Where Australians are moving to — and why they’re not coming back
As job opportunities grow in regional areas, more Australians are leaving our cities behind in favour of lifestyle benefits
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Australians are leaving the city for the country, and they’re not coming back, new data reveals.
Once considered a COVID lockdown-induced exodus that would inevitably bounce back, research from the Regional Movers Index (RMI) showed 27 percent more people moved from Australian cities to the regions than in the other direction.
The RMI is a partnership between the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the Regional Australia Institute, an independent think tank founded in 2011 and focused on building strong regional economies.
Regional Australia Institute CEO, Liz Ritchie said the data showed the shift in domestic migration patterns to regional areas was not a passing fad.
“This analysis is clearly showing the population movement we’re seeing is a sustained new trend, that is higher than pre-Covid migration patterns,” Ms Ritchie said. “The regional Australia we have now, is quite different to the regional Australia of five years ago,” Ms Ritchie said.
She said regional areas have a key role to play as Australia seeks to move towards a more sustainable future.
“The emergence of this new era signifies how important the regions are to the future of our nation. The regions will be at the heart of Australia’s net zero transition, and it is vital the infrastructure and services our growing regions require are met to ensure long-term prosperity and sustainability of our country.”
Among migration hotspots, the NSW coast rated highly, with Lake Macquarie on the mid north coast attracting an almost 5 percent share of net internal migration. The NSW far south coast also saw a population boost, specifically the Local Government Areas of Bega Valley and Eurobodalla.
CBA’s Executive General Manager Regional and Agribusiness Paul Fowler said the migration reflected a greater focus on the lifestyle benefits of living outside the big cities.
“The coastal appeal of regional hubs like Lake Macquarie, Bega Valley and Eurobodalla offer an attractive lifestyle with convenient access to quality healthcare and education services, as well as employment opportunities, further bolstered by major industry investments like the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project in Southern NSW,” Mr Fowler said.
About 75 percent of those who had left the cities in the past three months moved to regional NSW and Victoria, indicating that Sydney and Melbourne were the capitals shedding the most residents.
Ms Ritchie said the onus was now on governments to provide the appropriate infrastructure to regional centres to ensure they were able to support the influx.
“With so many people settling in our southern states, it’s critical governments, industry, business and community work together on ensuring regional cities and towns are supported during this phase of expansion,” she said. “The regions provide so much: affordability, a sense of community, fulfilling career options and green space. Let’s ensure this new era of regionality is met with vision and leadership to drive a more decentralised Australia.”
The sports-car maker delivered 279,449 cars last year, down from 310,718 in 2024.
Chinese carmaker GAC will expand its Australian electric vehicle line-up with the city-focused AION UT hatchback.
Chinese carmaker GAC will expand its Australian electric vehicle line-up with the city-focused AION UT hatchback.
< 1 minGAC Australia has confirmed the AION UT, an all-electric compact hatchback, as the fourth model to join its local range, with the vehicle set to go on sale mid-year.
The AION UT will be the second fully electric model released in Australia under GAC’s AION sub-brand, following the launch of the AION V medium SUV.
The company says the new hatch has been developed specifically with urban driving in mind, combining compact exterior dimensions with competitive interior space.
Designed at GAC’s Milan Design Centre, the AION UT features a fastback silhouette, two-tone floating roof and pixel-style lighting elements intended to give the car a distinctive, tech-forward appearance.
GAC also points to what it describes as the world’s first “eyebrow-style” headlamp design as a visual signature for the model.
Despite its compact positioning, the AION UT rides on a 2,750mm wheelbase, which GAC says allows for interior space that rivals larger vehicles in the same segment.
Full technical specifications, equipment levels and pricing for the Australian market have not yet been announced.
The confirmation of the AION UT comes as competition in Australia’s electric vehicle market continues to intensify, particularly at the more affordable end of the spectrum.
While early EV adoption was dominated by premium models and SUVs, manufacturers are increasingly turning their attention to smaller, city-oriented cars aimed at price-conscious buyers and urban commuters.
GAC entered the Australian market late last year with a mix of petrol, plug-in hybrid and electric models, including the AION V, M8 PHEV and EMZOOM.
The company has indicated it plans to introduce more than 10 models locally over the next five years as part of its long-term Australian strategy.
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Chinese carmaker GAC will expand its Australian electric vehicle line-up with the city-focused AION UT hatchback.
