State Aussies are fleeing in tens of thousands

Tens of thousands of Australians left one state over the last year, with many heading in the same direction.

Queensland experienced an influx of people flocking from interstate. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Australians are leaving NSW in their tens of thousands with many heading to sunnier skies and warmer climates in Queensland, new numbers from the Australian Bureau of Statistics have revealed.

A net 30,000 people fled NSW in the 12 months to 31 March this year while over the same time period just over 31,000 poured into the Sunshine State from interstate.

At the same time, Victoria (-5644), Tasmania (-1994), Northern Territory (-2745) and ACT (-1752) also experienced negative interstate migration.

NSW did however experience a net population increase of 156,000 people over the same period, with the boost driven by overseas immigration.

People left NSW for interstate in their thousands. NCA Newswire/Gaye Gerard.

The state had a positive “natural” population increase of 33,000 - from 96,000 births and 63,000 deaths.

At the same time it welcomed 234,010 overseas arrivals, while another 80,000 departed for overseas.

NSW had a 1.9 per cent increase in its population over the 12-month period with all states experiencing a net increase.

Western Australia (2.8 per cent) experienced the biggest growth in its population followed by Victoria (2.4 per cent), Queensland (2.3 per cent) and the ACT (2 per cent).

Queensland experienced an influx of people flocking from interstate. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Australia’s total population swelled by 2.2 per cent (563,000) to 26.5m at the same time.

“Thirteen months after international borders were reopened, net overseas migration accounted for 81 per cent of growth and added 454,400 people to the population in the year to March 2023,” ABS head of demography Beidar Cho said.

Just over 680,000 overseas arrivals came into Australia over the period - up 103 per cent on the previous year - while at the same time 226,000 overseas migrants departed.

“This pattern, low departures in particular, is a catch-up effect after closed international borders, as international students return with only a small number departing because very few arrived during the pandemic,” the ABS said.

“This effect is expected to be temporary as the number of departures will increase in the future as temporary students start departing in usual numbers.”