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Home > Products > Bulletins > Migration within Queensland (Bulletin 7 Census 2001)

Migration within Queensland (Census 2001 Bulletin no. 7)

Contents


This bulletin contains information on intrastate migration in Queensland between 1996 and 2001, specifically migration between statistical divisions as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The data on which this information is based were obtained from unpublished results from the ABS 2001 Census of Population and Housing. Please note that persons who did not state their place of usual residence, employment status, income level, etc. were redistributed across other categories on a share of population basis.

Key Points

Introduction

Intrastate migration is an important factor when considering population distribution within Queensland, but accurately estimating the magnitude of intrastate movement can be difficult. The latest Census of Population and Housing included questions on where the respondent’s usual address was in 2001 and in 1996. The results from these questions allow identification of intrastate migrants, defined for the purposes of this bulletin as persons who moved between statistical divisions between 1996 and 2001.

This bulletin presents a range of comparisons between intrastate migrants and the incumbent regional population—those Queensland residents who did not move from their statistical division between 1996 and 2001, i.e. persons who did not move at all plus those who moved within the same statistical division.

This method of estimating intrastate migration will be an underestimate of the actual intrastate movements, as a significant number of persons would have moved out of their 1996 statistical division only to return within the five year period between the censuses. The data also exclude those persons aged less than five years in 2001, as they obviously had no address in 1996.

Migration status

Queensland’s usual resident population aged five years and over was 3,261,300 at the time of the 2001 Census. Nearly half (49.1 per cent) of these Queensland residents were living in the same place in 2001 as in 1996. A further 30.1 per cent of the population moved but were in the same statistical division as in 1996, 9.3 per cent moved between statistical divisions in Queensland, 7.5 per cent moved from interstate and 3.9 per cent moved from overseas (see Figure 1 and Table 1).(1)

This bulletin presents information on the 9.3 per cent of Queensland residents in 2001 who had moved between statistical divisions of Queensland since 1996. A previous bulletin provided information on interstate migrants (7.5 per cent of residents) and a future bulletin will provide information on overseas migrants (3.9 per cent).

(1) The migration data shown in this bulletin differ from some of the information in various ABS publications. See the technical note at the end of this bulletin.

Figure 1: Usual residents aged five years and over by usual address five years earlier, Queensland, 2001

Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

Table 1: Migration status of usual residents aged five years and over since 1996, Queensland, 2001

Since 1996 Persons
('000)		 Per cent
Did not move 1,601.1 49.1
Moved within same SD 983.2 30.1
Moved between Qld SDs 303.2 9.3
Qld incumbent population 2,887.5 88.5
Moved from interstate 245.3 7.5
Moved from overseas 128.5 3.9
Qld migrants 373.8 11.5
Total 3,261.3 100.0
 
SD = statistical division
 
Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

 

Intrastate movements by region

Between 1996 and 2001, 303,200 Queensland residents or 9.3 per cent of the population moved between statistical divisions. The two most populous statistical divisions, Brisbane and Moreton, were the only regions to gain population through the net movements (see Figure 2 and Table 2).

The largest net losses to intrastate migration between 1996 and 2001 were incurred by Fitzroy, Far North and Mackay. The three western or ‘outback’ statistical divisions of South West, Central West and North West suffered the greatest net losses proportional to population, losing 2,400, 1,300 and 4,100 persons respectively over this period. The net loss from each of these three regions represented more than 10 per cent of their respective 2001 populations.

Figure 2: Net intrastate migration by statistical division, Queensland, 1996 to 2001

Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

Table 2: Intrastate migration by statistical division, Queensland, 1996 to 2001

Statistical division Inward Outward Net
Brisbane 95,200 78,800 16,400
Moreton 70,400 52,600 17,800
Wide Bay-Burnett 27,700 32,100 –4,400
Darling Downs 24,300 26,500 –2,200
South West 4,400 6,800 –2,400
Fitzroy 20,000 26,900 –6,900
Central West 2,600 3,900 –1,300
Mackay 14,700 20,800 –6,100
Northern 21,000 21,300 –300
Far North 16,600 23,200 –6,600
North West 6,200 10,300 –4,100
       
Total 303,200 303,200 0
       
Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

Sex and age of intrastate migrants

Of total intrastate migrants in Queensland between 1996 and 2001, 148,800 were males and 154,300 were females, representing a male to female ratio of 49:51. The imbalance in gender numbers was mostly attributable to more women than men in the 15-24 and 25-34 years age groups moving between statistical divisions (see Figure 3). The age structure of those who moved between regions was noticeably younger than the incumbent regional population (see Figure 4). A total of 60.3 per cent of intrastate movers were less than 35 years of age compared with only 43.0 per cent of the incumbent population.


