Australia’s ‘divorce capital’ revealed — and it’s not where you think

A new study reveals where you live could impact your relationship.

It’s official — the couples of north Queensland’s Douglas Shire are the unhappiest in the country.

The region has been crowned Australia’s least happy place for couples, topping a nationwide analysis measuring divorce and separation rates along with the number of Google searches related to breakups and divorce.

Douglas, home to the tourist hub of Port Douglas, scored zero on the relationship happiness scale in the study by wellness brand, Simply Nootropics — with a divorce rate nearing 12 per cent, a 3.9 per cent separation rate, and one of the highest volumes of divorce-related searches per capita in the country.

Douglas Shire, which includes Four Mile Beach in Palm Cove, is home to the unhappiest couples in the country according to new analysis.

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Family lawyer Vanessa Hernandez said Douglas’s demographics and isolation may be working against it.

“Demographically, Douglas has a strong agricultural base, and some tourism due to being near the Great Barrier Reef,” she said. “Being more isolated in a rural town would play a big role on the health of the local relationships.

“High population growth in Queensland and housing insecurity could also be putting additional pressure on couples — particularly young and less established couples — to put down roots and draw on community support at a time when they may also be facing more financial stress.”

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While Queensland took out the top spot, Western Australia dominated the rest of the list, claiming five of the top 10 unhappiest regions.

Among them were Collie and Claremont, which both landed in the top three, along with East Fremantle, Mosman Park and Bassendean — all posting high rates of divorce-related searches and low relationship satisfaction scores.

Ms Hernandez, head of family law for Australian Family Lawyers, said the pattern reflected the economic and social pressures unique to each state, including money worries, fly in-fly out (FIFO) work structures, and social pressures.

Claremont in WA has been identified as one of the suburbs with the unhappiest couples.

“As for why WA and QLD are leading the nation in the numbers of least happy marriages and fastest relationship breakdowns, respectively, we need to consider each state’s unique economic and social pressures,” she said.

“For example, WA has a large resource-based workforce with the number of workers in FIFO arrangements, which could put significant strain on relationships and families. They’re dealing with long periods of separation and the stress of working in a demanding industry which would understandably make it difficult to maintain a healthy relationship.”

On a brighter note, seven out of 10 of Australia’s happiest marriages are based in New South Wales.

The Hills Shire takes first place with a happiness rating of 100, and 66 per cent of its population married, and just over 5 per cent divorced. Ku-ring-gai comes in second and Lane Cove rounds out the top three.

Other high-ranking areas include Bayside in Victoria, Joondalup in Western Australia, Hornsby in New South Wales, and the Northern Beaches.

“One possible explanation can be attributed to the fact that Australians are getting married later on in life when they are more mature and established financially and socially,” Ms Hernandez said.

The Hills District in NSW is home to the happiest couples in Australia, a new study shows.

“Couples that do marry tend to work well together and have better communication which reduces common stressors that can strain relationships, like finances and differences in lifestyles and values.

“Drilling down into the data, Lane Cove does seem to have a good sense of community. But probably more importantly, it’s wealthy. The median household weekly income was $2,539. “This difference is also reflected in the high real estate prices, with the median mortgage payment in Lane Cove being $2,905 per month, compared to the national median of $1,863.”

This property at 24 Bridge Street, Lane Cove, sold earlier this year for $6.575m — a new suburb record for Lane Cove.

Neuroscientist and longevity researcher Dr Brian Ramos, from Simply Nootropics, said the findings were about more than just relationship drama — they could have real implications for long-term brain health.

“Studies like this one offer a glimpse into how companionship is faring across Australia,” Dr Ramos said.

“The quality of our closest relationships, particularly marriage, has a powerful impact on brain health and resilience as we age.

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