Aussie singles willing to travel 90km for a first date, new dating app data reveals

Melburnians looking for love are going to extreme lengths to find the one, new dating app data has revealed. But some common profile pitfalls are giving would-be matches the ick.

New dating app data has revealed the extreme lengths Aussie singles are willing to go to in pursuit of love — and the common profile “mistake” still keeping them from finding a match.

Fresh findings provided by dating app Hinge have revealed more than one in five daters from Melbourne had increased their “maximum distance” on the app within the last three months.

The average Melbourne dater is now prepared to travel 80.5km to meet a match — as far as to Kilmore in the north and further than Geelong in the southwest.

Australian online daters are willing to travel more than an hour to meet with matches, new data has revealed. Picture: Supplied

The shift reflected a nationwide trend toward “casting a wider net”, Hinge’s director of relationship science Logan Ury said, with the average Aussie single now searching for love up to 90km from home.

“Daters are getting clearer on what they want, and they’re willing to travel farther to find it,” Ms Ury said.

“Whether it’s due to hybrid work or more intentional dating, people are no longer limiting themselves to a 10km radius — they’re casting a wider net in pursuit of meaningful relationships.”

Hinge's director of relationship science Logan Ury says more Aussies are willing to travel the distance to find love. Picture: Supplied

The new analysis also revealed the profile blunders deterring other singles from securing a match.

Showing off your guns in pictures was found to be a major deterrent, with gym selfies included in only three per cent of “successful” Hinge profiles.

“Keep them for your gym buddies only,” Ms Ury said.

Other common mistakes included confusing group photos, pictures with sunglasses, hats and filters that hide a dater’s face, and generic responses to profile prompts.

“People often fill out their profiles quickly because they want to get to their matches as soon as possible — but that’s a mistake,” Ms Ury said.

“Your profile is your first impression, and it’s your best opportunity to stand out and show who you really are.”

The secret to success? Ms Ury says “a mix of both humour and vulnerability”.

“Get specific to stand out,” she said.

“Adding unique details can help potential matches discover and connect with things you both have in common.”

The findings come on the back of a rising trend toward digital dating, with more than one in two Aussies aged 18 to 49 having used dating apps as of 2023, according to a Choosi report.

Originally published as Aussie singles willing to travel 90km for a first date, new dating app data reveals