Tasmania adds 4079 people, North-West defies gloomy predictions

The growth, including a net 1338 people in the March quarter, took state population to a record 571,165, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

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Demographer and Burnie mayoral candidate Amina Keygan said the North-West had seen regionally dispersed growth in the last few years "despite Treasury population projections that predicted declines for much of the region, including Burnie".

"As populations continue to disperse, it is likely that we will continue to see continued growth in regional areas, such as Burnie."

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Dr Keygan said that needed to be managed adequately as some of the regional areas had more rapidly ageing populations.

" For example, recently, Latrobe has experienced significant growth rates and some of the fastest in the state," she said.

"However, a significant proportion of their population growth has been in the older cohorts, which requires different strategic responses than it would were it driven primarily by natural increase (more births).

"It has also driven structural population ageing in that municipality, such that close to 27 per cent of their population is now aged 65 years and above.

"Burnie has a median population age of 39.8 years, the youngest in the Cradle Coast region.

"Latrobe has a median population age of 48.7 years."

Dr Keygan said Burnie's population had experienced ebbs and flows over the previous decade and had returned to positive growth in recent years.

"Over the past three years, the city has increased its population by close to 350 and I would expect, given the development we see around Burnie, that this trajectory will continue," she said.

"The key is making sure that Burnie continues to attract cohorts who are engaged in employment and educational opportunities that are available here, while maintaining the balance of providing services that address our structural population ageing that will continue into the future."

National population grew by 0.9 per cent to 25.89 million during the year.

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Tasmania's growth rate was mid-table at 0.7 per cent.

Tasmania's population growth came despite it losing 413 more residents to the mainland than it gained from the mainland.

Its 5860 births exceeded the 4910 deaths by 950.

The state also gained on net overseas migration, adding an estimated 4404 overseas arrivals and losing 1886 people in the opposite direction.

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Australia had 130,200 more births than deaths during the year and gained a net 109,600 people from overseas, taking population to 25.89 million.

Growth from overseas had recovered significantly since its crash early in the pandemic, as had overall national population growth.

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