過去十多年來，澳洲的華人移民數量快速增加，並集中在雪梨、布里斯本和墨爾本等三大都市。八十年代後期，台灣移民在澳洲的華人移民中，開始佔有相當高的比率，也增加了文化多樣性。由於移入者在政治、經濟及文化背景上的不同，使其在澳洲的生活適應及對移入地的衝擊有所差異。如果對這些移民作深入的研究，不論對於移民本身、移出國或是澳洲政府而言都具重要的價值。在許多華人移民的議題中，對於分布與遷移的研究泰半只有初步的了解。本研究則針對雪梨和布里斯本兩個都市之台灣移民的分佈及居住遷徙做進一步探討。主要透過文獻回顧，統計資料分析和深入訪談的方法，系統性的針對台灣移民選擇居住地的因素及決策過程進行探討，並盡量以社會地理學「局內人」的觀點，架構居住地改變和選擇的邏輯來思考整個遷徙過程的機制。在統計資料分析中得知，台灣移民的居住地分布以布里斯本較為集中，而雪梨較分散。其住屋的主要型態以獨棟獨戶最普遍，且以三房與四房為多。在居住地選擇上，雪梨台灣移民偏好北雪梨地區，而布里斯本的台灣移民則較喜歡住在南面的Sunnybank附近的地區。訪談結果發現，隨著時間的改變，作遷徙決策時所考量的因子也會改變。剛到澳洲時，選擇居住地的因子主要會考量親友意見；在預算、子女教育和離工作地點遠近等因素下，會在親友住所鄰近區域尋找房子。一般而言，他們比較喜歡住新房子，而且對於他們所選擇的居住地都表示滿意。隨著經驗的累積及對周遭環境的熟悉，個別差異性開始凸顯，每個人對居住地的選擇會有不同的考量與分析。他們會因為生命週期的改變，或房地產的漲跌而更換房子，而且多數人不要游泳池與大庭院。在遷居上，有向都市公寓型房子搬遷的趨勢。其實，台灣移民的居住地選擇和決策過程，和澳洲其他華人及海外移民(overseas­born)是有異同的，值得做進一步的研究。

There has been a significant increase of Chinese immigrants in Australia in the last few decades, who spatially tend to concentrate in large cities. Since the 1980s, the increase of Taiwanese migrants has contributed significantly to the cultural diversity of Australia. Their geographic concentration and high rate of home ownership have noticeably impacted the cultural landscape of the large cities. This study examines the distribution and residential mobility of recent Taiwanese migrants in terms of residential choice for first and subsequent moves through the use of Census data and in-depth interviews in Sydney and Brisbane. While Taiwanese migrants in Sydney favored the northern part of Sydney, especial1y the Ku-ring-gai, Homsby, Baulkham Hills and Willoughby Statistical Local Areas, those in Brisbane favored the south such as Robertson, Macgregar, Eight Mile Plains, Sunnybank Hills, and Stretton. In general, the migrants preferred new houses that are dominated by three- and four- bedroom units and that tended to give them a high level of satisfaction. The factors considered in their locational choice included income and housing budget, children's education, proximity to work and shops, and friend's opinions. Over time, the reasons for residential choice changed, reflecting individual preferences and experiences, apart from such main reasons of change as life-cycles and fluctuating housing prices. Gradually, there appeared a lower preference for houses with swimming pools and gardens, as migrants relocate to different houses.