Greater Geelong tops regional migration ladder
Victoria's second city takes first place among movers, as net migration to regional Australia climbs 40 per cent above pre-Covid levels.
GEELONG has knocked Queensland’s Sunshine Coast off the top spot as the most popular destination for Australian movers.
The Victorian city picked up regional Australia’s biggest share of net internal migration, according to the latest Regional Movers Index (RMI).
The new report shows that in the 12 months to March, Greater Geelong had a 9.3 per cent share of total net internal migration, compared with the Sunshine Coast’s 8.9 per cent.
This southern change comes amid an uptick of movement out of metropolitan areas to the regions,
Capital city to regional relocations increased by almost 11 per cent on last quarter to sit 20.5 per cent above the pre-COVID average.
Regional Australia Institute CEO Liz Ritchie said the data in this quarter’s report demonstrates shifting migration patterns within Australia.
“The nation’s love affair with regional living is showing no signs of abating with 25 per cent more people moving from capital cities to the regions, than back in the opposite direction,” Ms Ritchie said.
“Net migration to regional Australia is now sitting 40 per cent higher than the prevailing level in the pre-pandemic era.
“The regions’ enviable lifestyle offerings, buoyant jobs market, position as an economic leader and variety in communities are proving to be an ongoing lure, particularly for those in metropolitan areas.
“Contemporary regional Australia has what people are looking for and it’s clear clichéd images and misconceptions about regional living are well and truly a thing of the past.”
Greater Geelong’s ascent on the leaderboard was set against a background of a rise in popularity in regional Victoria as a whole – the state capturing 34 per cent of the total net inflows into all regional Australia during the March 2025 quarter, larger than the 28 per cent share in the March 2024 quarter.
According to CBA’s Josh Foster, it demonstrates the vitality of Victoria.
“It’s pleasing to see annual population growth is continuing to benefit Australia’s regional economy as more people are drawn to the lifestyle and employment opportunities found beyond metropolitan areas,” he said.
“In a first for the RMI, Greater Geelong has become the star performer due to its idyllic location, established services and range of employment opportunities.”
To support the demand for housing, a target of an additional 128,600 dwellings in Greater Geelong by 2051 has been set by the Victorian Government.
