Migrants out-settle Aussies on coastal Queensland

In 2007, interstate migration dropped to less than 6000 people while overseas migration continued to rise to more than 10,000.

"The number of New South Welshman migrating here has dropped since peaking in the early '90s but the decline is being compensated for by more overseas migrants and the biggest number of babies since the early 1980s," said RP Data national research director Tim Lawless.

At the Urban Development Institute of Australia state conference last week, Mr. Lawless said southeast Queensland was the undisputed epicentre of Australia and commanded 20 per cent of the nation's total growth.

RP Data figures showed the Gold Coast was expected to grow by 16,772 people on average each year for the next five years.

Brisbane was expected to set the highest capital-city growth with 18,037 people, Maroochy with 5037, Pine Rivers with 4711 and Caboolture with 4482.

Northern coastal towns including Townsville, Thuringowa and Mackay expected to add more than 2000 people each year for the next five years. "All the key coastal regions continue to perform well and are becoming arguably Australia's most diversified regional economies," he said.

Western towns and regions also were gaining popularity but would never overtake coastal growth, Mr. Lawless added.

Mr. Lawless said immigrants from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Africa and South-East Asia formed the bulk of the more than 176,000 people that moved to Australia in 2007.

Queensland lured 96,900 new residents and maintained a wide margin from its nearest rival, Victoria, which netted 86,430 new residents.