The global scandal of 400 million child brides

The top location was Brisbane, and eighth on the list was Sydney's Blacktown.

When de facto marriages were also included, the top three locations for under-age marriages were all found to be in Queensland - Moreton Bay, Brisbane and Logan.

According to the Girls Not Brides – an international organisation dedicated to empowering girls through education to avoid child marriage – solutions to the under-age marriage problem vary according to the circumstances in each community.

Solutions can include bringing traditional leaders onside, enforcing laws that set a legal age for marriage, and mobilising and educating communities.

According to Girls Not Brides, "Improving girls' access to quality schooling will increase girls' chances of gaining a secondary education and helps to delay marriage. When a girl in the developing world receives seven or more years of education, she marries on average four years later.

"Empowering girls, by offering them opportunities to gain skills and education, providing support networks and creating 'safe spaces' where girls can gather and meet outside the home, can help girls to assert their right to choose when they marry."