Consulates were operating in Australian cities long before the Commonwealth of Australia was founded in 1901. The United States opened a consulate in Sydney in 1836, with other countries later following including Switzerland (1855), Germany (1879) and Japan (1896, in Townsville).
The diplomatic corps was first established in Canberra in 1936 when the United Kingdom appointed its first High Commissioner to Australia.*High Commissioner in Australia * The Argus (Melbourne), Friday 16 August 1935, page 9. Retrieved February 22, 2022. Canada appointed a representative in 1939*Appointments of Dominion High Commissioners * Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 8 No 1 (January 1940), page 22. Retrieved February 22, 2022. and the United States of America established a legation in 1940.*History of the US and Australia * United States Department of State. Retrieved February 22, 2022. This was followed in early 1941 by Japan*Appointment of Japanese Minister to Australia * Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 10 No. 1 (January 1941), pages 19-20. Retrieved February 23, 2022.*Japense Minister in Australia * Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 10 No. 6 (April 1941), pages 132-133. Retrieved February 23, 2022. only for the legation to be closed in December 1941 with the entry of Japan into World War II. The period 1941-1945 saw additional legations opened by wartime allies China,*Exchange of Diplomatic Representatives Between Australia and China * Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 11 No 2, page 52. Retrieved February 23, 2022.*Chinese Minister in Australia * Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol 11 No 6 Page 151. Retrieved February 23, 2022. the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,*Soviet Minister to Australia * Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 14 No. 3 (March 1943) pages 61-62. Retrieved February 23, 2022. France*French Minister Appointed to Australia * Advocate (Burnie) October 25, 1944, Page 5. Retrieved February 23, 2022. and the Netherlands*To Open Dutch Legation in Canberra * Advocate (Burnie), February 16, 1942 page 2. Retrieved February 23, 2022. and the appointment of High Commissioners by New Zealand*New Zealand High Commissioner * Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 14, No.3 (March 1943) page 62. Retrieved February 23, 2022. and India.*Indian High Commissioner * Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 15 No. 5 (June 1944), pages 141-142. Retrieved February 23, 2022. In 1946, Australia and the United States upgraded their diplomatic relations to ambassadorial level and exchanged ambassadors in September of that year. This was followed for the other legations of permanent members of the UN Security Council, France, China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1948 *Raising of Legations to Status of Embassies * Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 19, No 3 (March 1948) page 144. Retrieved February 22, 2022. and by the late 1960s all existing legations in Canberra had been upgraded to embassies.
Initially residences and chanceries were in the Canberra suburbs of Red Hill and Forrest. The majority of missions are today in the lakeside suburb of Yarralumla or the suburb of O'Malley in the Woden Valley. Many countries have built their chanceries in distinctive architectural styles reflecting national traditions or aspirations.
Some countries have chosen not to establish an embassy in Canberra but instead operate a consulate in a major city, such as Melbourne and Sydney.
