Give me a home among the gumtrees…or the beach. It seems this is the anthem most Aussies follow as latest figures show people are migrating most to coastal or regional areas.
The ABS publishes data every year on internal migration across regions of Australia that counts the number of residents moving within a state as well as across state borders.
The Gold Coast topped the list with the most net internal arrivals at 6,428 people over the year, showing that sun, sand and surf really are the holy grail for Aussies. This is the highest internal migration for Gold Coast on record and almost 40% higher over the past year. It was also the first time in 10 years that the Gold Coast had seen the nation’s highest rate of net internal migration.
The Sunshine Coast came in a close second with eighth-placed Richmond and Tweed Heads region on the NSW north coast the first time a NSW region appears on the list. Sydney’s outer south-west region follows close behind with the picturesque Southern Highlands and Hunter Valley also making the list.
With regional areas and outskirts of capital cities boasting less traffic, cheaper real estate and a more peaceful way of life, who wouldn’t want a tree change?
However, NSW features highly on the list of places from where there is the most internal migration. Figures show that people want to get out of Sydney’s inner south-west, which topped the list, and Parramatta. Folks are keen to leave the Western Australian outback, which saw more than 4000 people leave in the past year. Busy metropolitan areas like Sydney’s inner west, eastern suburbs, Blacktown, Sutherland and Ryde also featured on the list.
Top 10 regions for net internal migration 2015/2016
- Gold Coast – Qld
- Sunshine Coast – Qld
- Melbourne – West – Vic
- Geelong – Vic
- Moreton Bay – South – Qld
- Ipswich – Qld
- Melbourne – North East – Vic
- Richmond – Tweed – NSW
- Sydney – Outer South West – NSW
- LaTrobe – Gippsland – Vic
