City in Victoria, Australia
Air quality in Melbourne
Fairly clean
The annual average PM2.5 in Melbourne was 7.9 µg/m³ in 2024, about 1.6 times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³. Generally clean. Bushfire smoke from Victorian summers can affect air quality for several days.
Key facts
- PM2.5: 7.9 µg/m³ yearly average (2024). Measured at Melbourne.
- PM10: 18 µg/m³ (2024).
- Nitrogen dioxide: 15.9 µg/m³ (2024), mostly from traffic.
- Recent average: 7.1 µg/m³ over the last five years of measurements.
PM2.5 by year
| Year | Annual average |
|---|---|
| 2024 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2021 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2018 |
Air quality across Australia
| Place | PM2.5 | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Hobart | 4.9 µg/m³ | Meets the WHO guideline |
| Sunshine Coast | 5.5 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Gold Coast | 5.6 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Magnetic Island | 5.6 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Cairns | 5.8 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Fremantle | 5.9 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Adelaide | 6 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Launceston | 6.2 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Perth | 7 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Melbourne | 7.9 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Brisbane | 8 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Darwin | 9 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Sydney | 11 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Newcastle | 11 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Canberra | 14 µg/m³ | Moderate |
Quick answers
Is the air in Melbourne bad?
Fairly clean: 7.9 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average, 1.6× the WHO guideline.
When is the air worst in Melbourne?
Generally clean. Bushfire smoke from Victorian summers can affect air quality for several days.
How does Melbourne compare with the rest of Australia?
People in Australia breathe 6 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average (2023, World Bank/WHO), against 7.9 µg/m³ measured here.
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Sources
- WHO Ambient Air Quality Database
- WHO air quality guidelines (2021)
- Live air quality map (WAQI)
- Public Transport Victoria
- Melbourne Airport
- Visit Melbourne
Annual averages are measured values reported to the WHO; check a live map for today's air. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.