Rockhampton part of Regional Australia Institute’s national regional living campaign

The campaign positions regional cities as affordable and as offering better work-life balances.

Mount Archer (Nurim) Elevated Treetop Boardwalk.

Rockhampton will be part of the Regional Australia Institute’s multimillion-dollar national awareness campaign, Move to More, which aims to encourage Australians living in metropolitan areas to consider living, working, and investing in the regions.

The campaign, which includes an interactive website, positions regional cities as affordable and as offering better work-life balances.

Rockhampton mayor Tony Williams said the Rockhampton region was the perfect city for the initiative.

“The Rockhampton region truly offers an affordable lifestyle where work-life balance can be achieved,” he said.

“According to realestate.com.au, West Rockhampton’s current median house price is $277,750 for a three-bedroom home, and when you compare this to inner-city Brisbane the median house price triples.

“Not only does Rockhampton offer affordable housing, the average commute to work is 15 minutes maximum, we’re just a 30-minute drive to the Southern Great Barrier Reef, and are surrounded by many beautiful national parks offering weekend adventures at every turn.”

Advance Rockhampton executive manager Greg Bowden said the campaign would provide a boost to the region’s economy.

“Regional Australia Institute’s Move to More campaign provides an opportunity for the local business community to attract a broader skilled workforce and encourage industry to invest in our region,” he said.

“With greater business investment in the Rockhampton region, we can continue to advocate for further services and growth in our regional economy, benefiting local residents.

“The campaign showcases the services, employment opportunities, and lifestyle on offer here in Rockhampton and provides a platform to link prospective residents with the information they need to make the move.”

He said according to the Regional Australia Institute, between 2011 and 2016 more than 1.2 million people either moved to regional Australia or moved within regional Australia from one location to another.

“The team at Advance Rockhampton are excited to put Rocky on the radar to metropolitan areas and encourage continued growth and relocation opportunities to regional Australia,” Mr Bowden said.

Regional Australia Institute CEO Liz Ritchie said the Move to More campaign would show that “there is more to life than putting up with congestion, rising housing prices, stress levels, and a lack of quality time spent with loved ones”.

“From 2011 to 2016, Sydney and Melbourne lost more residents to regions than they gained – and this was before we saw regional relocations post the outbreak of the pandemic,” she said.

“As a result of COVID-19, we have all had to change how we work, live and play and this has allowed staff and employers to see that location no longer has to be a barrier.”