The coastal region of South Africa is seeing many people fleeing the cities

South Australia’s holiday destination is one of the top five places in Australia that attracts out-of-towners to call home.

South Africa’s Copper Coast council area, which includes Moonta, Wallaroo and Kadina, was named in Commbank’s new Regional Movers Index report, which looks at the number of people moving in and out of Australia’s sprawling regions in the December quarter.

According to the report, the number of people in the Copper Coast council increased by 128.1 per cent in the past 12 months – the fifth biggest increase in the country – due to migration.

The data captures movements from all major cities, not those from interstates, so Adelaide movers looking for their slice of coastal life are also captured in the data.

Greg Smith of the Ray White Yorke Peninsula Moonta office said the Copper Coast had been attracting attention in recent years, with Moonta, Wallaroo and Kadina being the jewels in its crown.

“There’s been a bit of growth over the years and there’s a lot that keeps people here smart and that’s why they stay,” he said.

“I’ve lived here for 35 years and I’ve seen Moonta in particular move from village to village – its popularity is growing exponentially.

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“People are realizing that the Copper Coast is a great place and they are not starting to see it as a place to go on holiday but a place where they can live full time, especially as people can now work from home.

“There have been quite a few people moving here from Adelaide because they see the value they can get here, and it’s only an hour and a half to two hours from Adelaide.

“It’s an easy drive here, it has a nice Mediterranean climate and it’s easy to get out on the water here, compared to down south.”

According to the report, the number of people who were looking for district houses is more than those who want to leave them.

“Throughout the December 2025 quarter, the number of metropolitan residents moving to regional Australia was 31 per cent higher than those moving in from another direction,” the report reads.

“Migration from the capital accounted for 11.6 percent of all internal migration – the second highest rate on record since 2022 – underscoring the strength of the overall number of migrants between states and regions.”

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When it comes to regional to regional migration – those regional areas that have seen an increase in the number of people already living in other rural communities – Victor Harbor is ranked third in Commbank’s top five list, with a population increase of 213.6 per cent.

OC Real Estate’s Kathleen Fry said there is a lot to offer in this area – and buyers are taking notice.

“A lot of people are moving here to live here permanently and not just to buy holiday homes,” Ms Fry said.

Victor Harbor from the air.

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“We’ve had a lot of young families move here from Adelaide and central because prices are still more affordable than Adelaide and central.

“There are also many people who move here from other areas of the region because they see that the areas near the coast will continue to be expensive in the future.

“We can’t continue to provide it, because it seems that everyone wants it.”