Mildura's growing population coming from a range of sources; Herron Todd White

Mildura’s official population growth - estimated to be approximately one percent per annum - appears to come from a variety of sources, according to a recent report from valuation firm Herron Todd White.

“There has always been a steady migration of people from surrounding towns and rural areas to Mildura, attracted by work opportunities and the amenities that our relatively large regional centre provides,” the March report found.

“Most of the people moving to Mildura do so with the intention of buying a house and this has contributed to strong demand for better quality family homes in the $350,000 to $500,000 price bracket. The growth in this segment has been reflected by strong demand for land in new subdivisions, which we expect will continue.”

The report also found, however, that there are a significant number of retirees moving to Mildura, which when combined with a general increase in life expectancy is contributing to an ageing population.

“Older buyers tend to be attracted to modern homes on smaller land parcels, which has contributed to a rise in the number of smaller townhouse type developments closer to the CBD.”

“The houses they replace were usually old and poorly designed and so this rejuvenation has been viewed positively.”

Over the past ten years, there has been a rapid expansion in the area of labour-intensive horticultural crops grown in the Mildura region, particularly table grapes.

This growth has drawn a large number of casual workers who then find accommodation wherever they can, contributing to a shortage of cheaper rental accommodation options.

“Accessing loans to buy homes will not be an option for many of these seasonal workers, who are then reliant on being able to access affordable rental properties,” the report concluded.