The four-bedroom home at 1 Douglas Court, Point Lonsdale, is listed for sale with price hopes from $2.8m to $3.08m.
This year’s cream of the crop of beach homes is hitting the market as the Geelong region’s population swells over summer.
From high-end residents that deliver dream home vibes in a coastal locations to traditional fibro beach-style shacks, agents and sellers are lined up to win the hearts and minds of hopeful lifestyle home buyers.
The Surf Coast stretch between the Great Ocean Road towns of Anglesea and Lorne is among the nation’s top premium holiday home markets.
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But the sector is in a state of flux after changes to the state’s land tax regime and a levy aimed at short-stay accommodation providers raised the cost of holding a coastal weekender.
Ray White head of research Vanessa Rader said the recent regulatory changes had also altered investment calculations for people who rent out their holiday homes.
“Victoria’s 7.5 per cent levy on short-stay platform revenue affects four locations in the analysis, while various councils implement rates surcharges for Airbnb properties,” Ms Rader said.
“These measures respond to housing affordability pressures but reduce rental income potential for holiday home investors.
The land tax issue is vexing for holiday home owners.
Many have already chosen to sell, while others turned to short-term holiday rentals to cover the additional government costs.
The view across the beach at Ocean Grove to Barwon Heads Bluff.
But agents are reporting a recovery in the market, as new buyers see value.
Bellarine Property agent Peta Walter said traditional weekender hot spots, such as Barwon Heads, were also attracting more permanent residents from the city, given the ability to work from home part time.
“You’ve got a bit more work-life balance,” Ms Walter said.
“People aren’t in the office all week to think the commute back to the city is quite good from Barwon Heads, too, even if it is a weekender or a holiday house.”
The most expensive stretch of coastline is between Point Lonsdale and Lorne, where median house prices are almost exclusively above $1m – from about $1.2m in Torquay and Point Lonsdale, up to $1.6m in Aireys Inlet and Lorne, and close to $2.3m at Bellbrae, just outside Torquay.
Bellarine Peninsula towns such as Ocean Grove ($950,000), Portarlington ($870,000) and St Leonards ($720,000) are less expensive, due to the larger volume of homes away from the water’s edge.
Bayside original: 291 The Esplanade, Indented Head
The further you drive, the relatively cheaper beach homes become, with median house prices around $850,000 in Apollo Bay and Phillip Island towns.
Great Ocean Road Real Estate Apollo Bay agent Darren Brimacombe said the level of interest in properties slows down above $1m.
“I think it’s just the way the economy is, people aren’t stepping up to the next level unless they’re at the very top end, where our Lorne to Anglesea market is quite strong,” he said.
But Mr Brimacombe said the newly opened West Gate Tunnel could easy the pain of getting to your holiday home, in south-west Victoria at least.
“We’re expecting the market to pick up once the road opens because we’ve really struggled with that Westgate clog over the last five to seven years. It’s had a massive impact,” he said.
“You’re either getting clogged up for a good 40 minutes trying to get out, or you’re coming back late on Sunday.”
With Nicole Mayne
$4,800,000-$5,200,000
Levi Turner, Bellarine Property Barwon Heads
The five-bedroom Hamptons-style house at 37 Margate St, Barwon Heads, is listed for sale with price hopes from $4.8m to $5.2m.
The Hamptons‑inspired home delivers resort‑style living 350m from the Barwon River and cafes. Five upstairs bedrooms and four bathrooms plus a powder room sit above multiple ground‑floor living zones, including a sunken lounge with stone fireplace and gas log fire. The kitchen features Calacatta marble, a 900mm Ilve Majestic oven, an integrated dishwasher and a butler’s pantry. Tasmanian Oak herringbone floors, high ceilings, Somfy electric blinds and a smart security system add comfort. Outdoors, a solar‑heated mineral pool and spa, travertine terrace, DreamCourts half court, hot outdoor shower and a single garage round it out.
$4.8m-$5m
Felix Hakins, RT Edgar Bellarine
107 Orton St, Ocean Grove.
The multi‑level four‑bedroom home sits in a beachside pocket with 180‑degree Bass Strait views from Point Nepean to Barwon Heads Bluff. Floor‑to‑ceiling glazing and a central open‑plan living, dining and kitchen link to a balcony, while a second living retreat and a sheltered rear outdoor area add flexibility. The main suite includes a dressing room and an ensuite with spa bath and dual showers. Features include polished timber floors, ducted heating and cooling, ducted vacuum, a double garage, extra parking and a backyard, steps to the town centre and beaches.
