1990s
Still common
Definition
When an Australian leaves the city behind for a slower, simpler life on the coast.
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Where "Seachange" Comes From
The phrase itself goes back to Shakespeare's "The Tempest," but its modern Australian meaning comes from the beloved 1998 ABC drama "SeaChange," about a lawyer who relocates to a small coastal town.
Demographer Bernard Salt later borrowed the term for his 2001 book "The Big Shift," turning a TV show title into everyday Australian vocabulary for lifestyle migration.
Example Sentence
After twenty years in the city, they finally made the seachange to a little coastal town.
How Aussies Actually Use It
Used for anyone trading city stress for a coastal town — a career change, a downsize, a slower pace of life.
Also spawned the inland equivalent "treechange," for the same move but to the country instead of the coast.
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