The Block has gone regional this year, with teams renovating stunning rural residences on four-hectare blocks in Gisborne, Victoria. The “tree-change” of the successful show isn’t alone in their decision to go bush, with data showing record numbers of families transitioning from urban to country life within the last two years. For the first time since 1981, Australia’s regional population grew more than the capital cities, thanks to a number of factors that helped shift migration patterns during and post-pandemic.

Post-Pandemic Work Culture

A huge shift from the recent pandemic lockdowns and social distancing is the opportunity for people to work remotely. Companies had to quickly adapt to pandemic challenges and implemented flexible working arrangements to maintain staff and productivity, a shift that has remained in place post-pandemic for a lot of companies. This has allowed employees to make decisions about where they live without having to factor in travel time.

Reassessing Values

If there’s one thing two years of lockdowns taught us, it’s appreciating the little things. This lesson has made many people reassess what they value in life, with many putting work further down the priority list and choosing where to live based on factors such as space and community rather than the proximity to their place of employment.

The Slow Life

Another key benefit of regional Victoria is the slower pace of life. This can be highly refreshing for those who have spent years living in the fast-paced inner-city suburbs. A slower-paced lifestyle opens up the opportunity to spend more time on hobbies and interests without worrying about common city time-wasters such as traffic and travel time.

More Bang For Your Buck

It’s no secret that inner city real estate is becoming more and more unaffordable, with the average Metropolitan Melbourne house currently at $1.08m (reiv.com.au) and land sizes becoming smaller due to the increase in the subdivision of land. Families are now choosing to buy or build in regional locations for great land size and the ability to build their dream home for a fraction of the cost of building in metropolitan suburbs.

All these trends suggest that more and more Australians will continue to migrate from the inner city burbs and venture into the open air of regional Victoria for many years to come. Think it’s time for you to consider a “tree change”? Contact us today to find out how Hateley Constructions can help build your dream home today.