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The regional move is popular for Gen Zs, but it comes with a major health risk
Ballarat Foundation says 28% of local young people feel lonely most of the time as regional towns struggle to keep new arrivals connected.
- In Ballarat, 28 per cent of young people feel lonely "all or most of the time," according to the Ballarat Foundation's 2025 report—9 percentage points higher than the state average.
- Headspace Ballarat clinical lead Chris Jackson attributes the isolation to limited social diversity, saying "Basically there's not enough social relationships either in quantity or quality."
- Community Impact Manager at Ballarat Foundation Nina Fitzsimons warns that chronic loneliness for those aged 18 to 24 carries health risks equivalent to "smoking 15 cigarettes a day."
- Peer worker Bridie Hull facilitates NeuroSpace, a group for neurodiverse youth aged 18 to 25, where she acts as a "community matchmaker" helping young people "nerd out."
- Fitzsimons argues authorities should abandon top-down planning, instead asking Gen Z what they need to "co-build something that would work" for their social connection.
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53 Articles
53 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources53
Leaning Left41Leaning Right0Center0Last UpdatedBias Distribution100% Left
Bias Distribution
- 100% of the sources lean Left
100% Left
L 100%
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