Exodus to the Far North

Southern invaders choose Cairns to escape lockdowns

CAIRNS has been listed as the eighth most desirable place in Australia that people have migrated to after over a year of lockdowns in the southern states.

New data from Commonwealth Bank and the Regional Australia Institute has revealed that Cairns was the third highest place in Queensland as well.

Commonwealth Bank spokesman Grant Cairns said a lot of these moves to regional areas had been from places such as Melbourne and Sydney.

“The experience of lockdowns is front of mind for Victorians, so the desire to seek a tree change is rapidly growing,” Mr Cairns said.

“It is positive to see the development of infrastructure – particularly in regional areas – is growing to meet the increased demand.”

In the 2020/21 financial year, Melbourne’s share of net capital city outflows increased to 47 per cent, while Sydney’s increased to 49 per cent.

Champions in Real Estate sales adviser and negotiator David Galloway-Penney said he had seen the increase of people moving from the southern states over the last 18 months.

Mr Galloway-Penney said four out of his last six contracts had been from interstate buyers.

“They are purchasing property as a short-term investment with the intent of moving up,” Mr Galloway-Penney said. “Covid has taught them they don’t need to live as close to their office anymore – they can be working from home or anywhere in Australia.”

Mr Galloway-Penney said he had seen them buy properties that ranged from a fivebedroom home in Mooroobool to a two-bedroom townhouse in Cairns North.

He said there was an upside to all these southerners buying, as a lot of them had not been moving as soon as they bought, resulting in some short-term rentals becoming available.

“It is helping out the rental market because a lot of these properties are going straight back into rental until they move. That is certainly helping the highly constrained rental market,” Mr Galloway-Penney said.

Infinity FNQ Property Buyers Agency buyers’ advocate Tracy Solomon said she had seen this increase as well, with most of her business coming from interstate.

“The people I am speaking to are looking for larger entertainment areas, swimming pools. They are very much looking for the lifestyle,” Ms Solomon said.

The budget of those moving has also been quite high. Ms Solomon said prices had been attractive for people.

“A house here in Cairns at the million-dollar mark could be four or five million down south. You get more bang for your buck here,” Ms Solomon said.

Ms Solomon works with clients to find them a home since they can’t see it in person.