PerthNow reported on 23 September 2025 that Muval’s internal-movement data ranked the Bunbury region second nationally for relocation interest, behind South Australia’s south-east region. That ranking may point to new workers and customers, but it does not show that Bunbury’s central business district (CBD) is filling its empty shopfronts or that migration is driving retail recovery.
What the relocation ranking says—and what it does not
According to PerthNow’s account of Muval data, Bunbury’s inbound-to-outbound mover ratio was 1.55, compared with 1.59 for South Australia’s south-east region, which ranked first. PerthNow described Bunbury’s figure as roughly three people moving in for every two moving out. These are reported ratios, not headcounts, population-growth rates or measures of the number of new residents who stayed.
The report does not provide the underlying Muval dataset, its methodology or the period measured. It also gives no CBD vacancy count or evidence that relocation interest caused local businesses to grow. The ranking should therefore be read as a reported signal of relative moving activity, not proof of total population growth or a CBD recovery. PerthNow’s report is the source for the ranking and the figures.
How newcomers could help local businesses
More residents could mean more demand for local goods and services. Professor Mike Dockery of the Bankwest-Curtin Economics Centre told PerthNow that additional demand could support smaller-town services and business growth. That is a potential benefit he identified, not a measured outcome of Bunbury’s reported mover ratio.
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For CBD retailers, the key question is whether new residents become customers in the city centre. A higher number of arrivals across a region does not establish where those people shop, whether they work nearby, or whether their spending is enough to sustain vacant premises.
Why empty CBD shopfronts may persist
Sean McKeown, CEO of the Bunbury-Geographe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, pointed to online retail and the concentration of retailers in shopping centres as possible contributors to empty CBD shops. He told PerthNow: “There is a lot more online retailing now, and arguably, there is a little bit more of a concentration of retailers in shopping centres,”
The report does not quantify how much either factor contributes to vacancies. They are explanations offered by McKeown, not findings from a vacancy study. The available reporting also does not establish how many shopfronts are empty or whether the number is rising or falling.
What local voices say could improve the retail offer
City of Bunbury councillor and businesswoman Cheryl Kozisek argued that a more compelling retail experience could help. As quoted by PerthNow, she said: “Online shopping I believe has been the biggest cause, but I do believe that this trend can be reversed if the right retail shopping experience is provided,” She also suggested more support for boutique retail and fair short-term leases to encourage CBD businesses.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThese are proposals, not confirmed City policy or interventions shown to work in Bunbury. PerthNow did not compare their costs, feasibility or effectiveness. City CEO Alan Ferris welcomed the relocation ranking and described Bunbury’s coastal lifestyle and regional-centre appeal; the report said he did not respond to queries about empty shopfronts or possible solutions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What residents and business owners can reasonably conclude
- The reported ranking suggests Bunbury attracted relatively strong relocation interest in the Muval data cited by PerthNow.
- More residents could broaden the local customer and worker base, but the report does not show that they are filling CBD premises.
- Online shopping, shopping-centre concentration and the quality of the CBD retail experience are among the explanations and responses raised by local voices; their impact has not been measured in the report.
To judge whether the CBD is improving, readers would need evidence beyond mover ratios—such as a dated vacancy count, changes in occupancy over time, and information on whether new businesses are opening and remaining in the city centre.
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