The Fraser Coast is becoming more diverse, but the bigger change since 2006 is not international migration – it is internal migration. On birthplace, the 2021 Census recorded 15.0% of residents born overseas, up from roughly 13% in 2006. That is real movement, but it is still below Queensland averages and it is not the main driver of growth.
The main driver is Australians moving here. Over the three years to June 2024, the Fraser Coast recorded strong net internal migration of +8,226 people. That is a huge injection of demand for housing, trades, retail and services in a short window. The biggest net gain came from the Gold Coast (+1,323), while the largest net loss was to Brisbane (-134). Read that again: we are not ‘losing everyone to Brisbane’. We are gaining far more from other parts of Queensland than we are losing.
So what is the story underneath the numbers? Lifestyle, affordability, and stage of life. Many movers are downsizers, early retirees, or families seeking space and value. That influences product mix: smaller, lower maintenance homes near services; quality rental stock; and a steadier pipeline of land and housing to keep prices from running away.
Diversity matters too. A more mixed community brings new skills, new business formation, and wider cultural connections. But in the 2026 market, the headline is mobility: people vote with their feet. If we keep the Fraser Coast liveable, connected and easy to do business in, the migration tailwind keeps blowing.
Stats source: profile.id / .id using ABS Census (2006, 2021) and ABS internal migration (3 years to June 2024) reported in profile.id.
