The Decline in Marriage Rates and the Rise of De Facto Relationships
In recent decades, Australia has experienced significant shifts in the way relationships are formed and maintained. Marriage, once considered the bedrock of family life, is no longer the only route for couples wishing to build a life together.
The decline in marriage rates and the rise of de facto relationships, where couples live together without being married, has become one of the defining shifts in modern Australian life. This isn’t just a reflection of changing social attitudes, it also reflects shifting financial arrangements between couples, and it carries genuine legal implications that many people don’t think about until a relationship ends.
Understanding these changing trends and their impact is essential, especially when dealing with legal matters such as property division, spousal maintenance, and child custody. If you’re currently in a de facto relationship, knowing your rights and responsibilities under Australian law is crucial. Seeking guidance from a family lawyer in Gold Coast can provide clarity and help protect your interests in the event of a separation or dispute.
Marriage Trends in Australia: A Historical Perspective
Marriage rates in Australia have fluctuated dramatically over the years. The post-World War II period is often referred to as the “Golden Era” of marriage. During this time, societal expectations and economic stability contributed to high marriage rates. In 1946-48, marriages surged to approximately 10 per 1,000 people, with couples seeking the comfort and security of family life following the uncertainty of the war.
The introduction of the contraceptive pill in the 1960s played a crucial role in shaping marriage trends, giving couples greater freedom to plan their families. From the early 1970s onward, the crude marriage rate began a long decline. By 2001, the marriage rate hit a historic low of 5.3 marriages per 1,000 people, and the story since then hasn’t been a straightforward recovery.
The most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures confirm the trend has continued rather than reversed. Australia recorded 118,804 marriages in 2025, roughly 2,000 fewer than the year before, with the marriage rate slipping from 5.5 to 5.3 per 1,000 adults. Most age-specific marriage rates for both males and females decreased in 2025, and the median age at marriage has climbed further still, to 32.7 years for men and 31.2 years for women. Fifty years ago, Australians married at more than twice today’s rate.
Australians are marrying less frequently, marrying later, and often only after years of living together first. Australians are marrying later than ever, prioritising education, career stability, and financial security before making it official, and unfortunately, financial security itself has become harder to reach, with housing affordability and childcare costs both weighing on the decision of when, or whether, to marry at all.
The Rise of De Facto Relationships
The rise of de facto relationships is a key factor behind the decline in marriage rates. A de facto relationship is defined as two people living together as a couple on a genuine domestic basis without being legally married. These relationships provide flexibility, allowing couples to live together without formalising their union through marriage, and with cohabitation continuing to rise across Australia, this pattern shows no sign of slowing down.
In 1975, only 16% of couples who got married had lived together beforehand. By 2011, that number had risen dramatically to 78%. Today, most couples who marry have already lived together for some time, and many choose to cohabit indefinitely without marrying at all.
Interestingly, marriage clearly still matters to Australians. According to the ABS, the most popular wedding day in 2025 was Saturday 25 October, when more than 2,000 couples chose to marry, and spring has remained Australia’s favourite wedding season for years. What’s changed isn’t the desire for commitment, it’s the pathway couples take to get there, and increasingly, marriage functions less as the starting point of a relationship and more as a confirmation that one has already proven itself.
For those in de facto relationships, understanding the legal rights and obligations is critical. If you’re unsure about your legal standing, consulting a family lawyer in Gold Coast can help you navigate issues like property division, child support, and spousal maintenance with confidence.
Divorce Numbers Deserve Some Context Too
While marriage rates have fallen, divorce hasn’t simply risen to match. Divorces increased by just over 4% during 2025, taking the divorce rate to 2.2 per 1,000 adults, a modest uptick worth noting.
Context matters here. Even with that increase, Australia’s long-term divorce rate remains well below where it stood two decades ago, at 3.3 divorces per 1,000 adults. The median time between marriage and separation has actually risen to 9.4 years, continuing a gradual upward trend.
Many couples are staying together longer because of financial pressure, separating has become genuinely expensive, often meaning a second mortgage or rental payment, dividing assets, and real legal costs, in one of the world’s least affordable housing markets.
Binding Financial Agreements have also become increasingly common, with more couples, particularly those entering a relationship later in life with existing assets, choosing to formalise how their finances would be handled well before any dispute arises, alongside a growing number seeking support from services like Relationships Australia before deciding to separate at all.
Grey Divorce: A Trend Moving in the Opposite Direction
While couples overall are staying together longer, one group is bucking that trend entirely, Australians over 50.
Divorce among the over-50s has nearly doubled over the past three decades, from around 13% of all divorces in 1990 to close to 27% today, a phenomenon often called “grey divorce.” The median age at divorce has climbed to 47.1 years for men and 44.1 years for women, and research increasingly points to women driving much of this shift, citing greater financial independence, reduced social stigma, and a genuine desire to spend the next decades of life differently.
