The city that was once considered the Aussie dream, is now losing hundreds of residents a day to a regional hub in a neighbouring state.
Over the last 12 months a record number of Australians have packed up and left the major cities in favour of regional living. Of all these major capital cities, Sydney has experienced the highest migrational loss of all.
Sydney accounts for 67% of all city-to-regional moves across the country. While the city continues to experience net internal migration loss, ABS data shows that Sydney’s total population still grew by 2.0% in 2023–24, driven by overseas migration and natural increase.
Although internal migration away from Sydney has been a long-term trend, the overall population continues to grow annually, reflecting its status as a major hub for international arrivals and employment. In contrast, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, and Perth have experienced minimal or negative net domestic out-migration, and Adelaide has averaged about 50% of the outflows that Sydney has.
But, where are all of these Sydney-siders and NSWers moving to?
South East Queensland has emerged as the most popular hotspot for those leaving the Emerald city. Sydney-siders seem to be ditching city living for SEQ in droves - and they're not the only ones.
Sydney accounts for 67% of all city to regional moves from across the country.
Rising housing costs and everyday expenses are big reasons why so many are moving to regional Australia instead.
While Sydney experienced the highest migrational loss to South East Queensland, the city is by no means the only capital seeing residents pack up and leave for a new life in the southern end of the Sunshine State.
In the March 2025 Regional Movers Index, capital-to-regional migration increased by 10.5% year-on-year, with Greater Geelong overtaking the Sunshine Coast as the most popular regional destination in Australia.
South East Queensland remained a leading migration hub, accounting for 16% of all net internal migration flows in early 2025, though it was surpassed by Victoria’s Greater Geelong for the top spot.
The Sunshine Coast was named the most popular moving destination in Australia for the sixth-consecutive quarter.
Meanwhile the Gold Coast region accounted for a 9.1 per cent share of all net internal migration flows and a 10.8 per cent share of net capital to regional migration.
|
Originating capital city |
% of movers who moved to Gold Coast from Jan to March 2024 |
|
Melbourne |
4.4% |
|
Perth |
4.4% |
|
Adelaide |
6.3% |
|
Hobart |
9.2% |
|
Darwin |
6% |
While Queensland’s coastal regions remain highly popular, Greater Geelong has now emerged as Australia’s number-one regional migration destination, capturing 9.3% of net internal migration in the March 2025 quarter.
If you're curious about the lifestyle perks of the country's regional areas, our list of Australia’s best farmers’ markets is a good peek at what’s on offer in these popular regions.
With roughly 300 days of sunshine every year, 450km of sparkling coastline and some of the country’s most iconic landmarks (hello Big Pineapple and giant kangaroo) it’s no wonder more and more people are giving up the ‘big smoke’ and making their way to SEQ.
No longer just a holiday and tourism spot, the Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast have cemented themselves as the most popular places to move to within all of Australia.
If this trend continues (and it’s expected to), it’s projected that 6 million people will call South East Queensland home by 2046. That's an increase of more than 2 million. This number represents a major shift away from the cost of living pressures and property price outs that come with capital cities such as Sydney.
If Brisbane’s on your radar, here’s a handy guide on how much you need to earn to live comfortably in Brisbane to help you plan ahead.
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