Towns in regional Australia are running out of people, with recent data showing big reductions in regional populations over the last ten years.

Regional towns are struggling to retain residents, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing towns like Walgett and Bourke have lost more than 10 per cent of their population over the last decade.

CEO of the Regional Australia Institute Dr Kim Houghton tells Merrick Watts a lack of young people is a huge part of the issue.

“Most regional communities have got a bit of a gap in the number of folks that are 15 to 25. We’re trying to find the hot spots at the moment as to where millennials like to go outside the cities.”

Walgett farmer Jamie Warden says the lack of water and jobs is driving people away.

“I just hope that in the coming years that we can get some major infrastructure into this area out here and people will come out here and live.”

Click PLAY below to hear the two interviews