Moved to a new place and can’t remember the postcode? Filling in an online form that won’t accept your address without one? It happens to everyone — and the fix takes about ten seconds.
Australia uses a simple four-digit postcode system, and once you know how it works (plus where to look things up), you’ll never be stuck again. This guide walks you through finding any postcode in the country, explains the state-by-state numbering, and answers the questions people actually ask.
Want the fast version? Jump straight to our free postcode lookup tool — type a suburb, get the postcode. No signup, no fuss.
An Australian postcode is four digits, from 0200 up to 9944, that identifies a mail delivery area. Australia Post uses it to sort and route mail — and these days, couriers, online stores, banks, and government forms all rely on it too.
Here’s the bit most people get wrong: a postcode identifies a delivery area, not a suburb. One postcode usually covers several neighbouring localities. That’s why your friend two streets over might share your postcode even though you live in “different” suburbs — and why searching by postcode alone sometimes returns a handful of place names.
The first digit is a handy hint about the state or territory:
Treat that first digit as a clue, not a law. Border towns sometimes borrow a neighbour’s digit because it’s easier for Australia Post to route their mail through the closest post office — even if it’s across the state line. And codes starting with 1, 8, and 9 are mostly PO Box and bulk-mail ranges for Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, not places anyone actually lives.
Type your suburb or town into a postcode lookup tool and you’ll get the answer instantly. You can also do it in reverse — type a four-digit postcode to see which suburbs it covers. This is the method I’d recommend for 95% of cases.
The postcode is printed on every envelope and parcel label you’ve ever received. Dig out any old bill, bank statement, or delivery box and it’s right there next to the suburb name.
If you’ve just moved somewhere new — especially a new estate — the fastest human answer is usually next door. New developments sometimes aren’t indexed in every database straight away, so a local can save you a headache.
Australia Post runs the official postcode finder. It’s thorough, though a little clunky. Our postcode lookup tool is quicker for everyday searches and covers the same data.
One gotcha: suburb names repeat a lot across Australia. There are Victorias, Richmonds, and Springfields in multiple states. Always check the state on your result — the name alone isn’t enough.
Here’s the full breakdown. Bookmark this table — it’s the single most useful postcode reference for Australia:
| State / Territory | Postcode range |
|---|---|
| New South Wales (NSW) | 2000–2599, 2619–2899, 2921–2999 |
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | 2600–2618, 2900–2920 |
| Victoria (VIC) | 3000–3999 |
| Queensland (QLD) | 4000–4999 |
| South Australia (SA) | 5000–5799 |
| Western Australia (WA) | 6000–6797 |
| Tasmania (TAS) | 7000–7799 |
| Northern Territory (NT) | 0800–0899 |
A few notes on the quirks:
There are roughly 2,500+ postcodes across Australia, and the list shifts slowly as new suburbs and estates appear.
Some postcodes are famous enough that Australians recognise them on sight:
Notice the pattern? Every capital city centre sits at the very bottom of its state’s range. It’s a neat little system once you see it.
Two postcode oddities worth knowing: Norfolk Island — a tiny island 1,400 km off the NSW coast — uses postcode 2899, and Australia Post even maintains a special postcode for Santa Claus: letters addressed to Santa, North Pole VIC 9999 get a reply. Postcodes aren’t just logistics; they’re a little bit of culture.
Looking for more places to explore? Check out our Australia tools hub for calculators and utilities built for Aussies.
Sydney’s postcodes are some of the most-searched in the country. Here are the ones people look up most — all verified:
| Postcode | Suburbs |
|---|---|
| 2000 | Sydney CBD, The Rocks, Dawes Point, Haymarket, Millers Point, Barangaroo |
| 2007 | Ultimo |
| 2008 | Chippendale, Darlington |
| 2009 | Pyrmont |
| 2010 | Darlinghurst, Surry Hills |
| 2011 | Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay, Woolloomooloo |
| 2016 | Redfern |
| 2017 | Waterloo, Zetland |
| 2020 | Mascot (plus Sydney’s airports) |
| 2026 | Bondi, Bondi Beach, North Bondi, Tamarama |
| 2037 | Glebe, Forest Lodge |
| 2042 | Newtown, Enmore |
| 2060 | North Sydney, McMahons Point |
Notice how the numbers creep outward from the CBD: 2000 at the centre, 2010s just south and east, 2020s further out. Sydney’s numbering tells a rough story of distance from the harbour — handy when you’re guessing whether an address is inner-city or further afield.
