Moving here in droves

A new report has confirmed people continue to leave Melbourne "in their droves" in favour of peri-urban living.
A March 2024 quarter Regional Movers Index has prompted further calls for a more equitable share of government funding.
Peri-Urban Councils Victoria, of which Baw Baw Shire's Cr Michael Leaney is chair, said the five councils bordering on the greater Melbourne area had the fastest growing populations in Australia.
Baw Baw Shire's growth was the 10th highest nationally, and third highest in Victoria.
Cr Leaney said the peri-urban councils did not get the same level of government support as the growth suburbs and needed a plan and funding as a matter of urgency.
"The financial capacity of local governments to invest in enabling infrastructure needs action by the state and federal governments".
The growth is happening now, the longer the gap is let grow the greater the challenge will be tomorrow, Cr Leaney said.
"We are now in a position that the growth suburbs found themselves in a decade ago in regard to land and housing supply and infrastructure provision," he stated.
According to PUCV the population in the five peri-urban shires in Victoria - Baw Baw, Bass Coast, Golden Plains, Moorabool and Surf Coast - will increase by about 27 per cent or 53,700 people by 2036 and almost 20,000 new homes will be built in the next few years in Warragul and Drouin alone.
Priorities listed in a recent report by PUCV to the state and federal governments included funding for transport, tourism and liveability infrastructure, digital connectivity and planning and land use.