Melburnians leaving city for Geelong, Gold Coast as regional relocations surge

Millennials are ditching Melbourne for life in the regions for a long list of reasons and experts say new data proves a “societal shift” is under way.

Millennials are leaving Melbourne in droves and settling in places like sunny Gold Coast, with new data revealing metro to regional relocations have surged since the start of the year.

The latest Regional Movers Index, released on Friday, showed regions across Australia recorded in the March quarter their fifth largest influx of city slickers in the last six years.

While the Sunshine Coast – home to popular holiday spot Noosa – remains the most popular destination for relocation among Australians, the data found that Melburnians were mostly flocking to either Gold Coast or Geelong, followed closely by Ballarat.

The index, a partnership between Commonwealth Bank and the Regional Australia Institute, analyses the movements between the country’s capital cities and regions.

It increased by 16.9 per cent in the March quarter, doubling the ground lost during the December quarter’s fall of 8.7 per cent.

Scores of Melburnians are moving up to the Gold Coast.

Melburnians are also relocating closer to home in Geelong.

Regional Australia Institute chief executive Liz Ritchie said the index – which is tracking about 20 per cent above the pre-Covid average – showed a “societal shift” is under way as more Australians flee capital cities.

“Whilst the pandemic supercharged this movement, the regional lifestyle is continuing to prove highly desirable for thousands of people, especially those from cities,” she said.

“This movement in population can no longer be seen as a quirky flow-on affect from the lockdown years.

“This sustained trend provides tangible evidence regarding the importance of investing in and supporting the regions, to ensure communities have the services, skills and infrastructure they need for their growing populations.”

She added: “With high house prices and cost-of-living pressures biting, many people are realising the regions can offer the lifestyle they want and the jobs they’re after, minus big city problems – like long commute times, tolls and traffic.”

Brunswick couple Sarah Plummer and Tim Mulholland are considering moving from Melbourne to the Gold Coast. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Brunswick couple Sarah Plummer, 35, and Tim Mulholland, 37, are “seriously considering” packing up and moving to the Gold Coast as other millennials have.

“I know someone who’s moved there and her lifestyle … looks so great,” she said.

“To be somewhere a little bit warmer, to be closer to the beach, to maybe have that slightly slower pace of life.

“And cost of living is a big thing as well. Rent’s going up so looking at other areas that it is cheaper to live is what makes it appealing.”

She said it came as no shock that the data showed Melburnians were also flocking to Geelong, noting that a number of her friends had made the move west.

Commonwealth Bank regional and agribusiness executive general manager, Paul Fowler, said millennials were the demographic leading the charge out of the city, with those aged between 28-43 making up the largest cohort relocating to the regions.

“This quarter’s report paints the picture of younger individuals or younger families looking for somewhere that’s more affordable,” he said.

“Many are opting for the large regional centres which are buzzing with business activity and investment, offering a great range of employment opportunities.”

According to the index, residents in the City of Melbourne, the City of Wyndham and the City of Casey were the most likely to move to the regions compared to other parts of Melbourne.

“People living in ‘commuter belts’, on the outskirts of major metropolitan cities, are relocating within a few years of moving there,” Ms Ritchie said.

“Often, they’re leaving the outer suburbs for big regional centres, like the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.”