No, we haven’t collectively taken up a new exercise regime… New official states show that almost 500,000 people moved state/territory in 2021. That’s a 20% increase on the previous record set in 2002. NSW was the biggest loser, shedding 54,500 residents (net) during 2020-2021. Over the last couple of years, almost 45,000 New South Welshpeople have moved to Queensland. The Sunshine State also did well out of Victoria… It suffered its biggest loss of residents since the recession of the early 1990s, losing 31,700 residents (net) to other parts of the country, including NSW. “It’s not surprising that the states most impacted by lockdowns during the COVID period have seen the most intense and historically significant movements to other states in Australia,” demographer Dr Liz Allen said.