Improving ‘liveability’ is key to thriving populations in regional centres

Across Australia, governments are keen to encourage migration to regional areas, both to take the ‘pressure’ off major cities and to foster sustainable growth in regional areas. However, population change has been uneven in regional Australia, often based on push and pull factors that are specific to each particular region. 

New AHURI research finds that a focus on enhancing liveability factors, such as housing, health, education and infrastructure are key to regional centres growing and retaining a population that thrives.

The research, ‘Place-based drivers and effective management of population growth and change in regional Australia’, undertaken by researchers from the University of Sydney and James Cook University, examines the place-based factors (i.e. that may be specific to a place) that influence people moving to and from Australian regional and rural areas, and investigates how local governments can manage this change through key policy development solutions.

Place-based factors linked to regional growth include tourism, an educated workforce and a hospitable climate

The research reveals that regions with larger tourism sectors and more highly educated, graduates in the workforce are associated with higher population growth. Favourable geographic factors for growth are proximity to the coast, and a warmer and wetter climate.

‘Furthermore, our research found that regional growth is positively related to connectivity, such as by being close to major capital cities and airports,’ says Dr Caitlin Buckle who led the research for the University of Sydney. ‘Towns that are closer to larger cities and employment centres tend to grow faster as they’re associated with greater access to business services and supplies in large cities. Internet connection speeds may also be a factor in people migrating to certain non-metropolitan areas. Technological advancements may help former city dwellers to telecommute from smaller regional locations.’

Skills shortages and opportunities for employment and education impact regional populations

Research participants from crucial regional employment sectors highlighted that local education and training opportunities are important for upskilling (and retaining) more local workers. 

When large numbers of young people, who might otherwise undertake local entry level and essential work, move out of a region it can lead to skills shortages. In all the surveys conducted for this research, younger respondents were more likely to leave their regional area in the next one to five years than any other age group. This shows future challenges for regional cities in retaining young adults.

Policy development needs to focus on improving the liveability of each region

Policies to support liveability, such as improvements to housing affordability and availability; local health and education services; and local transport infrastructure, as well as funding for regional airports, universities and TAFE campuses could help populations grow. 

‘Efforts by policy makers to shift population into non-metropolitan areas need to be driven by the needs of the local area and not by metropolitan planning agendas, such as, for example, to reduce congestion or housing shortages, as this can simply shift those transport, social and housing impacts to the regions,’ says Dr Buckle.

‘Rather, enhancing the liveability of each location is very important in attracting and creating a healthy and ‘deep’ population; that is, one that stays and thrives in the region. Overcoming blockages to liveability, such as improving childcare; housing needs and supply; medical and educational facilities and transport infrastructure, requires creative solutions from local, state and federal governments, as well as cooperation with industry and the private sector.’