Cairns rated among regional Australia's most liveable cities


A new poll has ranked Cairns in the top ten of Australia’s most liveable regional cities.

Ipsos’s Life in Australia survey asked 10,000 people what they believe makes somewhere a good place to live and how well their local areas deliver against those attributes.



Warrnambool in Victoria took number one position with a liveability index of 68.7, while Cairns placed a respectable ninth with an index of 62.1.

The Far North Queensland city scored above average in almost every category, including good job and educational opportunities, high quality health services, social cohesion and shopping, leisure and dining.

It scored particularly well for access to the natural environment and a strong sense of community.

In the category for reliable and efficient public transport, Cairns scored above average but failed to get a pass, with a mark of 4.6 out of ten.

Dragging down the tally were below average results for feeling safe and viewing and participating in sports and recreation.

It was the first time the Life in Australia report included regional cities outside Victoria.

Oh, and it's worth mentioning Townsville was ranked a lowly 41st.