Campaign Shines Light on Ballarat as a Place to Live, Work and Invest

The regional City of Ballarat will leverage its ranking as one of Australia’s most liveable cities, as part of the newly launched Regional Activators Alliance (RAA).

RAA is made up of 36 Councils, Regional Development Australia regions (RDAs), economic development groups and industry representatives with the purpose of creating national awareness of the benefits of regional living, to drive population growth in Regional Australia.  

"We know this shift has already started, with reports of people leaving Melbourne for Ballarat, and other regional centres," Janet Dore, City of Ballarat’s CEO said, citing COVID and our realisation that location is no longer a barrier to where we live and work.

“Our involvement in this alliance will assist us to spread the word nationally about why a regional city such as Ballarat is a great place to invest and grow a business, increasing the prosperity of Ballarat for all who live here,” she said.

The RAA is analysing population movement from capital cities to the regions. Its Big Movers Report released earlier this year showed  65,000 people choose regional Australia, rather than metropolitan areas in the 12 months prior to the report being launched.

Michael Poulton, RAA Ballarat Champion and CEO of Committee for Ballarat made a conscious decision to live in Ballarat, because of the lifestyle it offers.

“I worked in Melbourne and commuted from Ballarat.  For me and I’m sure many others, regional living connects place, purpose and people.  It’s hard to measure in quantifiable terms but it’s incredibly powerful and emotional.  It’s hard to imagine unless you’ve actually experienced it, but having done so, it’s very hard to leave. “

The RAA national marketing campaign will provide a direct connection to local tourism campaigns already operating in the regions.

 Key strengths of Ballarat as an attractive destination to live

• Close Proximity to Melbourne
• The cost of living is lower
• The median house price in Ballarat is $550,000  
• Ballarat is in the top 10 regional destinations that millennials are moving to
• Ranked high for public open space and social infrastructure
• Building approval figures in Ballarat are bucking an eight year low nationally, with numbers continuing to increase over the last five years