Figure 3: Sex and age of intrastate migrants, Queensland, 1996 to 2001

Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

Figure 4: Age structure of intrastate migrants in Queensland, 1996 to 2001, and incumbent regional population, 2001

Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

 

Occupations of intrastate migrants

Intrastate migrants had an occupational distribution that suggests a slightly higher skill level than the incumbent regional population (see Figure 5). A total of 26.9 per cent of intrastate migrants were managers, administrators and professionals compared with 24.2 per cent of the incumbent population. Similarly, 13.9 per cent of intrastate migrants were associate professionals compared with 11.8 per cent of the incumbent population.

Figure 5: Occupational status of intrastate migrants in Queensland, 1996 to 2001, and incumbent regional population, 2001 (a)

(a) Persons aged 15 years and over.
Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

Unemployment of intrastate migrants

Intrastate migrants had a substantially higher unemployment rate than the incumbent regional population (see Figure 6). Intrastate migrants in the labour force had an unemployment rate of 11.7 per cent, compared with 7.1 per cent for those Queenslanders who did not move from their statistical division. However, the rate was lower than those for interstate and overseas arrivals who had unemployment rates of 13.9 per cent and 13.8 per cent respectively.

Figure 6: Unemployment rate by migration status, Queensland, 2001 (a)

(a) Persons aged 15 years and over.
Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

The unemployment rate for intrastate migrants in the labour force varied substantially according to their statistical division of settlement (see Figure 7). Intrastate migrants settling in Wide Bay-Burnett had the highest unemployment rate of 17.5 per cent. This was followed by Moreton (12.4 per cent) and Brisbane (11.9 per cent). The three western statistical divisions had the lowest unemployment rates for intrastate migrants. In all regions except North West, intrastate migrants had a higher unemployment rate than the incumbent regional population.

Figure 7: Unemployment rate of intrastate migrants by statistical division of settlement, Queensland, 2001 (a)

(a) Persons aged 15 years and over.
Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

Income levels of intrastate migrants

There were no discernible differences in the income levels of intrastate migrants compared with the incumbent regional population (see Figure 8). Around half of each group had an annual individual income in the range $8,320 to less than $31,200, or $160 to $600 a week.

Figure 8: Annual individual income of intrastate migrants in Queensland, 1996 to 2001, and incumbent regional population, 2001 (a)

(a) Persons aged 15 years and over.
Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)


Youth’s attraction to south-east corner

As Figure 2 and Table 2 showed, there was a decided net movement of persons to Queensland’s south-east corner (Brisbane and Moreton statistical divisions) from other regions of Queensland between 1996 and 2001. Table 3 shows that the net gain of intrastate migrants to Brisbane and Moreton was 34,100 persons over this period.

Table 3: Intrastate movements between Brisbane–Moreton statistical divisions and the rest of Queensland, 1996 to 2001

Since 1996 Persons
Moved to Brisbane–Moreton SDs from rest of Qld 91,600
Moved to rest of Qld from Brisbane–Moreton SDs 57,500
   
Net gain to Brisbane–Moreton SDs 34,100
   
SD = statistical division
 
Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

The net gain of intrastate migrants to Brisbane and Moreton statistical divisions by age group is shown in Figure 9. The outstanding feature is the strong gain in the 15-24 years age group. One of the many implications of this trend for regional areas outside south-east Queensland is the acceleration in the ageing of their populations caused by the loss of younger residents to the south-east corner of the State.

In gender terms, the male to female net intrastate migration ratio for Brisbane and Moreton statistical divisions was 48:52. That is, there were slightly more females than males moving into the Brisbane–Moreton area.

Figure 9: Net intrastate migration gain to Brisbane–Moreton statistical divisions by age, 1996 to 2001

Source: ABS, 2001 Census, unpublished data (OESR estimates)

Technical note

The ABS has published information on intrastate migration in Census of Population and Housing: Population Growth and Distribution, Australia, 2001, cat. no. 2035.0, and Australian Demographic Statistics, December quarter 2002, cat. no. 3101.0. The ABS method of determining net intrastate migration includes both Census data and Medicare change-of-address data.

The estimates shown in this bulletin are based solely on usual residence Census data, and exclude persons whose usual address in 1996 was either ‘Queensland undefined’, ‘migratory and off-shore’ or ‘no usual address’. Persons who had a ‘not stated’ place of usual residence in 1996 were redistributed on a share of population basis.

Last reviewed 1 July 2008