SLOWDOWN IN MIGRATION TO NORTH QUEENSLAND
TOWNSVILLE has gained a 2 per cent share of migration over the year to June, ranking the city in the top 10 of regional growth centres, according a report on internal migration.
But the Regional Movers Index report also finds the city grew at a slower rate than the previous year and migration to Townsville slowed markedly in the June quarter.
The index is prepared by the Regional Australia Institute and Commonwealth Bank and charts the movements between Australia’s regions and capital cities.
According to the institute, areas within a three-hour drive of the capital cities are proving most popular.
Of those regions gaining the biggest share of migration, the report says Gold Coast was highest with 11 per cent.
This was followed by Sunshine Coast (6 per cent), Greater Geelong (5 per cent), Wollongong (3 per cent), Newcastle (2 per cent), Lake Macquarie (2 per cent) Queanbeyan-palerang (2 per cent) Cairns (2 per cent), Townsville (2 per cent) and Ballarat (2 per cent).
“With house prices rising across the capital cities and flexible work options now more commonplace, the decision to make a lifestyle shift and move to a regional area has become a realistic option,” Commonwealth Bank executive general manager for regional and agribusiness banking Grant Cairns said.
RAI’S chief economist Kim Houghton said: “The index identifies regional areas which are emerging as desirable destinations for capital city residents, enabling local leaders and business owners to prepare for a burst of population growth. It also shows us places that are coming off the boil in the June quarter, such as Noosa and Mildura.” But not everyone sees the shift – prompted by Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns – continuing.
Managing Director of Sydney-based EG Advisory Shane Geha said although the trend of regional migration was real, it was transient and many people would return to major cities. He said reasons regional migration would be short-lived included that the major employment opportunities and amenities remained within Australia’s major cities and that concern about overpopulation in major cities was exaggerated. Dr Geha said there needed to be further investment in regional cities like Townsville if they were to become genuine hubs of activity and business and a place people chose to live long-term. “This needs to be more than a token gesture of a government department moving momentarily. A university campus of 10,000 students or several related businesses agglomerating to produce a centre of activity would be an example of development,” Dr Geha said.
While high property prices in major cities are often stated as a reason for migration, Dr Geha said if high property prices were that much of a deterrent, the regional shift would have been greater already.
Townsville economist Colin Dwyer said areas closer to capital cities were getting a larger share of internal migration but that Townsville, Cairns and Mackay were also gaining some of those people relocating.
Mr Dwyer said the reason people were coming to Townsville was that the region was creating jobs.
Once here, despite the higher costs of insurance, they were finding it was more affordable.
They also did not have to waste several hours a day in commute times.