When you think of Newcastle, what comes to mind? For most people, it’s surf, steel and sport. Not agencies. A working port town with an honest day’s work at its core.
But that perception is decades out of date.
The Great Migration: A Permanent Cultural Shift
The data confirms what many have felt for years: the migration away from the capitals isn’t a pandemic blip, it’s a long-term cultural shift.
According to the Regional Movers Index — a quarterly report by the Regional Australia Institute and the Commonwealth Bank — migration from capital cities to regional areas surged 16 per cent above pre-COVID averages in 2024.
That same year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded a net loss of 35,000 people from capital cities to regional Australia, the highest level outside the pandemic boom. Sydney alone accounted for the country’s most significant internal migration loss.
And where are many of those people going? To the Hunter. The Regional Movers Index lists Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Cessnock among NSW’s top destinations for Sydney leavers. Which means the talent, experience and ambition that once lived exclusively inside the M2 is now finding new postcodes, and Newcastle is right at the centre of it. The data confirms what many have felt for years: the migration away from the capitals isn’t a pandemic blip, it’s a long-term cultural shift.
The Creative Multiplier Effect
The numbers prove the population is shifting, but how does a change in postcode translate to a creative boom? It’s a kind of Creative Multiplier Effect, where the region gains both the demand and the supply simultaneously.
The arrival of thousands of experienced professionals and their families fuels a broader economic uplift, creating new opportunities across industries and accelerating demand for sophisticated creative services. At the same time, the talent to meet that demand is already here. Seasoned art directors, writers, strategists and producers who bring global experience, fresh networks and new ways of thinking.
With hybrid work now the norm and clients less bound by postcodes, creativity is no longer confined to city centres. Brands are increasingly turning to regional partners who offer the same strategic depth and craft excellence, paired with agility, accessibility and genuine connection to their audiences.
And because many people make the move north in search of balance and perspective, the work they produce reflects those same values. It’s strategic but grounded. Ambitious but human. Confident without the noise.
My Move North & The Creative Space
I know because I’m one of them.
In 2024, life nudged me north. After losing both my parents, I moved into their home in the Port Stephens area and, unexpectedly, found myself exactly where I was meant to be.
I’d spent much of my career working in Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, London, Singapore and Shanghai. After returning from Asia, I lived in Sydney for nearly 8 years before moving north.
What I thought might be a pause became a pivot. The slower rhythm, the connection to community, the sense of space – it reignited something that’s becoming increasingly rare in major metropolitan centres: creative space. This space isn’t just personal; it’s a strategic asset. It’s where ideas settle, sharpen, and start to mean something again, allowing us to deliver clarity that cuts through metropolitan clutter.
The Newcastle Way: Honesty as Strategy
That same grounded energy shapes the region’s creative culture. The people here are real, unaffected and proudly practical. But they’re also deeply connected to the region’s rich history and vibrant arts scene. In this environment, work is stripped of vanity projects and over-engineering; it’s about relatable human stories and brilliant, simple ideas that cut through the noise.
It’s not that regional creatives care more about people; it’s that we’re closer to the audiences we’re creating for. The feedback loops are shorter. The collaboration feels more direct. That proximity gives the work an honesty that’s hard to fake.
The talent here isn’t just relocating; it’s re-imagining what a creative career can look like. Many of the city’s most accomplished professionals are multi-hyphenates – senior art directors who run thriving street-art practices, copywriters who publish novels, strategists who design furniture. That diversity keeps the industry inventive, entrepreneurial and refreshingly ego-free.
Newcastle’s creative industry is hitting its stride because it’s solved the industry’s central problem: balancing high-calibre output with sustainable, inspiring life. This is what we call the ‘Newcastle Model’. It’s a structure that creates three definitive advantages that benefit everyone.
The Three Core Advantages of The Newcastle Model
1. The Talent Advantage
For creatives, Newcastle offers breathing room without compromise. You can work at the highest level yet still live a life that fuels the work rather than consumes it. The city’s scale makes collaboration natural and opportunity visible, meaning junior talent gets direct access to senior expertise. The result is a workforce that is more present, more focused, and less burned out, leading directly to better, more sustainable creative output.
2. The Client Advantage
For the Sydney-based marketer, the proposition is compelling: It is the most efficient path to senior talent and an authentic regional connection. The city’s lower operational overhead translates directly into extraordinary cost-effectiveness, delivering high-calibre, globally experienced strategists at a superior value, ensuring a more substantial return on marketing investment (ROI). Furthermore, the flat, agile structure means the decision-makers are on the account from day one, speeding up projects and ensuring unfiltered strategic consistency.
3. The Regional Dividend
For the region, it’s a reputation dividend. Every campaign, film, and brand built here signals that world-class creativity can thrive outside the capitals, attracting new industries, talent, and investment in the process. This shift proves that the real advantage of Newcastle isn’t about cost or convenience; it’s about creative integrity grounded in a powerful sense of purpose.
What It All Adds Up To
Newcastle isn’t just keeping pace with the industry’s future; it’s helping to shape it. The city is large enough to attract global experience, yet small enough to stay fiercely connected to the people, industries, and landscapes that make regional Australia tick.
From the grit of its past to the creative gold of its present, a new chapter of Australian advertising is being written here, fuelled by perspective, balance, and a powerful sense of purpose.
Out of the Square is Region Ready. We are part of the creative momentum transforming the Hunter, but our vision is national. We’ve built our reputation by combining local insight (because we are the regional audience) with global, top-tier experience to help brands grow where it matters most.
Postcodes don’t define the future of creativity; it’s defined by purpose. And that’s something this region has in abundance.
Julie Matthews is Creative Director at Out of the Square. Please read the sign taped to her chair that says “Don’t talk to me about films or I’ll be yapping and will not get my work done. Thank you”.
Reference Links:
Monocle Small Cities Index Ranking Monocle Magazine, Small Cities Index 2024. (Note: The full article is paywalled, but the ranking announcement is public.)
Regional Movers Index (16% Surge) Regional Movers Index, Quarterly Reports (Regional Australia Institute and Commonwealth Bank).
Net Loss of 35,000 from Capital Cities Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Regional Population, 2023-24 financial year (or most recent release covering this migration trend).
Top Hunter Destinations for Sydney Leavers Regional Movers Index, Quarterly Reports (Regional Australia Institute and Commonwealth Bank)
