Gympie, Australia

Capital City

With a population of just 19,435, Gympie is a sleepy regional town where the quiet life comes with trade-offs. Flooding is a persistent headache, with the Mary River regularly bursting its banks and causing inundations. The irregular streetplan, legacy of the 1867 gold rush, is a bureaucratic nightmare. Yet the city retains a certain rustic charm, with Victorian architecture, heritage-listed sites, and a thriving tourism industry centered around the annual Music Muster. For those seeking an affordable, laidback alternative to the big cities, Gympie may be worth considering - but be prepared to deal with the occasional natural disaster.