With recent revelations that Sydney and Melbourne could become the size of global cities like London by as early as 2050, it begs the question what our regional cities will look like in the coming years.
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According to projections from the NSW Government’s Planning and Environment department the Queanbeyan-Palerang area could have a population of 86,200 by the year 2036.
The 2016 population, which sat at 61,150, is expected to climb to 67,250 in 2021, 73,500 in 2026, 51,200 in 2031 and up to 86,200 in 2036.
But what does this mean for the number of dwellings?
Monday’s Four Corners program on ABC highlighted the role migration would play in the growth of urban populations.
NSW opposition leader Luke Foley said Sydney's pull as the largest city and a job magnet has contributed to one third of the nation's migrants coming to the city.
One year out from a state election Mr Foley has called for a set number to be placed on Australia's migrant intake - to be made in consultation with all states and territories and the federal government.
"Sydney full of towers is the inevitable consequence of the current very large migrant intake," Mr Foley told 2GB radio. It follows similar calls by former prime minister Tony Abbott to cut migration rates.
The comments come as Australia's population is expected to tick over 25 million this year - a figure the nation wasn't meant to reach for decades. Former NSW premier Bob Carr told ABC TV's Four Corners program the consequences could mean restricting access to recreational spaces by erecting fences and turnstiles around Sydney's beaches.
Australian businessman Dick Smith, who last year launched a $1 million TV campaign calling for a limit to the number of immigrants, sees disaster for the Australian way of life.
