This surprising Australian town has the cleanest air in Oceania

If you’ve ever stepped off a plane in Sydney (or Broken Hill, or Bundaberg for that matter) and thought: wow, the air feels different here – you’re not wrong. According to a recent study into global pollution levels, Australia’s towns and cities officially have the cleanest air in all of Oceania. And not just by a little bit: all ten of the continent’s least polluted large urban areas are right here on Aussie soil, with the surprising outback town of Broken Hill claiming the crown.

While cities across the world choke on exhaust fumes and industrial haze, Australia’s urban centres are still sitting pretty beneath some of the clearest skies around. The colourful mining town of Broken Hill tops the list, with an average PM2.5 concentration (AKA pollution in the air) of just 1.7 micrograms per cubic metre – the lowest of any continental city in Oceania. Not far behind are Queensland’s coastal Bundaberg and Victoria’s Mornington, both averaging 2.3 micrograms per cubic metre. Even the buzzy town of Gold Coast made the list – with pollution levels sitting at 2.8 micrograms per cubic metre.

These pollution levels are a striking contrast to those in New Zealand, where towns like Richmond are grappling with wood heater smoke that pushes PM2.5 levels up to 10.5 – still clean by global standards, but murky next to Australia’s pristine performance.

Of course, even Australia’s air quality isn’t entirely without a blemish. Industrial history and dust storms can leave their mark – as Broken Hill locals know all too well – but compared to the pollution-plagued skylines of Delhi, Beijing or London, our atmosphere is practically squeaky clean. 

According to the researchers, Australia’s relatively low population density, stricter emissions regulations, and growing investment in cleaner transport and energy all help keep pollution levels down. And while urban heat islands and car exhaust are still problems that need addressing, this new data is a nice reminder to breathe deep.

The 10 Australian cities with the cleanest air

1. Broken Hill, NSW
2. Bundaberg, QLD
3. Mornington, VIC
4. Kingston, VIC
5. Gretna, TAS
6. Griffith, NSW
7. Gladstone, QLD
8. Lismore, NSW
9. Gold Coast, QLD
10. Swan Hill, VIC

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