Seachange in Tasmania: exploring interstate migration into the 'Apple Isle'

The quest for a better way of life is associated with the recent reversal of the historic trend of net interstate migration losses for Tasmania. In this paper, we examine data collected in 2019 through a survey with internal migrants who, were in the process of, or already had migrated to Tasmania. While in the past, the state has often experienced net internal migration loss, over the past five years this trend has reversed. We argue that one of the prevailing factors here is the quest for a better way of life. We identify that key motivators for these movements include the climate, lifestyle and work/life balance that Tasmania is perceived to offer. While we stop short of arguing this is evidence of climate change affecting migration patterns in Australia, there is strong evidence that the heat of mainland Australia is driving migration to temperate parts of Australia, like Tasmania. However, further research is needed to make stronger correlations between rising temperature and migration.