New Regional Australia Institute research shows more Melburnians are moving to country Victoria

Melburnians are increasingly ditching the crammed ‘burbs and shifting to the country, new research confirms. And it’s not just retirees making the move.

Richard and Ruby Glew have embraced country living since moving to Ballan last year: Hamish Blair

Melburnians are ditching the city for countryside living, tempted by the spacious and relaxed environments of regional communities.

COVID-19 has been a catalyst for many metro movers, with new research from the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) revealing one in five city dwellers are looking to move regionally.

But interest in regional living had been steadily increasing even before the pandemic, said RAI chief executive Liz Ritchie.

“Australians are moving to the country for various reasons, but the most common factors include to avoid traffic congestion, reduce stress levels as well as a reduction in the cost of living,” Ms Ritchie said.

She said people moving to regional areas weren’t necessarily dissatisfied with urban living, but rather craved the natural landscape and tranquil lifestyle of country communities.

“No longer are we just seeing retirees making the switch to regional living, but rather various age groups, particularly among parents of younger children,” she said.

Richard and Ruby Glew moved to Ballan to get out of city life. Picture: Hamish Blair

Ruby and Richard Glew moved out of their Elwood apartment for a new life in regional Ballan last June, and haven’t looked back.

“We were always planning to move to regional Victoria since Richard’s children live in Ballarat and then COVID happened and within a week of making the decision, we had already found the perfect property,” Ms Glew, 37, said.

Nestled on 10ha, the couple now live in a spacious property complete with a greenhouse, farm animals, chicken coop, vegetable patch and their own individual studies that are perfect for working from home.

“Moving here was the best decision,” Ms Glew said. “The local community in Ballan are beautiful and there’s an endless supply of fresh produce at our doorstep. Not only that, we no longer have to deal with city traffic or a lack of privacy that comes with sharing a property.”

The couple praised the flexibility of their workplaces, with the option to work from home easing their city to country transition.

“We were both able to work from home even before the pandemic, but now that it’s become standard in workplaces, I can imagine that will persuade people on the fence,” Ms Glew said.

The findings from RAI underpins a national awareness campaign that kicks off today, which aims to entice metropolitan residents to move to regional Australia.

Backed by the Federal Government, Deputy PM Michael McCormack will launch the two-day national summit that will focus on Australia’s regionalisation.

regionalaustralia.org.au

Originally published as New Regional Australia Institute research shows more Melburnians are moving to country Victoria