First published 27/03/2012

A recent study has ranked Adelaide as the most liveable city in Australia, with Sydney and Darwin given the wooden spoon.

A recent Property Council of Australia study has named Adelaide and Canberra the two most liveable cities in Australia, while Sydney and Darwin are the two least liveable.

While residents differed greatly in their opinions of the cities in which they live, there was no divide over the main causes for dissatisfaction within the capital cities, according to the study. Respondents across the board were scathing in their assessment of factors such as housing affordability and public transit.

"Australians know what makes a great city, and they rate our cities poorly in housing affordability, environmental sustainability, congestion and public transport. These results should shock governments into action to lift the performance of our cities," Property Council national policy director Ken Morrison said.

Access to affordable housing was the area in which capital cities rated poorest, with only 34% of respondents approving of their city's performance.

The study also asked respondents to rate their state or territory government's performance in housing policy. The newly-ousted Queensland government ranked highest, the NSW government lowest.