Top 5 regional hotspots that attract Aussies with a change in the lifestyle

They captured the hearts and heads of the Australians for their lifestyle appell and the promise of another daily pace.

After the latest edition of the Regional Movers Index (RMI) – a quarterly publication by the Regional Australia Institute and the Commonwealth Bank – the Australians continue to be thrown by regional locations that offer a combination of space, affordability and community. Several cities in particular have proven to be more popular than others for their unique mix of liveliness and connectivity.

Not only have former residents of the most important capitals that are looking for a different pace of life, they also prove to be favorable for moving companies from other regional areas and may be looking for this special mix of convenience and lifestyle.

According to the youngest RMI, these are the five most important LGAs according to the share of the total net internal migration according to regional Australia, based on 12 months to June 2025.

5. Fraser Coast, QLD

The Fraser Coast, which is known as a Whale Keeping Capital of Australia and comprises cities such as Maryborough and Hervey Bay as well as the island of K'Gari, has a population of just over 100,000 inhabitants and grows.

According to the latest RMI, the Fraser coast has taken 1.7% of the overall applicants in Australia and 1.5% of regional moving companies and has taken 3.2% of the total countries in the past 12 months.

With the natural site of K'Gari listed worldwide on the coast, this region attracts nature lovers, who are interested in a relaxed lifestyle, but still near a large capital only three hours north of Brisbane.

Hervey Bay Airport also offers connectivity to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

In a suburb of Hervey Bay in the water on the water, New Estate Beachide Dundowran Beach offers the opportunity to build a new home. The first publication of this 1600-home community now sells land from 2000 m² to 3000 m².

4. Maitland, NSW

Wine tourists in the Hunter Valley can be spent a lot to stay. With Maitland – the capital of the region – is fourth in the regional Movers Index.

This classic piece of rural Australia was a new participant in the top 5 of the last RMI and seems to have retained its attractiveness.

In the 12 months until June 2025, the region attracted 1.6% of the total cities in relation to relocators and 1.7% of all regional moving companies.

But there are more drawcards for new residents than just the region's wineries. Maitland offers a lively city center with a lot of creative charm – with a regional art gallery and numerous studios of local artists. All of this is scheduled against the picturesque banks of the Hunter River.

Only 11 km west of downtown Maitland, new goods such as Lochinvar Ridge expand the housing options in the region and offer space for locals and new residents to build a house that meets their needs.

These 700 m² blocks are typical of the area. Due to the space that it offers outside the large metropolises, many residents are looking for a lifestyle.

3 .. Lake Macquarie, NSW

The banks of the largest coastal water lake Australia – actually the largest consistent salt water lake in the southern hemisphere – have long attracted the Australians to look for affordable life near the water. It is a bonus that the region also offers excellent connectivity to a large metropolitan capital.

Sydney is only a 90 -minute drive from the cities around the Macquarie des Lake. If the proposed high-speed rail connection between Newcastle and Sydney progresses, this could be even closer.

It may be the main reason why the Lake Macquarie region attracted far more city dwellers after a shift in lifestyle than in other regions.

In the latest RMI, 3.8% of the robots from the capitals chose the Macquariesee, while only 0.9% came from other regional or rural cities.

Ambitious projects such as Trinity Point, which is currently selling land chambers, promise future amenities that will bring new, carefully planned communities to the region.

Trinity Point will finally contain a boutique hotel, a residential area complex, several food options, wellness clinic and function center in the areas of green roofs that reflect the surrounding slope.

2. Greater Geelong, Vic

Greater Geelong may have taken first place in the last RMI, but his current position in second place hardly means that the area is becoming increasingly popular. Greater Geelong was missing number one with a slim scope and conquered 7% of the city's reliefs and 1.5% of regional relocators in the latest RMI.

At a simple distance from Melbourne, but a busy commercial center – paired with access to water and the proximity to the surf coast – it is easy to see why Geelong appeals.

Much of the development in the area is about Armstrong Creek south of Geelongs CBD, where numerous new country goods develop.

In other parts of the region, however, projects such as Gen Fyansford offer the opportunity to buy a piece of Geelong life and build a dream house in this attractive small town.

1. Sunshine Coast, QLD

The Sunshine Coast has thrown itself back at the top after second place in the second quarter and has once again proven to be the most popular place for domestic relocators.

North of Brisbane, with exceptional wide, breathtaking beaches, this hotspot has been capturing the hearts and heads of sea changers across the country for years.

The Coastal Queensland Enclave spent nine consecutive quarters at the head of the RMI before being temporarily depressed the last issue.

From the suburbs such as Coolum, Mooloolaba and Caloundra to the hinterland cities such as Maleny, Mapleton and Landsborough, the municipalities from which the Sunshine Coast proved to be popular, and new residents find houses in this LGA in Queensland.

Overall, the region attracted 7.4% of the city engines and 1.5% of regional relocators to calculate a total of 8.9% of all domestic removals in the past 12 months.

In hinterland Eumundi – a city that is known to organize the country's largest handicraft markets every Wednesday and Saturday, the Hazlewood estate offers a rare opportunity to secure land in the region.

These large plots range from 1.5 to 12 hectares, with the classic hills of the Sunshine Coast on the Sunshine Coast.

Would you like to take a step and build your dream house? Take a look at our “Dedized New Homes” section.