TONY EASTLEY: Migrants coming to Australia are more often than not attracted to the cities because they offer the most jobs and services.
But a report, looking at the experiences of nearly 1,000 migrants living outside Australia's capital cities, has found most are happy with the slower pace of life.
Some are re-energising rural towns. Others, who have fled conflict zones love the peace and quiet.
The report authors want the Australian Government to step up its overseas promotion of Australia's regional towns.
Dijana Damjanovic reports.
DIJANA DAMJANOVIC: Inside a regional South Australian classroom, new migrants are preparing for today's English lesson.
Noung Yow Pak is a student. She's found time to come in while running a Murray Cod fish farm with her husband.
The pair moved to South Australia's Riverland from Thailand less than a year ago.
NUONG YOW PAK: I like to work my own business, you know, we don't have to work outside. I like to work with my husband.
DIJANA DAMJANOVIC: The classroom's English tutor is Ruth Tucker.
RUTH TUCKER: The women are very busy, and yet they make time to go to class. The men work all day and then they go to class. This isn't easy. They've got to be keen to do it.
DIJANA DAMJANOVIC: A new report funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and published by Charles Sturt University has found that new immigrants are re-invigorating small towns across Australia.
The report's results were based on in-depth interviews and surveys with close to 1,000 immigrants living in regional areas.
It found two thirds are still living in the towns they first chose to move to.
While 75 per cent would encourage their family and friends to move to the same place.
Branka Krivokapic-Stocko is the author of the report and says the results of the study show regional Australia is benefiting from growing migrant population.
BRANKA KRIVOKAPIC-STOCKO: That kind of settlement patterns that 80 per cent of people would stay after five years, you are really achieving some results there.
DIJANA DAMJANOVIC: The report found being in a regional setting has unique benefits for immigrants.
Branka Krivokapic-Stocko.
BRANKA KRIVOKAPIC-STOCKO: It really can improve the healing process for those immigrants who have been through so much trauma. So farming the land, working together with others can have really significant positive effects.
BRANKA KRIVOKAPIC-STOCKO: Jian is from China and moved to regional South Australia from Adelaide.
For her, the region's biggest drawcard is clean air and an abundance of fruit.
JIAN: I like this very clean sky.
DIJANA DAMJANOVIC: Bradley Gallard is the Manager of the Mirage orange farm in the Riverland.
A few years ago, he hired a group of Afghan migrants to work on his block.
BRADLEY GALLARD: Even if you don't have an English speaking background, you can work in our industry. So, they certainly get the work done, they're quick, they're reliable.
DIJANA DAMJANOVIC: Report author Branka Krivokapic-Stocko believes her research makes a case for the promotion of regional refugee settlement.
She's now calling on the Federal Government to do more to attract even more migrants to Australia's regional areas.
BRANKA KRIVOKAPIC-STOCKO: They have to increase the profile of regional Australia over there.
I think many things will start from there. Because if you go to the many immigration centres, people see there's a strong focus on lifestyle in Sydney and Melbourne, this kind of things.
Regional Australia is not there and we believe it should be.
DIJANA DAMJANOVIC: As for English students like Lida, far from the war-torn and poverty-stricken lands they fled, the future is here and it's bright.
LIDA: Learning English is sometime worker, is okay, we are very lucky.
TONY EASTLEY: Immigrant Lida ending Dijana Damjanovic's report.
Migrants coming to Australia are more often than not attracted to the cities because they offer the most jobs and services. But a report looking at the experiences of nearly 1,000 migrants living outside Australia's capital cities, has found most are happy with the slower pace of life.