While Australia is generally secularizing, Adelaide is often called the "City of Churches" for its historical religious diversity and numerous church buildings, but other areas might have higher concentrations of specific faiths; however, official data points to states like Tasmania and South Australia having higher percentages of religious identification than the national average in the 2021 Census, with no single city definitively topping all others for overall religiosity.
According to the 2021 census, religious distribution is 43.9% Christian (47.3% of those who answered the question, 7.3% did not), 38.9% none or secular belief system (41.9% of those who answered), 3.2% Islam (or 3.5% of those who answered), 2.7% Hinduism (2.9% of those who answered), 2.4% Buddhism (or 2.6% of those who ...
The denominations in Melbourne have leapt the Reformation divide and wholeheartedly embraced ecumenism, while the churches have remained far more insular in Sydney. The differences are aptly illustrated by the Anglican dioceses: Melbourne Anglicanism is "high church" and catholic, Sydney is evangelical and protestant.
ADELAIDE is known as the City of Churches, with approximately 529 Christian churches. The oldest church in South Australia is the Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide, consecrated in 1838.
Colonial Adelaide was noted for its leading examples of religious freedom and progressive political reforms and became known as the "City of Churches" due to its diversity of faiths.
While no definitive "most churches" city is listed, Adelaide is famously known as Australia's "City of Churches" due to its historical prominence and numerous significant religious buildings, especially in its central area, making it the most likely answer for a high density of churches. Other large cities like Sydney and Melbourne also have many churches, but Adelaide's reputation for its architectural beauty and religious history sets it apart.
Of the 25,029 residents in Adelaide in 2021, the top three religious affiliations were:
The City of Churches, and Radelaide
Radelaide comes from a subculture dating back 20-odd years when locals and visitors wanted to express their love of the city in an affectionate way. Calling something rad is a slang term still accepted today.
Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, NT
The literal and spiritual heart of Australia, Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park encompasses an area centred on Uluru and Kata Tjuta, two immense sandstone formations rising out of the red sand of the Central Australian desert.
Designed principally by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, and Carlo Maderno, with piazza and fittings by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Saint Peter's is one of the most renowned works of Italian Renaissance architecture and is the largest church in the world by interior measure.
Based on the 2021 Australian Census, Hinduism was the fastest-growing religion by percentage increase, with its adherents growing by 148.2% between 2011 and 2021, while Islam and Sikhism also saw significant growth, and the largest group remained those with "No Religion".
Gen Z's turn toward Christianity reflects a desire for stability, community, and meaning in uncertain times.
Catholicism is globally growing, especially in Africa and Asia, with the total number of Catholics increasing, but it's declining as a percentage of the population in some Western countries like Europe and the US, where church attendance and affiliation are falling, though younger generations show varied engagement, with some finding renewed interest. The overall picture is complex: rapid growth in the Global South contrasts with contraction in the West.
Christianity is the world's largest religion by number of followers, with over 2.4 billion adherents, followed closely by Islam, with nearly 2 billion, and then Hinduism and Buddhism, with billions and hundreds of millions, respectively, though Islam is projected to grow faster and potentially overtake Christianity in the coming decades, according to reports from organizations like the Pew Research Center.
No, Australia is not 90% white; while a large majority identify with European ancestry (around 76-80% in recent years), a significant and growing portion identifies as Asian, African, Middle Eastern, or Indigenous, making it a highly multicultural nation with diverse ethnic backgrounds, not overwhelmingly white. Recent census data shows European ancestry (English, Irish, etc.) makes up a large chunk, but Asian ancestries are also substantial, with over 17% Asian population and around 3.8% identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, per the 2021 census data from Wikipedia.
Australia's Quiet Places
Catholics, like many other Christians, regards the Sepulchre in Jerusalem to be the holiest of places. It also places emphasis on Nazareth, Bethlehem, Capernaum, and other parts of the Holy Land as sacred since apostolic times, and notes as places of special sanctity the sanctuaries built on the tombs of the Apostles.
Areas. According to the 2016 census, the Muslim population numbered 604,235 individuals, of whom 42% live in Greater Sydney, 31% in Greater Melbourne, and 8% in Greater Perth.
"Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy, Oi Oi Oi" (often written as "Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi") is a patriotic Australian sports chant, a rallying cry of national pride, originating from older British cheers like "Oggy Oggy Oggy," with "Aussie" being slang for Australian, and "Oi" functioning as an emphatic interjection, similar to "Hey!" or "Go!". It's used at sporting events, sometimes considered a bit cheesy or "cringey" by some Australians, but generally seen as an inclusive way to support national teams.
Adelaide is famous as Australia's "Festival City" due to its world-renowned arts events like the Adelaide Fringe and WOMADelaide, alongside its reputation for being a highly liveable city with a relaxed pace, exceptional food and wine (proximity to Barossa Valley), beautiful parklands, a unique "20-minute city" feel, and a strong cultural scene, earning it nicknames like "City of Churches" and a UNESCO Creative City designation.
Other types of abbreviated forms include: Curry (Cloncurry), Melbs (Melbourne), MoPo (Moonee Ponds), Ninsh (Mornington Peninsula), SoHo (South Hobart), Trak (Toorak). The most common pattern is an abbreviated form of the name with the addition of the -y (-ie) or -o suffix.
Religion in Australia