For Treechangers: The page is intended for Australians looking for opportunities to move to the country.
For Treechangees: Are you a community or individual actively seeking people to move to your district? Please send in some information, preferably a brief summary and a link to the relevant website that can be posted here.
Are you a rural/regional community in Australia organising a scheme to attract new residents, or do you know of one that is currently accepting applications?
Notes:
19th May 2013: An update (sort of)
Should anyone visiting this page think it has been abandoned (given the length of time since the last post), a quick note to say that there simply hasn't been anything worth reporting on that the author is aware of. Australia's property bubble has lasted longer than most rational commentators anticipated, but with the mining boom now ending, things might start to get "interesting". Stay tuned!.
Anyone interested in this topic may be interested in bookmarking the Australia's Housing Bubble section of The Bubble Bubble website, which looks at economic bubbles around the world.
11th May 2012: Another Richmond land deal a possibility?
According to a report by the ABC dated March 27, 2012, the Queensland shire of Richmond are considering offering more blocks of land for $1, like they did in 2008: Outback council may sell land for $1.
9th May 2012: More cheap rents
Here's a scheme which appear to be active at the time of writing:
Rentafarmhouse Originally based in Cumnock, NSW, this scheme is now expanding into other towns. The websites offers updates via email, for anyone interested in subscribing.
Like the Trundle scheme, these towns appear primarily concerned with attracting families with schoolage children. While this is understandable, there are surely lots of singles or empty-nesters with skills who would be happy to occupy empty cottages, flats, caravans, empty motels etc. and make a contribution to your community. How about it?
7th May 2012: If the price is right
"Country Town Rescue" on ABC TV has finished - so what did you think? (See also Country Town Rescue Facebook group)
One thing the show demonstrated is that people will move to such places if the incentives are adequate. Trundle had something to offer that it didn't need (empty homes), but was greatly desired by others. The only difference between Trundle and a lot of other towns is that Trundle actually made the offer.
It's not even as if the homes were given away. Although owners may have paid for materials, the renters ultimately increased the value of the properties directly through free renovation services, and indirectly through improving the viability of the town overall.
If country towns can't fill their empty shops and houses, perphaps they need to read just their perceptions about what those properties are truely "worth".
3rd May 2012: Lessons of History
The opportunity for enterprising people to gain access to free or cheap land in the past played a part in the creation of modern Australia. Some historical examples:
Certainly, there were some problems, but without such incentives helping to establish our pastoral and agricultural sectors, would these industries be making the contribution to the Australian economy (and world food supply) that they are today? Why wouldn't a similar approach be taken to the revitalisation of the bush work now?
26th April 2012: Treechanger/Treechangee goes online
As a potential treechanger frustrated by the lack of information about opportunites to move to the country, yet hearing about depopulation worries from the bush, it seemed there was a need for something like this that wasn't being met elsewhere. If there's enough interest, it might get moved to a "proper" website or blog in the future. Besides your tip-offs about new schemes, general comments and suggestions are also welcome. I'm also the publisher and editor of queenslandgardening.com and calyx.com.au
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CURRENT SCHEMES
These were current at the time of writing, but check the websites directly for most up-to-date information.
» If you just need some extra space nearby to garden (or have some spare land to offer), you might like to investigate Landshare Australia
If you know of any other current initiatives, please send in your links
PAST SCHEMES
These might give communities some ideas for organising their own schemes:
» Wirrulla Wants a Wife
More to come in future updates
OTHER INFORMATION
If you're interested in the issue of real estate in Australia more broadly, you may find the following illuminating:
MacroBusiness Covers various economic topics including property market.
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