The COVID-induced stampede of city dwellers moving to the regions has not slowed, with Australia’s eastern states the major beneficiaries.
The latest Regional Movers Index (RMI) report shows city-to-regional relocations were now sitting at 19.8 percent above the pre-Covid average and 1.8 percent above the average recorded during the height of lockdowns.
Regional Australia Institute (RAI) CEO Liz Ritchie said, in contrast, the inter-regional migration index, which tracked regional-to-regional relocations, had fallen by 5.1 percent.
Ms Ritchie said this suggested more regional residents were content to stay where they were.
“With the continuing strong jobs market across regional Australia, increasing city property prices and ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it’s no surprise the regions remain desirable,” she said.
“The net migration index, measuring the population flow into regional Australia, is now sitting at its highest level since March 2022, and is 80 percent above the pre-Covid average.”
Ms Ritchie said it was vital this demographic shift was recognised and regional communities were provided with the infrastructure, services and support they needed.
“As a nation, we must acknowledge that we are in a new era of migration where regional Australia is at the forefront.”
The report showed mainland Australia’s east coast remained popular with city movers relocating to a regional area, accounting for 90 percent of all net regional inflows, with regional NSW securing a 36 percent share, regional Victoria 30 percent and regional Queensland 24 percent.
Sydney and Melbourne continued to lead when it came to migration out of cities and into regions, with the NSW state capital accounting for 57 percent of capital city net outflows in the 12 months to the September quarter (down from 80 percent the year prior), with those from the Victorian capital accounting for 38 percent of capital city net outflows (up from 27 percent the year prior).
While city movers continued to show a clear preference for large regional cities, growth hotspots were emerging further afield including in Bunbury (WA), Scenic Rim (Qld) and Murray Bridge (SA).
Download: Regional Movers Index September Quarter 2024
