Lulu, do you really think there has been an exodus or d'you just think the media has coined the phrase treechange and everyone thinks there's been an exodus? I guess I see a difference in the last few months in that so many more people my age and younger seem open to the idea whereas before it used to be people who were semi-retired and who could work from home without having to be based in Melbourne. Feels different.
No, I think there really has. I've been watching this for the past 10 years or so because exH and I were seriously looking back then. The ridiculous BOOM that happened in property back then helped, combined with advertising action by several region towns to attract the "tree-changers" yadda yadda.

There was even a telly show hosted by Michael Caton called The Real Sea/Tree changers (or something similar) that followed several people over about a year to see how they went. That show is a few years old now.

I read back a year or so ago that lots are heading back into to city - something about lack of decent coffee ...that would indicate to me they probably didn't move for the right reasons anyway! Property prices went up out there accordingly...but not TOO badly.

We missed the boat because we wanted it sorted before the kids got to High School, and I can't go now because I can't take Dad with me...and I love DS's school so much and I just know I won't find one with the same philosophies in the country , but I'm lucky enough that the school is a mini farm so it's a little bit of country anyway

I might have another chance before the little ones go to secondary school.