The Breakdown puts a selection of Australia’s daily news into context. Today’s picks:

• The new suburbs are where families are chasing the Australian property dream.

• Why Australia is imposing the first nationwide gun amnesty since 1996.

• Could one of Melbourne’s oldest suburbs be ruined by a “cascading” apartment complex?

Home Is in the New Suburbs, Census Shows

According to the all-knowing being that is the 2016 census, Australia is getting older, more populous and more diverse. At the same time, the cost of living and the median rent have continued to surge. So where are people, particularly newcomers, going to build their lives? Sydney and Melbourne remain the two biggest hot spots — but some areas experiencing the largest surges in growth are the newly formed suburbs outside the capital cities.

“As the population increases, cities move further and further out to form a metropolitan area,” says Liz Allen, a demographer at Australian National University. “It’s about affording the lifestyle they want.”

More green space, a free-standing house and a big backyard that will not break the bank are among the reasons families decide to head to those areas. Here are three such regions.