The real driver of Australian population growth
With the number of local births on the decline, Australia is increasingly looking to other sources to meet ongoing labour demands
2 min
Australia’s population grew by 2.5 percent to 26.8 million people over the 12 months ending 30 September, according to new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This was an annual increase of 659,800 people, with migrants making up 83 percent of the increase at 548,800. Natural increase, which is births minus deaths, contributed to a net gain of 111,000 people.
Natural increase was 3.9 percent lower than the same period in 2022, reflecting a trend in Australian women having fewer babies. Migration was 60.3 percent higher than the same period in 2022, however the data from this period was impacted by the border closure until February 2022. Most migrants arriving in the 12 months to 30 September 2023 were international students and workers on temporary visas. The overwhelming majority of migrants are coming from India, China, and the Philippines. Of the 548,800 net migrants that relocated here over the 12 months, 34 percent settled in New South Wales, 29.5 percent settled in Victoria and 16 percent settled in Queensland.
Western Australia had the fastest population growth rate, up 3.3 percent, followed by Victoria at 2.9 percent, Queensland 2.7 percent, New South Wales 2.3 percent, Australian Capital Territory 2.1 percent and South Australia 1.7 percent. The lowest growth was in Tasmania at 0.3 percent.
Drivers of Western Australia’s highest population growth rate since 2009 include record employment and a booming economy. The state government upgraded its state final demand forecasts for FY24 from 3 percent to 4.5 percent in December.
While the biggest contributor to the state’s population growth is international migration, Professor Amanda Davies, Head of Social Sciences at the University of Western Australia, comments that strong interstate migration is resulting from “‘push’ factors operating in major east coast states, and in particular high costs of living and housing.” Strong buyer demand has pushed the Perth median house price up 18.6 percent, which is the strongest annual rate of growth anywhere in Australia.
The Perth median house price is $718,560, according to CoreLogic. Real Estate Institute of Western Australia CEO Cath Hart commented: “We can expect to see house prices and rents continue to rise, homes to sell and lease quickly, and the rental vacancy rate to remain low for some time yet.”
The ABS also tracks interstate migration, which is the movement of Australian residents between states and territories. Over the 12 months to 30 September, Queensland had the highest rate of net interstate migration at 32,625 people, followed by Western Australia with 11,233.
The state that lost the most residents was New South Wales, with a net 33,302 people moving elsewhere and the bulk of them departing Sydney. This net outflow is much higher than other parts of Australia. The second highest loss through interstate migration was in the Northern Territory with 3,606. Victoria lost just 1,119 people. NSW Productivity Commissioner Peter Achterstraat AM recently warned that Sydney is losing many residents aged in their 30s and 40s due to unaffordable property values. He says Sydney “could become known as the city with no grandchildren”.
From bushland greens to valley reds, the country’s most awarded designers are proving that the best colour palette was never on a swatch card; it was outside the window all along.
The Australian leather house has opened an immersive four-day pop-up in Manhattan, unveiling its Bloom Collection and redefining what a product launch can look like.
For as little as $48,000, buyers can hold a three-bedroom luxury Eveleigh residence in Broadbeach, with completion not due until late 2028.
2 min
Buyers eyeing Eveleigh Broadbeach no longer need to find a full deposit to lock in an apartment.
Using a deposit bond, purchasers can secure one of the development’s 94 premium residences for as little as $48,000, holding their apartment until completion in late 2028 without tying up hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
It’s a structure that’s already proving popular. Rather than a full cash deposit of 5 or 10 per cent, buyers pay a one-off fee for a deposit bond, a financial guarantee issued by an approved provider that provides sellers with the same security as cash.
If the purchase completes as agreed, the bond simply expires.
For buyers with sufficient assets but who would rather keep their money working for them, whether that’s an investment portfolio, proceeds from another sale, or savings earning interest, the deposit bond removes the pressure to find a lump sum upfront.
The apartment is secured, the cash stays liquid, and settlement isn’t due for more than two years.
Designed by Rothelowman and developed by Hirsch & Faigen, with construction by Maxcon, Eveleigh is a 30-level tower delivering just four residences per floor across two- and three-bedroom layouts.
Rather than traditional wraparound balconies, living spaces are brought directly to the glass, so the ocean horizon becomes part of the everyday experience rather than something viewed from behind a rail.
Residents will have access to a north-facing pool, hot and cold plunge pools, wellness facilities and indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces, along with a rooftop residents’ lounge offering panoramic coastal views.
The timing suits a market that isn’t slowing down. Broadbeach has recorded capital growth of 20 to 25 per cent year-on-year in some segments over the past 12 months, with vacancy rates sitting around one per cent.
Two-bedroom luxury apartments are achieving $1,500 a week in rent, three-bedroom more than $2,000, on a permanent, long-term basis.
“Secure now with just $48,000 and look forward to your new home in late 2028,” says LJ Hooker Broadbeach principal Matt Conduit.
To find out more about securing an apartment at Eveleigh Broadbeach with a deposit bond, contact Matt Conduit on 0418 741 949
*$49,500 payment is a deposit bond premium, based on a purchase price of $2,870,000. Subject to approved purchasers, Terms and conditions apply.
Warmer minimalism, tactile materials and wellness focused layouts are redefining luxury interiors as homeowners design for comfort, connection and lasting appeal.
Australia’s housing market rebounded sharply in 2025, with lower-value suburbs and resource regions driving growth as rate cuts, tight supply and renewed competition reshaped the year.