114 Presidents Ave, Ocean Grove
$4.9m
Ben Roberts, Fletchers Queenscliff
114 Presidents Ave, Ocean Grove.
An Auhaus Architecture home spans two levels linked by a DomusLift, 300m from the surf. Full‑height glazing frames coastal and river views to Barwon Heads Bluff, Torquay, Lorne and Geelong. The open‑plan hub has an island kitchen with butler’s pantry, twin ASKS wall ovens, gas and induction cooktop, integrated dishwasher, a gas fireplace and alfresco with outdoor kitchen. A second living zone opens to a self‑cleaning pool. Four bedrooms include a main suite with twin‑vanity ensuite and ground‑floor guest ensuite. Solar, zoned climate control and a double garage complete it.
$4.8m
Trish Goodlet, Goodlife Real Estate, Apollo Bay
The six-bedroom house at 52-54 Banool Rd, Fairhaven, is listed for sale with $4.8m price hopes.
Two doors from the Great Ocean Road’s iconic Pole House, 52-54 Banool Rd, Fairhaven is an ocean‑front holding of about 3138sq m with panoramic views. The six‑bedroom, two‑bathroom home offers multiple living zones beneath cathedral ceilings, with extensive glazing linking light‑filled interiors to the outdoors. Low‑maintenance surrounds frame scope to enhance and tailor the residence and gardens. The address sits about five minutes from Aireys Inlet and 20 minutes from Lorne.
14 Mitchell Grove, Separation Creek
$4m-$4.2m
Marty Maher, Great Ocean Road Properties
14 Mitchell Grove, Separation Creek, is on the market for $4m to $4.2m.
Perched above Separation Creek, the Crosier Scott Architects design built by its master‑builder owner, with more than 1000 tonnes of concrete anchoring sculptural forms to the site at 14 Mitchell Grove. Concrete, Corten steel, Colorbond and Alucobond define a low‑maintenance exterior; inside, burnished concrete floors, solid timber and finely detailed joinery set a calm tone. Hydronic in‑slab heating, premium appliances, integrated technology and a 600‑bottle climate‑controlled wine cellar support daily living. Vast glazing frames coastal and hinterland outlooks. The home won HIA Australian Home of the Year 2024, among multiple accolades.
$3.95m-$4.345m
Jim Cross, McGrath Geelong
6 Adie Lane, Geelong, is on the market for $3.95m to $4.345m.
The recently completed three‑level home just beyond the waterfront pairs a private lift with bay views over Corio Bay. Ground floor offers a flexible fourth bedroom or second living, bathroom, powder room and laundry. Mid-level comprises three bedroom suites with ensuites and walk‑in robes, plus a powder room and walk‑in linen. Upstairs, open‑plan living flows to a covered balcony and a kitchen with Miele appliances, stone waterfall island and butler’s pantry. Comforts include underfloor‑heated bathrooms, ducted climate control and electric blinds. Private lane access, an oversized double garage and landscaped gardens complete the setting.
$3.7m-$3.9m
Ian Stewart, Great Ocean Road Real Estate, Lorne
140 Smith St, Lorne, is listed for sale.
The two‑storey, north‑facing home takes in ocean outlooks across Louttit Bay to Aireys Inlet. Renovated in 2020, the upper entry level places the main bedroom with a walk‑in robe and ensuite alongside the open kitchen, living and dining, plus a billiard room with a bar and wood heater. Downstairs offers four bedrooms, a bunkroom and two bathrooms. Timber floors, stone benchtops, multiple fireplaces, Nobo heaters in all bedrooms and split‑system heating/cooling feature throughout. Expanses of glass open to a sunlit deck. A paved driveway, double carport, storage and established gardens complete the setting.
$3.2m-$3.5m
Levi Turner, Bellarine Property Barwon Heads
For sale: 1 The Avenue, Ocean Grove
This brand-new three-bedroom, two-bathroom home offers river, Bluff and Spit views from expansive glazing and outdoor terraces at 1 The Avenue, Ocean Grove. A stone kitchen with Taj Mahal quartzite, Miele appliances and a butler’s pantry anchors two living zones, linked by a sculptural staircase and internal lift. The main suite has river outlooks, walk-in robe and ensuite. Engineered oak flooring, New Zealand wool carpet and an in-built ADF Linea 100 fireplace add comfort. Ducted climate control, solar with Tesla battery, landscaped gardens and an oversized garage round out coastal convenience.
