Record numbers flee capital cities to regions

The number of people moving from Australia’s capital cities to the regions far outweighs those coming the other way, new ABS data shows.

Melbourne and Sydney led the way, losing a net 8300 and 8200 people respectively to the regions, Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals.

About 11,800 more people fled capital cities to the regions than moved from the country to the big smoke in the three months to March, more than in any quarter since records began two decades ago.

Melbourne and Sydney led the way, losing a net 8300 and 8200 people respectively to the regions, Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals.

Brisbane had the biggest net gain of people either from elsewhere in Queensland or interstate, adding 3300 to its popu­lation from overall internal migration, including 2600 from interstate.

“(Overall) Queensland gained the most people from net interstate migration (+7000) over the March 2021 quarter, while ­Victoria lost the most (-4900), closely followed by NSW (-4500),” the figures detail.

There was higher volatility overall in the interstate movement of people than in the same period last year when Covid-19 was first starting to affect free movement.

More than 16,400 more ­people moved interstate in the March quarter this year ­compared to the 2020 March quarter, the ABS data shows. NSW was the leaving point for most of those moving to Queensland, with 3800 packing their bags to move north of the Tweed.

Sydney had net losses of 5100 to NSW ­regions and some 3100 interstate.

Most of Melbourne’s net losses were to regional Victoria, with 4800 more people looking for a sea change or tree change than moving into the city.

In net terms, another 3400 fled the city for interstate, with 2900 more Victorians overall heading north to Queensland than going the other way.

Perth had a net gain of 1400 people from interstate.