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The rivalry between the Australian metropolises of Melbourne and Sydney on the east coast is legendary – also in terms of population. Now a change is looming: Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, is expected to overtake Sydney in New South Wales as the country’s most populous city within the next decade. Broadcaster Sky News Australia reported this on Thursday, citing the government’s annual population forecast to be released on Friday.

Accordingly, Melbourne’s population is expected to grow to 6.1 million by 2032/33. At that time, Sydney would just lag behind with a population of 6.06 million. By comparison, Melbourne currently has a population of about 5 million, while Sydney has a population of 5.3 million.

Originally, experts had thought that Melbourne, with its European flair, would surpass its rival, known for its beautiful harbor, as early as 2026. But then tens of thousands left Melbourne after extremely long corona lockdowns were repeatedly imposed there. “Melbourne will finally overtake Sydney as Australia’s largest city – despite a brief exodus due to the pandemic,” said Sky News Australia. (aeg/sda/dpa)