Research seminar: Creating healthy liveable cities: The journey of a research program 

In the last decade, there has been growing interest locally, nationally and globally in the creation of liveable and sustainable cities. Defined through a public health lens, liveable cities are ‘safe, socially cohesive and inclusive and environmentally sustainable, with affordable housing linked by convenient public transport and walking and cycling infrastructure to employment, education, health and community services and leisure and cultural opportunities’. Liveable cities, therefore, have the potential for co-benefits by enhancing population health, the economy, social inclusion, environmental and social sustainability, and reducing inequities.

This project extended the Healthy Liveable Cities Lab team’s previous liveability work by creating a national database of evidence-based liveability indicators visualised and disseminated through the Australian Urban Observatory and a ‘virtual laboratory’ that could be used to identify, test and assess the health benefits of urban and transport planning and design interventions. 

This project is the third in the National Liveability Study series funded by The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre.