New modelling reveals Australia faces significant demographic challenges, with inland areas losing population while coastal lifestyle regions boom. Between 2014 and 2024, Australia added 3.7 million people, mostly to major cities and coastal towns, according to Bernard Salt and data scientist Hari Hara Priya Kannan.

The trend is set to continue, with a projected 3.6 million more people by 2035—driven by retirees moving into regional areas and young people leaving smaller towns for cities. In places like Horsham and Charters Towers, ageing populations are rising while younger cohorts decline.

Salt warns that this shift will strain local services unless action is taken: “We need a national demographic audit to identify where the greatest shortages of essential workers will emerge—and act on it.” Meanwhile, growth hotspots like Wyndham and the Gold Coast will require rapid infrastructure investment to meet soaring demand. With targeted planning and workforce distribution, Australia can better manage these emerging pressures across both growing and contracting communities.