One in five Australians are considering moving permanently from the city to the bush.

The research from the Regional Australia Institute shows more than half of those are looking to take the leap within the next year.

Traffic congestion and cost of living are the major factors driving people away from capital cities.

COVID-19 has also impacted on people’s thinking.

“A lot has changed, hasn’t it,” Liz Ritchie, CEO of the Regional Australia Institute, told Ross and Russel.

City residents will be the target of a $4.6 million campaign to speed up the process.

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While many are considering a tree-change to escape the congestion there are worries that regional centres aren’t equipped for such an influx of people.

President of the Farmers Federation Emma Germano says there needs to be more planning done.

“The last thing we want to see is that congestion, those drawbacks from living in Melbourne becoming a problem in the country,” she told Neil Mitchell on 3AW Mornings.

“Decentralization and a higher population in the regions is probably a really great thing for Australia, but we’ve got to make sure that infrastructure’s in place.

“We need to see the government, if this things going to work, commit to investing in the regions.”

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