Forgotten country towns

In 1946, Australia had a population of 7.5 million. Since then another 7.5 million people have migrated into the country and, through natural growth, we have added another 11 million to reach a total population of 26 million.

Of these, 22 million mostly live in urban Australia and, increasingly, on the coastal fringe.

Of the 4 million in rural and regional Australia, i.e. those outside the major cities, a little over 1.5 million are living in Australia’s 1,614 country towns that have a population of less than 5,000.

With each new wave of migrants and each generation of Australians born here, the lure of the big cities and big regional centres grows.