Why everyone is moving to Queensland

When choosing to switch addresses, more Australians land on Queensland's doorstep than any other state or territory.

Noosa Beach on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Noosa Beach on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Source: AAP

Queensland has emerged as Australia's favourite destination for interstate moves, ABS data shows.

Just over 220,000 people switched their addresses to the Sunshine State in the five years preceding the 2016 Census of Population and Housing.

NSW was the second pick with 191,000 people moving there, closely followed by Victoria with 175,000 newcomers since 2011.
The data, released on Monday, reveals Queensland was the most common destination for people leaving NSW and the Northern Territory, while people leaving South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania most commonly chose Victoria.

But for those moving from overseas, NSW trumped Queensland with double the number of immigrants.

More than 136,000 people moved to NSW in the year leading up to census night, while 67,000 overseas immigrants landed in Queensland.
Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast, Qld. Aerial view of Novotel Twin Waters.
Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast, Qld. Aerial view of Novotel Twin Waters. Source: NOVOTEL
Victoria (15,000 immigrants) was the second most popular choice.

Census Program Manager Bindi Kindermann says the statistics showed overseas migration was a key factor in population growth for the two states.

"It is also really important information when it comes to planning for infrastructure and communities," she said.

The 2016 Census also showed the most popular method to get to work was to drive.
General view of traffic on the Warringah freeway in Sydney, Wednesday, May 6, 2015.
General view of traffic on the Warringah freeway in Sydney, Wednesday, May 6, 2015. Source: AAP
More than 6.5 million people drive to work and 490,000 join them as passengers.

Close to half a million people only catch a train, which was up from nearly 400,000 in 2011.

The Census revealed more people walk to work (370,000) than catch a bus (323,000) as a single-method of transport.

Out of the capital cities, Sydneysiders were significant users of public transport, with one in five single-method trips either by train, bus, tram or ferry.

Residents of Melbourne were second most likely to catch public transport (13.4 per cent), followed by Brisbane (10.5 per cent).

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