Region a popular place to live

GREATER Bendigo remains a popular place for Australians to relocate to, although it no longer holds first place.

The region’s standing is outlined in the latest Regional Movers Index, which is compiled quarterly by the Regional Australia Institute using Commonwealth Bank data to track where people are moving throughout Australia.

Bendigo topped the table in the 12 months to December last year for people moving from one region to another, with a 15.9 per cent growth rate in migration and a 2 per cent share of total net internal migration nationwide.

March quarter figures show a drop of 13.3 per cent in growth in the 12 months to March, or an overall share of 1.8 per cent. The region now sits behind Greater Geelong, Moorabool and Ballarat.

But according to institute chief executive officer Liz Ritchie, the latest figures show the overall number of city people choosing a life in the regions has hit a 12-month high and now sits at 20 per cent above the pre-COVID average.

Ms Ritchie said the figures showed that 24 per cent more people were moving from cities to the regions than were moving the other way.

“People are voting with their feet and making a very conscious decision to live in regional Australia,” she said.

“While the pandemic supercharged this movement, the regional lifestyle is continuing to prove highly desirable for thousands of people – especially those from cities.”

Commonwealth Bank regional and agribusiness executive general manager Paul Fowler said in all seven capital cities analysed, millenials (born between 1981 and 1995) were the demographic most on the move.

“This quarter’s report paints the picture of younger individuals or younger families looking for somewhere that’s more affordable,” Mr Fowler said.

“Many are opting for the large regional centres which are buzzing with business activity and investment, offering a great range of employment opportunities.”

Mr Fowler said Queensland’s Sunshine Coast topped the list for the fifth consecutive year with an 11.8 per cent share of net capital to regional migration, followed by the Gold Coast, Moorabool, Lake Macquarie and Greater Geelong.

The Inter-Regional Migration Index, which tracks region-to-region migration, also rose in the March quarter to its third-highest level in six years.