perhaps still best known in Britain as the setting for the soap opera Neighbours . According to the EIU Melbourne came close to recording a "perfect score" with a liveability rating of 97.5 per cent, losing points only for climate, culture and petty crime. Like most of the cities at the top of the league, it is much less crowded than the long-established metropolis of London. "Australian cities continue to thrive in terms of liveability: Not only do they benefit from the natural advantages of low population density, but they have continued to improve with some high profile infrastructure investments," said Mr Copestake. The study said that mid-sized cities in wealthy countries can support "a range of recreational activities", again suggesting that Australia under-performed at the Olympics. Londoners need not lose heart however, as the report noted that "global business centres tend to be victims of their own success".