The direct answer: most British-born residents of Australia are concentrated in Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne — in roughly that order by absolute numbers. Queensland (particularly Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast) has a significant British population skewed toward retirees and lifestyle migrants. Melbourne and Sydney split the professional and family migration.
Here’s the more useful breakdown.
The Census Numbers
According to the 2021 Australian Census, England was the third largest country of birth for Australia’s overseas-born population (after India and China), with approximately 967,000 England-born residents recorded. Adding Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, total UK-born Australians sit above 1.1 million.
By state:
- New South Wales (Sydney): Highest absolute number of UK-born residents. Concentrated in Northern Beaches, North Shore, inner-west suburbs like Balmain and Rozelle.
- Western Australia (Perth): Highest proportion of British-born in any Australian state — some estimates put UK-born at 6–8% of Perth’s total population. The British community in Perth is extremely established.
- Victoria (Melbourne): Large absolute numbers, growing. Inner suburbs like St Kilda, Fitzroy, Hawthorn, and Richmond have significant British expat clusters.
- Queensland: Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast attract British retirees and lifestyle migrants. Brisbane’s inner suburbs have younger British professionals.
Source: ABS 2021 Census, Country of Birth data tables.
Why Perth Has Such a High British Concentration
Perth’s British population is historically deep — it began with post-WWII assisted passage schemes. Many British families arrived in the 1950s–70s under the “Ten Pound Pom” scheme, and the community compounded from there. Perth’s climate (hot, sunny, dry) appeals strongly to British immigrants tired of grey weather. It’s closer to the UK by flight time than Sydney or Melbourne (still 16+ hours, but feels different psychologically). The suburbs of Joondalup, Mandurah, and the western coastal strip have the highest concentrations.
Why Brits Favour Melbourne Over Sydney
Among recent UK arrivals choosing between Sydney and Melbourne, Melbourne wins on:
- Cost of living: Marginally cheaper for renting, especially in inner suburbs
- Cultural familiarity: Melbourne’s laneway culture, pub scene, and football tribalism feel closer to British sensibilities than Sydney’s beach-focused lifestyle
- Job market: Melbourne has strong professional services, education, and tech sectors
- Weather: Still cold by Australian standards, which British people sometimes find more manageable than Sydney’s humidity
See: Sydney vs Melbourne for British Expats for the detailed comparison.
Specific Melbourne Suburbs With Notable British Populations
Based on community observation and Domain suburb demographics:
- St Kilda — large British backpacker-to-permanent pipeline; numerous British-run pubs
- Fitzroy / Fitzroy North — young British professionals; strong community through sport and pubs
- Hawthorn — British families; Glenferrie Road has English-style pubs and familiar retail
- Richmond — inner-east, mixed professional demographics including UK-born
- Brighton — more established British families; bayside suburb with British-community sporting clubs
For suburb-by-suburb guides aimed at British expats making the Melbourne choice, see the British Expat Guide to Melbourne and individual suburb guides in the expat series.
The Practical Implication
If you’re a British national planning to move to Australia and wondering “where do other Brits go?”, the honest answer is: Sydney for career or family networks, Perth for lifestyle and climate, Melbourne for culture and slightly lower costs. Queensland if you’re retiring or lifestyle-first.
The British community in Melbourne is large enough that you won’t feel isolated — there are British rugby clubs, cricket clubs, pubs serving proper bitter, and social groups. But Australia also moves fast to integrate migrants, so “where the Brits are” matters less after the first 12 months than it does in week one.
See also: The British Community in Melbourne: Where to Find It.