Melbourne’s turn — the inner-city postcodes people search for most:
| Postcode | Suburbs |
|---|---|
| 3000 | Melbourne CBD |
| 3002 | East Melbourne |
| 3003 | West Melbourne |
| 3004 | St Kilda Road area |
| 3006 | Southbank, South Wharf |
| 3008 | Docklands |
| 3051 | North Melbourne |
| 3052 | Parkville |
| 3053 | Carlton |
| 3054 | Carlton North |
| 3141 | South Yarra |
| 3182 | St Kilda |
| 3205 | South Melbourne |
| 3206 | Albert Park, Middle Park |
| 3207 | Port Melbourne |
Melbourne’s grid is tidier than Sydney’s: the 3000s hug the city centre, the 3050s run north, and the 3180s–3200s sweep down toward the bay. If a Melbourne postcode starts with 30, you’re close to the action; 31 and beyond, you’re heading out.
Typed a suburb into our postcode lookup tool and got a different number than you expected? Check the state first — then check whether you’re looking at a street-address postcode or a PO Box one. Both are valid; they just serve different mailboxes.
Since you’re here for postcodes, let’s make sure the rest of the address is right too. Australia Post’s standard format:
Recipient Name
Street address (or PO Box)
SUBURB STATE POSTCODE
Australia (only for international mail)
A real example:
Jane Smith
15B Elm Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia
The rules that trip people up:
Sydney NSW 2000.PO Box 87, North Sydney NSW 2059 (note the different postcode — PO Boxes often have their own). In city centres you may also see GPO Boxes — General Post Office boxes — which carry their own dedicated postcodes as well.Get the postcode right and the format right, and automated sorting machines handle the rest. Get either wrong and your parcel takes the scenic route.
It’s not just about mail anymore. Your postcode gets used — and checked — in more places than you’d think:
Getting it right the first time saves real annoyance. When in doubt, look it up — it takes seconds with a postcode lookup tool.
This confuses people constantly, so let’s settle it:
They overlap, but they’re not the same thing. A single postcode often swallows several small suburbs or towns (common in regional areas), while a big suburb can be split across two or three postcodes (common in the cities). Neither is “wrong” — they’re just different systems doing different jobs.
That’s also why you can’t reliably guess a postcode from a suburb name, or a suburb from a postcode, without checking. Locality names repeat across states, postcodes span multiple towns, and border areas play by their own rules. Look it up every time it matters.
Guessing from the suburb name. “Richmond” exists in VIC, NSW, QLD, SA, and TAS — each with a different postcode. Always verify.
Using an old postcode after moving. New estates get new postcodes, and old ones occasionally get reallocated. Update your records when you move.
Dropping the leading zero. NT postcodes like 0800 need that zero. Some forms strip it if you enter the number instead of text — type it carefully.
Assuming one suburb = one postcode. Check, especially in regional areas where one code can cover a dozen localities.
Trusting autocomplete blindly. Address autocomplete is convenient but occasionally picks the wrong “Springfield.” Glance at the state before you hit submit.
The quickest way is a postcode lookup tool — type your suburb and get the postcode instantly. You can also check any mail you’ve received, ask a neighbour, or use the Australia Post website.
Melbourne CBD is 3000, Sydney CBD is 2000, and Brisbane CBD is 4000. But suburbs within each city have their own codes — Melbourne alone has hundreds — so look up your specific suburb rather than using the CBD code.
There are over 2,500 postcodes covering the country, from 0200 to 9944. The number grows slowly as new suburbs, estates, and developments are added.
Because a postcode marks a mail delivery area, not a single suburb. In regional areas especially, one postcode routinely covers several neighbouring localities that share a post office or delivery route.
Yes, occasionally. Near state borders, Australia Post sometimes assigns a postcode from the neighbouring state if it’s easier to route mail through the closest post office. The first digit is a guide, not a guarantee.
Postcode 2000 covers Sydney’s CBD plus The Rocks, Dawes Point, Haymarket, Millers Point, and Barangaroo. It’s the most famous postcode in the country — home to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge precinct.
Four — always four, from 0200 to 9944. Keep leading zeros (Darwin’s 0800 needs its zero), don’t add spaces or hyphens, and put the postcode last on the address line after the state abbreviation.
No. Write all four digits together with no spaces, hyphens, or punctuation: 2060, not 2 060 or 2-060. The postcode sits on the same line as the suburb and state: North Sydney NSW 2060.
9999 — officially allocated as Santa’s postcode in Victoria (North Pole VIC 9999). Australia Post replies to letters sent there every Christmas. It’s the happiest entry in the postcode database.
Whether you’re filling in a form, addressing a parcel, or just curious what postcode 3999 belongs to (regional Victoria, since you asked), the answer is always a quick search away.
Try the free postcode lookup tool — suburb to postcode, or postcode to suburbs, no signup needed. And if you’re after more Australian utilities, browse the Australia hub.
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