More Australians are looking for a home among the gumtrees, possibly with a sheep or two and a kangaroo, but regional areas are under immense strain to live up to that country dream.
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A new Infrastructure Australia report says the inequity between cities and the regions is "deeply pronounced", with rural infrastructure spending set to increase from $6.9 billion in 2019-20 to $15.6 billion in 2022-23.
This boom is sparked by a "regional renaissance" during COVID-19, as changing work conditions drive more people out of the cities, while more regional residents stay put, and fly-in-fly-out workers opt to settle closer to their jobs.
Housing, water security, connectivity, education and access to public transport are the top five infrastructure gaps in country areas, according to the Regional Strengths and Infrastructure Gaps report.
The lack of housing is a serious problem in most regions, including in Tasmania where one-third of renters are experiencing rental stress.
In the NSW Illawarra region, social housing waiting lists are five to 10 years and there's demand for 58,000 new dwellings by 2041.
Better water security is needed in many regions, including in tropical north Queensland and western NSW.
The Cairns council says the fast-growing area could face drinking water shortages by 2026 without additional infrastructure.
In western NSW, inflows to dams in the Macquarie-Castlereagh region could halve by 2070 and the frequency of 10-year droughts is expected to increase.
Connectivity is a particular issue in the Northern Territory, where 10 per cent of the population have no access to mobile coverage.
South Australia's Eyre Peninsula is one of many grappling with healthcare gaps, especially in aged care and disability sectors, with concern for indigenous communities.
In WA, roads and access are vital for the economy, but some communities in the Kimberley are cut off almost every wet season due to flooding on the Great Northern Highway.
Despite the gaps, regional areas bring in 30 per cent of the nation's GDP through industries like mining and agriculture, while there are growing opportunities in healthcare and energy.
The regional groups consulted for the report said nature, ports, research facilities, natural resources, and transport were their top five assets.
Infrastructure Australia's chief of research and policy, Peter Colacino, said the wide variety of issues shows that local communities are best placed to shape their own future.
"We're hoping to empower communities to understand how to grow in the way they're comfortable with and can be sustained," Mr Colacino said.
The Select Committee on Regional Australia on Wednesday handed down 13 recommendations about the future of the regions, including that the federal government create a national development plan.
Committee Chair, Liberal MP Tony Pasin, said it's "imperative" to continually improve the lives of regional Australians.
"At the same time, we need to focus on making regional Australia an attractive place for more Australians to live, work and raise a family."
Australian Associated Press
