A new index tracks population growth in Australia’s regions.

The Regional Movers Index from the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) shows that the number of people shifting from state capitals to the regions is at its highest since 2018.

“This new index enables the early identification of growth trends and flags emerging hotspots which may need fresh thinking on housing and infrastructure,” says RAI CEO Liz Ritchie. 

“The index tracks metro-movers down to a local government area and will report just one month after each quarter, compared with official data which is less detailed and has a reporting gap of four months.”

The new Regional Movers Index rose 7% in the March quarter from a year earlier.

The Gold Coast was the most popular destination among metro-movers in the March quarter, attracting 11% of all people who moved to a regional area from a capital. 

The Sunshine Coast, Greater Geelong, Wollongong and Newcastle were next in line. 

But it was the Queensland municipalities of Noosa (up 49%) and Southern Downs (44%) which saw the largest quarterly growth in migration from capital cities compared with a year earlier.

Port Macquarie-Hastings in New South Wales, Launceston in Tasmania and Queensland’s Fraser Coast rounded out the top five. 

 Sydney and Melbourne combined accounted for nearly all (95.9%) of the race out of the cities in the March quarter. 

“But it’s not just people in our major cities who are realising the opportunities and value provided by regional life,” says Liz Ritchie.

“People already living in our regions are increasingly choosing to stay, rather than head for the bright city lights. 

“The rise of remote working, sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, is allowing more people to live outside our capitals, and it’s no surprise that net regional migration rose 66%  in the March quarter from a year earlier.”