Grey divorce carries its own financial risks, particularly for women. University of Melbourne research has found that separation reduces a man’s disposable household income by around 5%, but for women, it’s closer to 30%, a gap largely driven by reduced superannuation and lower workforce participation during the marriage. Dividing significant shared assets, including superannuation built up over decades, makes grey divorce genuinely more complex than a separation earlier in life, with far less time left to rebuild financially afterward.
Legal Implications for De Facto Relationships
While de facto relationships offer couples the freedom to live together without the formalities of marriage, they are not without legal consequences. Australian law recognises the rights of de facto couples, particularly in areas like property division and spousal maintenance. This recognition was formalised through the Family Law Amendment (De Facto Financial Matters and Other Measures) Act 2008.
Under this legislation, de facto couples have many of the same rights as married couples when it comes to resolving financial disputes. However, to be eligible for these rights, de facto couples must generally meet specific criteria, typically having lived together for at least two years or having a child together. If these conditions are met, de facto couples can seek legal recourse for property division and spousal maintenance in much the same way as married couples.
In legal disputes, proving the existence of a de facto relationship can sometimes be a challenge, particularly when dividing assets or determining child custody. Courts will consider several factors, including the length of the relationship, whether the couple shared finances, and whether they jointly owned property. Questions like whether a partner is entitled to half a shared house come up constantly in this context, and the answer depends heavily on these same factors rather than a simple rule of thumb.
While the law treats de facto relationships similarly to marriages, the legal processes can be more complex, especially when it comes to proving the nature and duration of the relationship. This is where a family lawyer becomes invaluable, guiding you through the legal complexities and ensuring your rights are protected.
Financial and Parenting Considerations That Follow These Trends
Shifting relationship patterns bring practical legal questions well beyond the headline statistics.
Full financial disclosure matters just as much in a de facto relationship as a marriage, our article on is OnlyFans illegal touches on why even less conventional income sources still need to be properly accounted for during a separation.
Property outcomes can vary considerably too, a 70/30 divorce settlement Australia outcome is entirely possible where one partner brought significantly more into the relationship, particularly in a second relationship formed later in life.
Where children are involved, shared care arrangements raise their own questions, from child custody schedules by age Australia recommends as workable, to disputes over enrolling a child in school without the other parent’s permission or changing a child’s school without the other parent’s consent.
Where a protective order is already in place and circumstances have genuinely changed, reasons to revoke intervention order conditions may also become relevant. If a name change is part of moving forward after separation, whether reverting to a maiden name or otherwise, it’s worth handling alongside these bigger legal questions rather than as an afterthought.
The Role of Family Law Solicitors
For de facto couples, and increasingly for married couples navigating grey divorce or a second relationship, seeking advice from an experienced family lawyer is essential. These legal professionals specialise in family law matters and can help you understand your rights and obligations, whatever stage of a relationship you’re at.
At Collective Family Law Group, our team, including Hayder Shkara, Caralee Fontenele, Julie Fotheringham, and the rest of our experienced solicitors, can assist with drafting legal documents such as binding financial agreements, which outline how assets will be divided if the relationship ends, and can represent you in court should disputes over property or child custody arise.
Conclusion
The decline in marriage rates and the rise of de facto relationships reflect changing social dynamics in Australia. While de facto relationships offer flexibility, they also bring legal challenges, particularly in matters related to property and children. Seeking expert advice from an experienced family lawyer can help couples, whether married, de facto, or navigating a later-life separation, understand their legal rights and ensure a fair resolution in the event of a separation or dispute.
Book a free initial appointment with any of our experienced family lawyers at Collective Family Law Group.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. For personalised guidance on family law matters, consult with a family lawyer at Collective Family Law Group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 7-7-7 rule for marriage?
The 7-7-7 rule is a general relationship-maintenance habit, not a legal or clinical concept, suggesting a date night every 7 days, a night or weekend away every 7 weeks, and a longer trip every 7 months. It’s aimed at keeping couples connected amid the pressures of daily life, though there’s no formal research establishing it as a proven predictor of marital success.`
What are the Gottman signs that a marriage is over?
Psychologist Dr John Gottman identified four communication patterns, criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling, known as the “Four Horsemen,” that predict relationship breakdown with over 90% accuracy when they become habitual. Contempt, communicating disgust or superiority toward a partner, is considered the single strongest predictor of divorce among the four. These are behavioural research findings rather than legal criteria, but they’re often raised in counselling before a couple decides to separate.
What is the average age gap between married couples in Australia?
Based on current ABS figures, the median age at first marriage is 32.7 years for men and 31.2 years for women, suggesting a typical gap of around one and a half years, though individual couples vary considerably, and the gap tends to widen somewhat in second or later marriages.
What are some common marriage traditions in Australia?
Australian weddings typically include a civil or religious ceremony, an exchange of rings and vows, a reception with speeches and a first dance, and spring remains the most popular season to marry. Many contemporary couples also incorporate blended cultural or family traditions, reflecting Australia’s multicultural population, alongside the more familiar customs inherited from British and European wedding traditions.
