Where Australians are really moving to escape the big city – even as bosses demand a return to the office

Australians flock to the Queensland coast to escape the big city, even as bosses demand staff return to the office.

Those who can work from home or relocate overwhelmingly prefer a warmer beachside climate with the Sunshine Coast the No. 1 choice for those moving from capital cities, followed by the Gold Coast, the Australian Regional Institute has revealed.

The coastal areas within an hour’s drive of Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney are particularly attractive to those looking to escape congestion and noise.

While fewer people are moving out of a capital city compared to a year ago, more Australians are still opting for a makeover or tree swapping lifestyle than before the pandemic.

The number of Australians leaving the big city for the countryside is greater than the number leaving a regional area for a crowded urban centre.

Of those who moved from a major metropolis, 41 per cent went to regional Queensland in the year to June 2023, up from 33 per cent in the 2021-22 fiscal year.

By local government area, the Queensland coast had two of the top five spots, when it came to new residents moving out of the big smoke.

This took into account those who moved from a regional area to a capital city.

The Sunshine Coast, which stretches from Caloundra to Maroochydore and Noosa, had by far the largest turnout, at 13 per cent.

The Gold Coast, which covers Coolangatta and Surfers Paradise, was next with a 9.8 percent share, just an hour’s drive from Brisbane.

Greater Geelong came in third, with a 5.6 per cent share, and this area encompasses the Bellarine Peninsula, just an hour’s drive from Melbourne.

The Moorabool municipal area, which encompasses Ballan between Ballarat and Melbourne, came in fourth with a 5.3 per cent share.

Lake Macquarie, which covers parts of the central coast and Newcastle north of Sydney, came in fifth with a 4.9 per cent share.

The NSW regional region was the relocation destination for 33 per cent of those who left a capital city, compared to 20 per cent for Victoria.

The Commonwealth Bank, whose chief executive Matt Comyn has been trying to get staff back into the office two to three days a week, said the regional relocation was based on where the jobs were.

Paul Fowler, general manager of regional banking and agribusiness at Commonwealth Bank, said more affordable jobs, lifestyles and housing were attracting more people.

‘Mobility across the country continues to be supported by employment opportunities in the regions,’ he said.

‘The growth of local economies and opportunities in sectors such as wholesale trade, manufacturing, health and education will continue to attract people to regional areas

“We expect the regional areas to continue to attract city workers as business enterprises in the core sectors and agribusinesses increase their drive for workers.”

The Gold Coast, which covers Coolangatta and Surfers Paradise, was next with a 9.8 percent share, just an hour’s drive from Brisbane.

Greater Geelong came in third, with a 5.6 per cent share, and this area encompasses the Bellarine Peninsula, just an hour’s drive from Melbourne.

When it comes to overall internal migration within Australia, which encompasses those moving from both a capital city and regional areas, the Fraser Coast, which includes Hervey Bay, came fourth with a 6.5 share. percent.

The Sunshine Coast was first with a 16.6 percent share, followed by the Gold Coast with 9.4 percent and Geelong with 8.3 percent.

Data for the Australia Regional Index was based on data from Commonwealth Bank’s 16 million customers.

The proportion of people who moved from a capital city to a regional area fell to 11.1% in June 2023, from 12% in June 2022.

By comparison, 9.6 percent of people moved from a regional area to a capital city, up from 9.4 percent.

But the proportion of people moving from a big city to a regional area is still 16.3% above the levels of 2018 and 2019 before the covid pandemic.