Regional migration matches June quarter record as north Queensland draws city movers

Moves from Australia's capital cities to the regions equalled their June quarter record in 2026, matching the pandemic peak of 2021, according to the latest Regional Movers Index from Commonwealth Bank and the Regional Australia Institute (RAI).

Capital city residents moving to regional areas outnumbered those moving the other way by 30% in the quarter. The result is notable because the June quarter is typically a quieter period for relocation, and it follows the March quarter index, which the RAI said recorded the highest level of capital to regional movement in the series.

"This tells us the appeal of country living remains incredibly strong all year round, even outside the traditional peak moving periods," RAI chief executive Liz Ritchie said.

For regional agencies, the index is a guide to where buyer and tenant demand from the cities is landing, and the latest edition suggests it is spreading beyond the established coastal markets.

Sydney and Melbourne supply the movers

Sydney accounted for 52% of capital city outflows to the regions and Melbourne for 36%. Regional NSW took 33% of net regional inflows and regional Victoria 26%.

Queensland's Sunshine Coast kept its position as the most popular destination by share of movers. But the faster growth is occurring elsewhere. Burdekin, the Tablelands and Douglas in north Queensland were among the fastest growing destinations by annual growth in net internal migration, while Central Goldfields in Victoria ranked first nationally on that measure.

Greater Geraldton in Western Australia recorded the highest rate of net capital to regional migration growth in the June quarter, and the Mid Coast of NSW topped the rankings for growth in moves between regional areas.

A ripple effect

CBA's Regional and Agribusiness Banking executive general manager Kylie Allen said the most significant finding was movement into the areas around large regional centres.

"One of the most significant findings in this quarter's report is seeing the ripple effect of regional population growth," Ms Allen said, adding that as established regional centres expand, people are "increasingly moving deeper into surrounding areas".

That pattern is relevant to agency principals planning where to recruit, open or extend coverage, since the towns ringing major regional centres can see demand rise before local listing and rental supply adjusts.

Planning pressure

Ms Ritchie pointed to RAI research showing regional population growth had outpaced government projections by 114,000 people over the past decade, and called for population planning that anticipates growth.

The index measures movement rather than housing outcomes, and the release does not detail how the flows translate into sales or rental demand in individual markets. Agencies in the named growth areas will be better placed than the index to judge whether the inflow is reaching their sales and rental pipelines.

Source: Commonwealth Bank and Regional Australia Institute, Regional Movers Index media release, 19 October 2026.