Aussies flee major cities in droves - and the top five places they're relocating to

Published: 05:13, 7 April 2026 | Updated: 05:13, 7 April 2026 Australians are leaving Sydney and Melbourne in droves as they seek out an alternative lifestyle by the beach or in the regions. Some 33,000 residents left Sydney and 8,500 left Melbourne in the 2024-25 financial year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The Regional Movers Index revealed the Sunshine Coast is the favourite destination for city dwellers looking to relocate. Greater Geelong was second, followed by the Fraser Coast, Lake Macquarie and Moorabool. Regional Australia Institute CEO Liz Ritchie said it was not just city dwellers making the move. 'We are seeing a trend of capital-city dwellers still choosing popular locations, but regional-to-regional movers looking elsewhere,' she said. 'Queensland remains popular, but regional movers are going further out from the Sunshine Coast in search of affordability. 'We are also seeing residents of Brisbane and Perth seek out the regions in greater numbers, a trend which is gaining momentum.' The Regional Movers Index revealed the Sunshine Coast is the favourite destination for city dwellers looking to relocate (stock image) Ms Ritchie said an exodus was being experienced across all major cities to a degree, with Sydney and Melbourne the major contributors to regional population growth, accounting for 54 per cent and 38 per cent of net outflows. 'While most city leavers are from Sydney and Melbourne, the other capitals are also seeing outflows,' she said. 'They might be seeking housing affordability or job opportunities. What hasn't declined is interest in a regional move.' She said capital-to-region migration remains strong, with numbers at their second highest since the end of the pandemic.  CBA Regional and Agribusiness Banking executive general manager Kylie Allen said she expected the 'solid and consistent growth' to continue. 'It's a broadening of regional growth beyond the usual hotspots,' she said.  'Strong regional-to-regional movement and rising interest in centres like the Fraser Coast signal a maturing migration pattern, where people are making considered, long-term choices about where they live and work.' 'That shift brings real opportunity and reinforces the need for coordinated planning around housing and investment in infrastructure so regions can sustain momentum and support growing communities.'  Greater Geelong came in second place, followed by the Fraser Coast, Lake Macquarie and Moorabool (pictured, Port Phillip Bay near the Geelong CBD) Despite the exodus, both Sydney and Melbourne continued to grow thanks to overseas migration.  ABS data showed net overseas migration was 78,000 in Sydney and 81,000 in Melbourne.  In Brisbane, the population grew by 34,000 due to overseas migration and 11,000 from internal migration, while in Perth there were 37,000 overseas arrivals and 8,000 from within the country. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.