HOW AUSTRALIA’S POPULATION IS MOVING:

* Flows from capital cities to the regions increased by 7.9 per cent in the March quarter, the third highest level since the Regional Movers Index began in 2018

* Relocations from regional areas to capital cities are bouncing back after the height of the pandemic, accounting for a 10 per cent share of all internal migration

* There are signs the rush to the regions is slowing, with regional migration accounting for 12 per cent of all domestic population flows, compared with 11 per cent before the pandemic

WHY WE’RE MOVING:

* The Commonwealth Bank’s head of regional and agribusiness banking Paul Fowler says the demand for skilled workers is driving much of the movement

* The Regional Australia Institute says recent research shows one in five city residents want to move to the regions because of cost-of-living pressures

WHERE WE’RE MOVING:

* The areas with the largest share of internal migrants were the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Fraser Coast and Bundaberg in Queensland, and greater Geelong in Victoria

* The highest-growth areas were Townsville in north Queensland, Port Lincoln in South Australia, and Campaspe, Pyrenees and Moorabool in Victoria

* Sydneysiders made up 90 per cent of people moving from capital cities to the regions

* Both regional and city movers found Brisbane and Perth the most appealing capitals

Source: The March quarter Regional Movers Index, a collaboration between the Commonwealth Bank and the Regional Australia Institute

Stephanie Gardiner
(Australian Associated Press)