Moving from the city to the country remains a strong trend, as Vanessa can tell you. But it’s not the pandemic driving treechangers any more.
Australia’s migration system is set to undergo a major overhaul following a review which claims it is failing to meet current needs. The review highlights labour shortages in critical areas, such as the care sector, while also showing that regional visa programs have not successfully encouraged migrants outside of the city. Today, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil will address the National Press Club and is expected to unveil Labor’s response to the migration challenges.
But this time, it’s cost of living pressures and a desire to seek affordable housing driving regional migration, in the wake of the pandemic-induced movement.
The Regional Movers Index report, published today, showed capital-to-regional migration in Australia has lifted almost 8 per cent.
Regional Queensland and regional Victoria attracted attention from city slickers seeking a sea change, accounting for 29 per cent and 43 per cent of net outflows from the cities in the 12 months to March 2023.
Regional Victoria attracted the largest share of movers from the metro regions, more than double compared to the same time last year.
The top 10 most popular destinations for migration in the 12 months to March 2023 were the Sunshine Coast, with almost 15 per cent increase in population, Greater Geelong, Gold Coast, Fraser Coast, Bundaberg, Moorabool, Lake Macquarie, Toowoomba, Maitland, and Ballarat.
Vanessa de Vink, a photographer and real estate agent based in Victoria’s Bass Coast, made the move to the country last year during the pandemic, after living overseas and in Melbourne for 12 years.
She said she was “heavily influenced” by the pandemic, and made the move from Thornbury in Melbourne seeking a slower pace of life with her partner, Lachlan Crook.
“I never pictured myself moving back down here, my family is from Traralgon, but I always saw myself as a city person,” Ms de Vink said.
Vanessa de Vink, Vanessa Joy Photos, based in Victoria’s Bass Coast region after moving from Melbourne during the pandemic. Picture: Vanessa de Vink
“The lockdowns showed us what our values were, and what we wanted from life. It’s the best decision we’ve ever made, and it’s been more amazing than we had anticipated.
“The positive effect it’s had on our health, even on our mental health, along with being closer to family, connecting to people in the area, and everyone is so friendly in regional Victoria.”
Regional Australia Institute chief executive Liz Ritchie said while an increasingly mobile population in the wake of the pandemic supercharged regional migration, people continued to turn to the regions as cost-of-living pressures continue to mount.
“Recent RAI research shows one-in-five metropolitan Australians are wanting to make the move to Regional Australia with cost of living cited as the key reason as people try and source more affordable housing and a way of living,” Ms Ritchie said.
“Cost of living pressures are also boosting greater movement within the regions themselves, as regional movers also search out places with more available and affordable housing.”
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