As of August 2026, Canberra hosts 114 embassies/high commissions.. This includes the embassy of Afghanistan, whose operations have been suspended since June 30, 2026* Joint statement by the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Canberra and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, January 30, 2026| Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
Diplomatic missions in Canberra Embassies/High Commissions Sending CountryMissionNotesImage Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy Apostolic Nunciature Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission High Commission High Commission Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy High Commission High Commission Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy High Commission High Commission Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy High Commission High Commission Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy Embassy High Commission Embassy High Commission Embassy
Other delegations or representative offices (Delegation) National Unity Government of Myanmar (Representative Office)Dr. Tun Aung Shwe – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the National Unity Government of Myanmar'This is really important': Myanmar's government-in-exile opens office in Canberra | SBS News (Embassy- To Open) (Representative Office) (Economic & Cultural Office) (Information Centre)
Consular missions
Adelaide, South Australia Sending CountryMissionNotesImage Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate
Darwin, Northern Territory Sending CountryMissionNotesImage Consulate Consulate-GeneralAlso serves WA
Brisbane, Queensland Sending CountryMissionNotesImage Consulate-General Consulate-General ConsulateConsulate of Italy in Brisbane Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate Economic & Cultural OfficeTaipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brisbane Consulate-GeneralConsulate-General of the United Kingdom in Brisbane
Cairns, Queensland Sending CountryMissionNotesImage Consular Office The Consular Office of Japan in Cairns | Consulate-General of Japan in Brisbane Consulate
Melbourne, Victoria Sending CountryMissionNotesImage Consulate-General Also serves SA, TAS, and WA Consulate-General Also serves TAS Consulate-General Also serves TAS Consulate-General Also serves SA, TAS, and WA Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General of France in Melbourne Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralAlso serves SA and TAS Consulate-General Also serves TAS Consulate-GeneralAlso serves TAS Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Also serves TAS Consulate-General Also serves SA and TAS Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Also serves NT, SA, and TAS Consulate-General Also serves SA and TAS Consulate-GeneralAlso serves TAS Consulate-General Consulate Also serves SA, TAS, and WA Consulate-General Consulate-General Also serves SA, TAS, and WA Consulate-General Economic & Cultural OfficeTaipei Economic and Cultural Office in Melbourne Consulate-General Also serves SA, TAS, and WA Consulate-GeneralAlso serves SA & TAS Consulate-General Also serves NT, SA, and TAS
Perth, Western Australia Sending CountryMissionNotesImage Consulate-General Consulate Consulate Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralAlso serves NT (commercial matters only) Consulate-General Consulate-General
Sydney, New South Wales Sending Country MissionNotesImage Consulate-General Also serves Consulate-General Consulate-General Also serves QLDConsulate-GeneralConsulate-General Also serves NT, QLD Consulate-General of Canada in Sydney Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Colombia in Sydney Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralConsulate-General of East Timor in Sydney Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General of Fiji in Sydney Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Hungary in Sydney Consulate-General Also serves SA Consulate-GeneralAlso serves QLD and SA Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Italy in Sydney Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Malaysia in Sydney Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralConsulate-General of the Netherlands in Sydney Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralConsulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Peru in Sydney Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Poland in SydneyConsulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Portugal in SydneyConsulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Romania in SydneyConsulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Russia in Sydney Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Saudi Arabia in SydneyConsulate-GeneralConsulate-General of Serbia in SydneyConsulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General Economic & Cultural Office Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-GeneralConsulate-General of the United Kingdom in Sydney Consulate-General Also serves NFI, QLD Consulate-General Consulate-General Consulate-General
Non-resident embassies and high commissions
Resident in Beijing, China
Resident in Jakarta, Indonesia
Resident in New Delhi, India
Resident in Singapore
Resident in Tokyo, Japan
Resident elsewhere
(London) (Ottawa) (Kuala Lumpur) (London) (Ottawa) (Hanoi) (Kuala Lumpur) (Port Louis) (Monte Carlo) (Suva) (Podgorica) (Seoul) (San Marino)
Closed missions Host city Sending country Mission Year closed Canberra Embassy 2018 Embassy 2020 *Embassy of Ivory Coast in Australia* Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cote d'Ivoire. Retrieved January 17, 2024. Embassy 2013 Embassy 2008 Embassy 2024 Gobierno de Santiago Peña oficializó el cierre de cuatro embajadas (in Spanish) Embassy 1975 Embassy 2012 Embassy 2022 Embassy 2025 *|Australias-US-alignment-queried-after-Venezuela-attack, Canberra Times date =4 January 2026 |access-date=6 August 2026 Adelaide Consulate-General 1990 Consulate 2006 Brisbane Consulate-General 2010 Consulate 1980s Melbourne Consulate-General 2023 Consulate-General Unknown Perth Consulate-General 1990 Sydney Consulate-General 2020 Consulate-General 2012 Consulate-General 2024 Consulate-General 2001 Consulate-General 1995 Townsville Consulate 1908
See also Foreign relations of Australia Visa requirements for Australian citizens
Notes
References
External links
Diplomatic List