Abstract: Decentralised urban growth has been pursued as a policy aim for sometime as a means to reduce travel demand and improve sustainability. A great deal of emphasis has been on developing work places in outer and middle suburbs in Australian cities aimed at reducing the mono-centric nature of cities. Given the concerns over sustainability, adaptation to climate change, urban development and transport systems are crucial issues in modern Australian metropolitan planning. Most current planning strategies argue for mixed land uses promoting housing and employment in cities at higher densities. Empirical evidence of employment distributions in Australian cities suggests that the inner city, in particular the central business district, continued to grow in size and diversity of employment. Middle and outer regions of cities mainly consist of residential developments with negligible employment thus accentuating the need for commuting to the inner city. This trend has to be halted if not reversed if our cities are to become more sustainable with decreasing reliance on private transport. This paper will present the empirical evidence of employment distribution in the Adelaide metropolitan region based on analysis of the ‘Working Population Profile’ published for the first time by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as part of Census 2006. This paper will present the existing pattern of employment distribution and outline possible opportunities for achieving decentralised urban development and sustainability.