Sunshine Coast top destination for Australians on the move

As one in 10 people leave capital cities and other regions to settle in Queensland, one destination remains ahead of the pack.

The Sunshine Coast is the top destination for relocating Australians.

The Sunshine Coast remains the leading hot spot for Australians on the move, with one in 10 residents leaving capital cities and other regions to settle in the popular Queensland area.

Other smaller neighbouring communities such as Gladstone, Fraser Coast, Mackay and Gympie, and then Toowoomba in the southeast, are also gaining traction as mover hotspots.

Experts say the lure of more affordable housing and long-term secure employment is still driving internal migration to regional areas.

Fewer city dwellers moved to regional areas during the December 2024 quarter, according to the latest Regional Movers Index report.

The RMI, a partnership between the Regional Australia Institute and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, revealed the Sunshine Coast had retained the title as most popular overall regional mover destination for the ninth consecutive quarter.

CBA acting executive general manager (regional and agribusiness banking) Josh Foster said the region’s job prospects, major projects, schools and hospitals were a big attraction.

Toowoomba is another popular Queensland destination.

This quarter also saw the rise of some increasingly popular regional local government areas including Toowoomba and Gympie.

Toowoomba was noted as a growth hotspot and strengthened its hold on fourth place nationally in net regional-regional migration rankings for the second consecutive quarter, increasing its share to 4.1 per cent – its highest share since June 2024.

Newcomer Gympie also holds a 4.1 per cent share, supported by the highest annual growth rate of the top five at 27.7 per cent.

Gladstone was also noted as a growth hotspot, while the Fraser Coast and Mackay were attracting also attracting large shares of internal migration to Queensland.

Mr Foster said the rise in popularity of the growth hotspots within regional Queensland demonstrated the diversification of the state’s economy.

“Fraser Coast’s deep roots in agriculture and Gladstone’s mining and green energy boom are just some of the sectors helping drive increased employment opportunities to these regions,” he said.

“Toowoomba, we’re finding very strong at the moment, with lots of economic activity and employment opportunities.

The Valley Rattler steam train is a top attraction in the Gympie region.

“With the planned and growth strategies for those regions, I would have a positive outlook in terms of that will continue for some time.”

RAI chief executive officer Liz Ritchie said the desire for regional living remained strong, with 32 per cent more people moving from big cities to regions than in the opposite direction.

“Regional Australia is the new frontier, and people are enthusiastic about the career opportunities and lifestyle benefits it offers,” she said.

“It’s why we must ensure communities have the infrastructure, funding and support they need to ensure they can continue to welcome new residents.”

Ms Ritchie said this quarter’s report also highlighted city-dwellers were increasingly relocating to areas which had previously been more popular with regional movers.

“It’s critical that decision-makers note this important, contemporaneous data to ensure plans can be made, both now and into the future for these growing communities,” she said.

“The better we are able to project Australia’s population movements, the better we can prepare for them, ensuring the needed skills and services are in the right place, at the right time.”

Originally published as Sunshine Coast top destination for Australians on the move