More and more young Aussies are pulling up stumps and leaving our crowded cities for the restorative power of life in regional Australia.
Here’s the top five reasons why:
Our ears are the only sensory organ that never switches off. Our brains are always processing sound around us even when we are asleep. Studies have shown this has a cumulative negative effect on our health leading to a range of illnesses from healing loss to heart disease. In Europe alone it has been calculated that each year at least 1,000,000 healthy years of life are lost in a population of 750 million people. It seems hard to believe but given the insidious nature of noise pollution, day and night, its negative impact adds up over time.
Making the shift away from our urban centres means far less exposure to the environmental noise of modern life. This allows for higher quality and unbroken sleep which forms the foundation of good health.
Air quality in Australia’s major cities is actually pretty good when compared to other cities around the world. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still health risks posed by breathing in pollution each and every day.
In our urban centres the major source of airborne toxins come from motor vehicles. The carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and fine particles they produce pose a serious threat for heart conditions and respiratory disease over the long-term. And while moving to the country significantly lowers our exposure to as many cars and trucks, a tree change does more than just move us away from the source of these pollutants. The trees themselves become our protectors.
Studies have shown that trees remove gases like carbon monoxide from the air via absorption. Their leaves act as filters, locking up pollutants and leaving behind clean air for us to breathe. It’s a double whammy of good fortune where the pollution of fewer vehicles is rapidly absorbed by more trees. Urban Australia has a long way to go to deliver the same air quality regional Australia has right now.
Housing affordability is a source of great stress for young families. International studies have shown a strong link between mental health problems and financial security. And given that a house is the biggest purchase any of us will make in our lifetime, we should be wary of the risk for our mental health. This is where regional Australia offers the perfect solution.
While the cost of housing is in constant flux there have been areas of consistency. For example, the price of a unit in Melbourne remains equivalent to the cost of a 4 bedroom house in Victorian regional towns like Sale and Portland. This means in smaller townships all across regional Australia there are plenty of properties available under $500,000 – an affordable price for young families starting off. And with this major financial stress under control the other benefits that a tree-change has to offer become far more rewarding.
A huge plus that regional Australia has over our major cities is the amount of time spent in traffic. It’s been calculated that tree-change workers spend an average of 90 minutes less time commuting to and from work each week. Combining this with the huge difference in traffic conditions during peak hour, the quicker travel time is also far less taxing. But more importantly for families with young kids is the quality of the extra free time for children.
Studies for all genders have shown regional kids are 50% more likely to prefer active pastimes than inactive, and active kids are healthier kids. Given that 1 in 4 of Australian kids are overweight or obese a move to regional Australia also becomes a sound investment in our children’s longterm health.
There is a deep connection between trees and our mental health. In a recent UK-based survey 45% of people reported that green spaces helped them cope during the pandemic. In fact researchers have found evidence that the quality of our relationship with nature has a direct impact on our health and wellbeing. But being more connected with areas of greater vegetation also comes with responsibilities.
Living close to or in the Australian bush means being aware of bushfires and the huge physiological toll they take. The best course of action is to always evacuate early to avoid the physical and mental stress of fighting a bushfire. But if we live in harmony with our surroundings and learn the best ways to cope and survive then the benefits of a tree-change far outweigh the conveniences of city living.
And after a global pandemic the choice for a tree-change has never been clearer – quality of life is paramount when it comes to your family’s health.
The smartest plan during a bushfire is to automate as much of your home’s defences as possible, allowing you to evacuate to a safer location until the threat is over. With Embarr’s Argus™ Automation you can fully automate your bushfire sprinklers allowing you and your family to leave early.