1 Douglas Court, Point Lonsdale
$2.8m-$3.08m
Felix Hakins, RT Edgar Point Lonsdale
The four-bedroom home at 1 Douglas Court, Point Lonsdale, is listed for sale with price hopes from $2.8m to $3.08m.
This modern, single‑level home sits in a cul‑de‑sac 600m from the shore. Blackbutt floors, marble benchtops and floor‑to‑ceiling glazing frame formal and open‑plan living with a gas log fire. The kitchen features a waterfall island, 900mm Fisher & Paykel oven, induction cooktop and integrated dishwasher. Four bedrooms include a main suite with walk‑in robe, twin‑vanity ensuite and private deck. Outdoors, an alfresco dining area, rear deck with pizza oven and a north‑facing heated plunge pool feature. A home office, 6kW solar, ducted climate control, double carport and single garage complete the plan.
$2.1m-$2.3m
Marty Maher, Great Ocean Properties, Aireys Inlet
16 Federal St, Aireys Inlet, is adjacent to the Split Point lighthouse.
Beside Split Point Lighthouse, 16 Federal Street holds a genuine cliff‑top position with uninterrupted ocean outlooks to Eagle Rock and Table Rock. The three‑bedroom home is presented in good order and has operated as a popular holiday rental with strong returns. Living spaces take in the waves with no road, powerlines or pedestrian thoroughfare between you and the water. Beaches lie in two directions, and a local café sits about 50 metres away. This rare setting combines convenience and coastal exposure in a tightly held pocket of Aireys Inlet.
$2m-$2.2m
Tim Carson, McCartney Torquay
The four-bedroom house at 10 Regal Rd, Jan Juc, is listed for sale with price hopes from $2m to $2.2m.
At 10 Regal Road, Jan Juc, this two‑storey home places the Surf Coast walking track to Bird Rock and Bells Beach near beaches, cafés and parks. Four bedrooms include a main suite with walk‑in robe and ensuite, plus an upstairs guest ensuite. A ground‑floor rumpus opens to a deck and fenced yard. Upstairs, an open kitchen, dining and living zone with floor‑to‑ceiling windows overlooks a tree‑lined valley, alongside a second lounge with gas log fire. A deck extends outdoor living. A separate home office, hydronic heating, Tasmanian oak floors and a double lock‑up garage add practicality. On approx. 586sqm.
291 The Esplanade, Indented Head
$1.65m-$1.8m
Lee Martin, Bellarine Property
For sale: 291 The Esplanade, Indented Head
Set on the high side of The Esplanade, this quintessential bay beach home fronts Half Moon Bay with views to the Melbourne skyline. On 851sq m at 291 The Esplanade, Indented Head, the two‑storey, three‑bedroom beach house offers scope to renovate or rebuild. Open‑plan living with hardwood floors connects to an elevated deck. The main bedroom takes in a coastal aspect; all bedrooms are robed. There’s a four‑vehicle carport, caravan bay and ample off‑street parking. From the doorstep it’s a short walk to the calm bay beach, waterside tracks, yacht and boat clubs, the general store, and Portarlington’s services and Docklands ferry.
$1.35m-$1.45m
Peta Walter, Bellarine Property Barwon Heads
For sale: 19 Bridge Rd, Barwon Heads
A renovated 1950s beach house delivers inner‑village convenience metres from the river, shops, golf course and cafés at 19 Bridge Rd, Barwon Heads. Original Baltic pine floors, timber windows and an open‑plan layout anchor three double bedrooms, two bathrooms and two decks. The kitchen features stone benchtops, a Bosch oven, induction cooktop and Miele dishwasher, with a servery to a private barbecue deck and gardens. Comforts include ducted heating, reverse‑cycle airconditioning, a north‑facing deck, outdoor shower, and a laundry. A single carport plus extra off‑street parking sit behind a fully fenced yard.
$650,000-$700,000
Darren Brimacombe, Great Ocean Road Real Estate, Apollo Bay
1/33 Cawood St, Apollo Bay.
The 1965 two-bedroom fibro cottage sits 460 metres from the beach at 1/33 Cawood St, Apollo Bay. Held by one family, it retains coastal character with open‑plan living, a compact kitchenette and a central bathroom. Solar panels and solar hot water support low‑maintenance living. The address places cafés, restaurants and hotels within a short walk. Operated as an Airbnb, it offers scope as a retreat, investment or permanent base. Set near the Otway National Park, it’s a simple way to enjoy swimming, surfing and beach walks.
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