The projections by Warrnambool population expert Gordon Forth come with the release of new Federal Treasury population estimates which forecast the nation’s population will balloon to 35 million people by 2049.

“The question has got to be asked: do the people in the (Warrnambool) community want a population of 60 or 70,000?” Dr Forth said.

“Because (if the population does increase by that much) you’re going to lose a lot of what Warrnambool currently has.”

Dr Forth is half-way through an extensive study examining Warrnambool’s population, housing, employment, business and “the rise and rise of the professional class”.

Dr Forth backed the revised Federal Treasury estimates released by the National Sea Change Taskforce this week which found seven million more people than previously thought would be living in Australia by 2049.

At least 4.8 million of the additional population would need to live in non-metropolitan coastal areas, the taskforce’s executive director Alan Stokes said.

Regional coastal populations were set to rise from a current level of 6.4 million to 12.2 million by 2049.

“That is the equivalent of adding more than 11 new Gold Coasts to the population of these communities which already have the highest growth rates in Australia,” Mr Stokes said.

Dr Forth said Warrnambool would be a prime location for a population surge.

“Warrnambool should be the one that should take off because it’s got very good amenties . . . and it’s got water and for Victoria, a relatively good climate.”