They come from around the world. Which migrants are choosing Brisbane over Sydney and Melbourne?

April 10, 2026 — 5:00am

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Ask Joel McPhee why he moved to Brisbane and he replies bluntly: “Money and weather.”

But it’s more than that.

McPhee, 40, left his family’s farm in Invercargill on New Zealand’s South Island for the capital of the Sunshine State 18 years ago.

“As much as I liked the sports side of Melbourne, and the music and the culture … I hated how busy it was, and with the weather you may as well be in New Zealand. And then Sydney is just terrifyingly busy,” McPhee says.

“Brisbane is way more chilled … that’s what resonated with us.”

South-east Queensland is a magnet for New Zealanders moving across the ditch, chasing the sun and higher wages.

“We have fallen in love with Brisbane,” McPhee says.

“Queensland winters are to die for. It’s beautiful during the day. Obviously, the summer is pretty horrendous with the heat and humidity, but we still love it.”

More than 4 per cent of people in Brisbane were born in New Zealand – the most common country of birth after Australia.

In Sydney, the most common overseas country of birth is China. In Melbourne, it’s India.

“Everyone else in Australia teases Brisbane about being behind the times, or slow, and having that country, rural feel to it,” McPhee says.

“But that’s exactly what makes Brisbane better for Kiwis, because that’s what we’re used to.”

Despite its differences from other east-coast capitals, the latest census data confirms Brisbane is a multicultural, migrant city. Nearly 32 per cent of Brisbane’s residents were born overseas.

“Brisbane’s very different from what it was in the ’90s,” says University of Queensland population and migration expert Dr Elin........

© Brisbane Times