There's a rule of thumb in real estate - if your place has shot up in value - the once cheaper alternatives ain't so cheap anymore either... Price of houses and apartments suburban Melbourne have sky-rocketed - median is around $1 million now. Homes in country areas, once a much cheaper alternative, have risen exponentially as budget-minded buyers have been forced to 'look out of town' for somewhere more affordable.
Mr. and Mrs. Public have more chance of getting back into Oz from overseas, than trying to get into Queensland or Western Australia from New South Wales or Victoria. Double-vaxed and Covid free tests make no difference. If you come from Vic or NSW, forget it