People continue to flock to Kempsey Shire to live and those already here tend to stay put.
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Kempsey local government area (LGA) has seen a 74 per cent jump in net internal migration in the past year, according to the latest Regional Movers Index by the Commonwealth Bank and Regional Australia Institute.
The December Quarter 2021 vs 2022 report analyses net internal migration within Australia - people from other regions moving in minus local people moving to other regions.
Kempsey Shire sits in the top 20 of Australia's LGAs, coming in at number 17.
The 74 per cent increase for Kempsey and surrounding areas is "quite substantial" according to Amanda Barwick from Regional Australia Institute (RAI).
"If you're not feeling house pressure, rent pressure, health pressure in terms of services and social amenities, if you're not feeling that I'd be very surprised," said Ms Barwick.
"You [Kempsey LGA] are in the top 20 of all the country," she said.
The Regional Movers Index, launched in 2021, tracks movements between Australia's regions and capital cities, using Commonwealth Bank data from relocations among more than 16 million customers.
The reports looks at growth trends and places emerging as "hot spots".
Established at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to track the movement of capital city people to the regions, the Regional Movers Index (RMI) Quarter Report December 2022 shows city-dwellers are still flocking to the regions.
The publication has highlighted that regional people are tending to stay in regions rather than return to the cities and so Australia's coastal and central towns are feeling the pressure of population growth.
Commonwealth Bank Executive General Manager for Regional and Agribusiness Banking Paul Fowler says regional hubs are continuing to attract thousands of metro movers.
"Many are attracted by the opportunities that our thriving regional economies present," said Mr Fowler.
Regional Australia Institute (RAI) CEO Liz Ritchie says the impact of capital city movers to the regions is now having a flow on effect to other regional places, many of which have historically seen limited population growth.
"The regional housing squeeze is just one example of what can happen when we haven't prepared for growth," said Ms Ritchie.
"The areas experiencing significant net migration increases would certainly be feeling the impact on house prices and rents, local services and infrastructure," she said.
Licensee in charge of Harcourts The Rocks at South West Rocks Mark Jordan says there's been an increase in real estate and rental prices in the market.
"People are now able to work from home and so they move to towns like South West Rocks, pay half or a quarter of what they'd pay in the cities for places to live and remain on a city wage," said Mr Jordan.
"This drives the prices up".
Ms Ritchie says that policy makers and industry leaders need to heed these results "to ensure adequate planning and resourcing is put in place to accommodate demand both now and in coming decades."
Kempsey Shire Council General Manager, Craig Milburn, welcomed the announcement of the figures.
"The numbers in this report reinforce Kempsey's status as a an attractive destination and a growing region," said Mr Milburn.
"This is why we are pushing forward with planning documents like the Local Growth Management Strategy and the South West Rocks Structure Plan which are currently on exhibition.
"I would recommend everyone visit yoursay.macleay.nsw.gov.au to see if they reflect the community's vision for their villages."
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