North Queensland is attracting a growing share of regional lifestyle shifters as growing numbers consider a life outside of the major cities.
The latest Regional Movers Index (RMI) released today shows that capital-to-regional migration equaled the 2021 COVID-driven record in the June quarter this year.
Overall capital city residents moving to regional Australia continued to outnumber those moving in the opposite direction by 30 percent.
Regional Australia Institute (RAI) CEO Liz Ritchie said, while seachange areas like Queensland’s Sunshine Coast continued to attract the largest share of movers, other regions were coming into play.
These included norther regions like the Tablelands, Douglas and Burdekin.
“It shows Australians are increasingly considering a broader range of regional communities when deciding where to live, with the benefits of regional living extending beyond popular coastal towns and inland communities,” Ms Ritchie said.
Sydney (52 percent) and Melbourne (36 percent) are the biggest sources of capital city outflows, while regional NSW (33 percent) and regional Victoria (26 percent) lead net regional inflows.
“The Sunshine Coast retained its position as Australia’s leading destination of choice by share, while Central Goldfields in Victoria was recognised as the fastest growing region in the country,” the index report said.
“While established destinations continued to attract the largest share of movers, this quarter also points to a broader spread of migration into more regional communities as the benefits of regional living draw people further afield.”
Ms Ritchie said movement typically eases during the June quarter as fewer Australians tend to relocate in the cooler months.
This made the result this year “particularly noteworthy”.
“The Regional Movers Index recorded its equal highest June quarter on record, matching the height of migration reached during the pandemic in 2021,” she said.
“This tells us the appeal of country living remains incredibly strong all year round, even outside the traditional peak moving periods.”
Ms Ritchie said the organisation’s recent Regional Population Planning report found that regional growth has outpaced government projections by 114,000 people over the past decade.
“With more Australians choosing regional communities, we need population planning that anticipates growth and ensures housing, infrastructure and essential services keep pace,” she said.
The full report is here
The RMI is a partnership between the Commonwealth Bank (CBA) and Regional Australia Institute (RAI), and tracks population movements between Australia’s capital cities to regions, and region-to-region migration.
