Single Aussies, particularly young ones, are massively broadening their horizons in their search of The One. Back in the day, the only people you’d be able to fall in love with would be those you’d run into in your local area.
Modern dating apps have gone a long way in connecting singles with each other, but even then, those yearning for a relationship can be left feeling like the dating pool is still tiny. That’s exactly how 21-year-old Claudia MacDonald felt before she met her boyfriend.
The 21-year-old told Yahoo Lifestyle that even though her city was fairly big, it was still tough to find love.
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“The dating scene on the Gold Coast can sometimes feel impossible,” she said.
“I was single for seven months before I met Jacko and I think for many, it can start to feel like you’re constantly running into the same people or patterns and need a change of scenery for a fresh perspective.”
Research from Tourism New Zealand found three in five Aussie singles are open to travelling overseas to meet a romantic partner.
Gen Z is the most willing to jump on this trend, with nine in 10 singles up for finding love in somewhere that’s not Australia.
And they’re prepared to go far, with the most popular places Aussies would be looking for a connection being the UK (a casual 17,000km away), New Zealand, and Canada.
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The more than 2,000km gap between these two love birds
She met her boyfriend while she was on a holiday in New Zealand last year.
They first crossed paths with Jacko at a party before a music festival and “immediately” clicked.
She ended up spending every day with him during her 10-day holiday.
“By the time it was over, I didn’t want to leave,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle.
Even though she had to head back to the Gold Coast, they kept in touch and less than five months later, she was back on a flight across the Tasman to move her whole life over to Auckland.
“I felt a strong need to follow my heart. I realised that following my heart meant taking that big leap and building a new life,” she added.
“Love finds you when you’re least looking for it.”
Why you should consider broadening your horizons
Claudia has been loving life ever since she took the plunge and moved to New Zealand.
She urged other single Aussies to follow in her footsteps if they’re sick of going on the same dates with the same people.
“Switch it up and travel to a new country with an open mind, especially if the Aussie dating scene feels a bit brutal,” Claudia said.
“When you’ve explored your usual circles and still haven’t found a deep connection, it can definitely make you search for something new.
“For me, that feeling was a huge part of what made me so open to embracing a new adventure and finding that incredible, once-in-a-lifetime spark elsewhere.
Claudia never thought in a million years she would give a person from overseas a chance, but she followed her heart and is so happy she did. Source: Instagram/Claudia McDonald
How far are Aussies willing to go for love?
Falling in love with someone on a trip isn’t necessarily new and people have been doing it for decades, but it’s usually been something that’s happened by chance encounters.
Many will also pull themselves out of the haze of a holiday romance, or not even allow themselves to fall into it in the first place, because of how difficult it would be to make it work long-term.
But the tide is turning.
People are now opening the dating apps when they land, organising first-meets, finding connections, and opening themselves up to the idea that they could make something work.
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But if you want to stick to Australia to find The One, be warned of how far you cast the net.
New research from insurance provider Youi has revealed how far people are willing to drive for a first date.
Nearly half (41 per cent) said they wouldn’t go further than an hour’s drive to meet someone, while 35 per cent capped out at 30 minutes.
But there are some willing to go the distance, with 10 per cent saying they would travel more than two hours for a first date.
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