End of an Era: Greek-Born Population in Australia Drops Below 90,000

Greek-Australians marching successful the Australia Day parade successful Melbourne. Credit: Chris Phutully, CC BY 2.0

For the archetypal clip successful decades, the fig of Greek-born residents successful Australia has slipped beneath 90,000—falling to astir 87,000 successful 2025. This is simply a stark opposition to the astir 140,000 recorded successful the mid-90s.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, this 37% alteration is chiefly driven by earthy aging, with the mean property successful this cohort rising from 54 to 77 implicit the past 30 years.

While Greece was erstwhile a top-six root of Australian migrants, it fell retired of the apical 10 astir 2 decades ago. Today, Victoria is the lone authorities wherever the radical maintains a top-ten ranking.

A akin inclination is observed among Cypriot-born Australians, whose numbers declined from 23.310 successful 1996 to 16,560 successful 2025, alongside a notable summation successful mean age.

Immigration successful Australia shifts, but Greeks stay a cornerstone

As the broader Australian migration illustration shifts toward South Asian and East Asian origins—with India present surpassing England arsenic the superior state of commencement for overseas residents—the Greek bequest transitions from a surviving demographic to a humanities and taste cornerstone of Australian society.

PM Anthony Albanese successful his authoritative connection marking Greek Independence Day 2026, highlighted the foundational relation the Greek diaspora plays successful modern Australia.

“The immigrants who arrived successful the post-war years gave Australia 1 of the world’s largest Greek diasporas… and arsenic they thrived present beneath the confederate entity they became integral to the communicative of our modern nation,” Albanese remarked.

Related: Archbishop Makarios of Australia Says Greek Must Remain successful Church to Protect Identity