Patterns, drivers and implications of demographic change in rural landscapes

The movement of people to reside in new locations ' a key aspect of demographic change ' is a phenomenon Australia shares with the rest of the world. While most of Australia's population lives in an urban environment, the dimensions of demographic change are more complex than a steady leakage of rural people to the cities. There is a simultaneous migration of rural people to other rural and regional areas, and urban people to new coastal, rural and regional areas to fulfil the apparent opportunities of a better life. In many respects, the appeal and limitation of rural areas is temporally, socially and spatially specific. This chapter provides an overview of the principal patterns, drivers and implications of demographic change for rural communities and landscapes. While drawing on international experiences, this chapter is framed by the Australian context and outlines the more substantive discussion that follows in subsequent chapters.