicknames for Sydney include The Harbour City, The Emerald City, and the unofficial, often humorous, Shitney; people from Sydney are called Sydneysiders, while shorter nicknames for the name Sydney (person) are Syd, Syddie, or Sid.
Snow in Sydney is extremely rare, with the last notable event being in 1836, though flakes have been seen or reported on rare occasions since, sometimes confused with heavy hail; for actual snow, visitors typically need to travel to higher elevations in the nearby Blue Mountains or the Snowy Mountains.
Sydney is Australia's largest city and considered the best by many families and professionals. It boasts some of the best beaches, world-class dining, and cultural attractions like the Opera House and Harbour. Sydney is also an expensive city to live, yet it remains highly desirable.
Temperature - The average air temperature during the season of winter is 7.1°C to 18.3°C. July is the coldest month, with daytime temperatures reaching 13°C. This season is fantastic for everyone who enjoys the enchanting chill.