Australia’s housing crisis is driving more families to the outer suburbs, where Australia’s Urban Sprawl has led to a shortage of essential infrastructure such as public transport, healthcare, and retail services.
According to ABC News, some residents report long commutes and limited access to basic amenities due to delays in planned developments.
Experts caution that without adequate urban planning and early investment in services, these communities may struggle with long-term economic and social challenges, impacting quality of life and placing additional strain on existing infrastructure networks.
Long Commutes and Missing Infrastructure
For residents like Manish Baisoya, who moved to Mt Atkinson, a new housing estate west of Melbourne, the daily commute can be exhausting. His journey to work, combined with daycare drop-offs, can take up to four hours round trip.
Despite living just nine kilometres from the nearest train station in Caroline Springs, it can take up to an hour and 15 minutes to get there due to congestion and infrastructure works.
Like many others, Baisoya and his family were drawn to the area by the promise of affordable housing and future amenities, including a shopping centre and a train station within walking distance.
However, the developer of the shopping centre pulled out, and the local train station remains years away from completion.
Without adequate infrastructure, Australia’s Urban Sprawl has made even daily errands a challenge. A trip to the nearest shops in Caroline Springs takes between 15 and 45 minutes, depending on traffic.
Local roads, which were not designed to support such a large population, frequently experience severe congestion.
Urban Sprawl Is Failing, Say Experts
Professor Peter Newman, a sustainability expert from Curtin University, argues that low-density housing developments are not sustainable. He suggests that urban expansion should be accompanied by early investment in public transport and local services to ensure these areas become viable and liveable communities.
“This is an issue everywhere across Australia,” Newman said. “Urban sprawl is failing. It’s just an endless series of suburbs that are not very effective. To get services and create places people love, you need density and public transport—and these should be built into new suburbs from the start.”
Cities like Perth, often described as the longest city in the world, highlight the challenges of low-density development. While state and local governments are attempting to increase housing density in established areas, suburban sprawl remains the dominant trend.
A Decades-Old Challenge That Remains Unresolved
Concerns over urban sprawl are not new. In 1969, architect Peter McIntyre had already warned that Melbourne was struggling to balance suburban expansion with the need for density.
More than half a century later, Australia’s cities continue to face the same problem. The National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA), representing councils in outer suburban regions, reports that its member areas are home to 5.6 million people, with a growth rate double the national average.
Despite this, many of these rapidly expanding suburbs, driven by Australia’s Urban Sprawl, lack the essential infrastructure needed to support their communities.
Professor Newman believes that the private sector and governments need to change their approach. “Developers say you can only make money from low-density housing, but that is outdated thinking,” he said. “Higher-density housing around transport hubs can improve land values and enable urban development.”
Beyond Housing: The Risk of Social Isolation
The NGAA warns that focusing solely on housing construction without social infrastructure could lead to a broader crisis. CEO Bronwen Clark highlights the lack of access to basic services such as healthcare, education, sports, and cultural facilities.
“These outer suburbs are the hub of multiculturalism with enormous potential, but this is being hampered by the lack of investment in infrastructure,” Clark said. “We need to ensure people moving to these areas are supported, otherwise we risk a social cohesion crisis where residents feel isolated due to a lack of essential services.”
A Call for Smarter Urban Planning
Australia’s population grows, policymakers face increasing pressure to balance housing demand with sustainable development. While expanding outer suburbs offers a solution to affordability challenges, experts caution that without proper planning and investment in infrastructure, these communities could face long-term economic and social difficulties.
The future of Australia’s urban landscape depends on whether governments and developers can shift away from outdated expansion strategies and prioritise integrated, well-serviced communities that provide a high quality of life for all residents.
