Bathurst Blog

Research over the past year has revealed a continued surge in the number of people moving from capital cities to regional centres.

According to the June-quarter Regional Movers Index, there was an 11% rise in the number of people moving from capital cities to regional areas, compared with the June 2020 quarter.

Key migration patterns in 2020-2021

During the June quarter, Melbourne saw its share of net capital city outflows increase to 47%, from 39% a year earlier; Sydney still had the highest share of net capital city outflows at 49%, and regional NSW picked up the largest share of net migration into regional Australia at 34%.

Economic fundamentals for investors

Industry analysts believe that a broad-ranging local economy holds the key for investor attraction. For that reason, one-industry regions, such as tourism or mining, should be approached with caution.

Some of the key fundamentals include having a diverse and vibrant local economy, solid jobs growth, and a variety of industries such as health, manufacturing, construction, retail, and education to adequately service its population – many of which Bathurst is particularly strong in.

In regional areas, the local economy must also be self-sufficient, meaning that local residents should live and work there, as well as spend their money there. University studies confirm that well-connected, welcoming, and sustainable regional communities are attracting buyers in droves.

What does this mean? Bathurst is an attractive regional centre for many buyers looking to escape the city, and it’s expected that this trend will continue for years to come.