Geelong, Surf Coast & Bellarine Region

LOCATION • LIFESTYLE • COMMUNITY IMAGE: MICHAEL TAYLOR

GEELONG, SURF COAST + BELLARINE

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F LOCATION, location, location is what buyers want, it’s hard to go past the flourishing Armstrong Creek area.

Not only is it nestled between the city of Geelong and the Surf Coast, it is also well placed to attract people relocating for study and employment opportunities at the nearby Deakin University and the new Epworth Hospital at Waurn Ponds.

And for those making the commute to Mellbourne, the nearby Marshall train station, which has daily services of less than an hour to Southern Cross Station, is only a three-minute drive away.

Just consider exactly what is within a 15-minute drive and the list is impressive: beaches at Torquay and Barwon Heads; Waurn

Ponds shopping centre; Deakin University; Barwon Valley Golf Club; Kardinia Park; Geelong CBD; botanic gardens, Barwon River; Geelong Racecourse, Leisurelink aquatic and recreation centre, Princes Hwy and Corio Bay. Factor in proposed schools, shopping centres and sporting and recreational facilities, and it’s obvious why the area’s estates are attracting scores of families to the family each week.

Little wonder the Armstrong Creek growth area is projected to reach a population of 300,000 by 2031.

There’s no shortage of options for buyers.

Charlemont Rise provides the chance for views of Geelong’s CBD with its elevated blocks.

The adjacent Watermark estate makes the most of its wetlands with walking and bike trails to link with the future Regional Active Open Space on the western boundary and the future Regional Playground to the east. As it proclaims in its brochure, Watermark is “where work and play thrive harmoniously together”.

Dennis Family Corporation’s Ashbury Armstrong Creek will be in a prime position next to the future town centre but with the bonus of its Northern Reserve, sporting precinct, wetlands and walking and cycling tracks.

Horizon Cove is also positioned to please for the $100 million commercial centre at Warralily, which will include a primary school, special school, health and community centre, sports facilities and a Woolworths supermarket.

IMAGE: MICHAEL TAYLOR

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GEELONG, SURF COAST + BELLARINE

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EELONG is renowned for its sporting prowess, with a quick glance at any of our national teams showing the boast is anything but idle.

Prolific limited-overs cricketer Aaron Finch is just one example, while Australia’s first Tour De France general classification winner Cadel Evans is another of the region’s sporting luminaries. His Great Ocean Road Ride in January is one for cyclists and fans alike.

Perhaps the best-known club in the region is Geelong AFL, which has a rich history as one of the world’s oldest sporting clubs.

The only original VFL team outside of Melbourne, the Cats have a passionate following at Simonds Stadium - particularly after flags in 2007, 2009 and 2011 brought its total to nine.

But almost every sport is represented in the area from basketball and netball to croquet and archery.

The North Geelong Warriors Soccer Club plays in the National Premier League, with former Socceroo Josip Skoko among one of its favourite sons.

In the Sport of Kings, the Geelong Cup is an important leadup race to the race that stops a nation, the Melbourne Cup. It is traditionally run on the Wednesday after the Caulfield Cup and less than a fortnight before the big day at Flemington.

And who could forget the annual Easter surfing ritual held at Bells Beach? The Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach Surfing Classic) is the world’s longest-running professional surfing contest and enters its 55th anniversary in 2017. Spectating is easy, with the sand dunes creating a natural amphitheatre.

EVENTS Champions League Basketball 3v3 Tournament September 18 Geelong Basketball Netball Centre Corio Little Athletics Come and Try Day September 30 Goldsworthy Reserve AFL Grand Final October 1, 2.30pm MCG Around the Bay October 9 Rippleside Park Geelong Cup October 19 Geelong Racing Club, Breakwater Rd, East Geelong Lara Fun Run October 30 Serendip Sanctuary, Lara United ITF Victorian Taekwondo Championships November 20 Try Boys, Jack Kroger Sports Centre Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic January 1-2

2017 Viper World Championships January 5-15 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Ride January 27-29 Festival of Sails January 21-24 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Ironman 70.3 Geelong February 18-19 Geelong Waterfront KFC Twenty 20 International Cricket February 19 Simonds Stadium Rip Curl Pro Bells Bach April 14-16

GEELONG, SURF COAST + BELLARINE

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IFESTYLE is the mantra of new housing estates, and that’s why few can rival Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula for its variety.

From new house-and-land packages to townhouse developments at a cutting-edge marina and independent living next to a golf course, the area has it all covered.

The semi-rural feel of the sustainable Armstrong Creek communities is a contrast to the high-end marina in Geelong and again to the new homes being built close to Surf Coast beaches.

And it will appeal to people of all ages – singles, families and retirees as they opt to relocate for various reasons.

Those who thrive on cruising around Corio Bay and enjoying the waterfront bars, wineries and eateries will be attracted to the $100 million Balmoral Quay development.

With 400m of absolute water frontage, the 90-townhouse community will enjoy a 180-berth, state-of-the-art marina - in line with efforts to promote Geelong as Victoria’s premier boating destination.

“Our north-facing marinas and the smooth waters of Corio Bay are a magnet for the boating fraternity and have enhanced our reputation as a must-visit destination,” Tourism Greater Geelong executive director Roger Grant said.

“Geelong’s connection to Corio Bay and our beach lifestyle enhances our reputation as a highly desirable place to live, work and visit.”

But it isn’t all about living a life of luxury in the fast lane.

For a more leisurely pace, the Bellarine Lakes Country Club

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at Moolap offers golf lovers and retirees the chance for a peaceful existence in a secure community.

Resplendent with an all-weather bowling green, community centre and refurbished golf course with 3.5km of walking tracks, the country club complex is scheduled to include an indoor heated pool, gymnasium, a solar-heated lap pool, men’s workshop and a golf clubhouse later this year.

When complete, Bellarine Lakes will include 166 two-bedroom villa units and 100 three-bedroom villa units. The villas are available in six floorplans.

Its active community is only 6km from the centre of Geelong, and has easy access to beaches, train stations, medical facilities, Pakington St cafes, and Leopold shops and cafes.

Better still, the resort-style community already has a garden maintenance service, 24-hour medical emergency call system and a courtesy bus for weekly shopping.

And families are spoiled for choices with the various subdivisions in the Lara and Armstrong Creek areas.

Since its launch in June 2010, Warralily estate has attracted a large number of local buyers, but general manager Mark Whinfield said more people were choosing to relocate from Melbourne for value and the sea change.

“When we first launched, purchasers were predominantly from the local area but buyers from outside greater Geelong now represent a third of Warralily sales – a trend we expect to continue,” Whinfield said. “When comparing sales figures from 2015 with the same period three years prior, purchases from outside the area have almost tripled, representing 27 per cent of all sales since January 2015.”

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GEELONG, SURF COAST + BELLARINE

IMAGES: MICHAEL TAYLOR

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GEELONG, SURF COAST + BELLARINE

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REATING a sense of community is probably the best measure of an estate’s success.

Past tales of isolation are fast being replaced by stories of harmonious neighbourhoods, leaving behind any negative experiences.

Warrailly at Armstrong Creek is one such example of the effort that developers are putting into their planning to ensure its residents feel at home.

Amid a landscape of wide, open spaces and natural beauty, the $1.5 billion estate is only one-third complete but is already making its mark on its 4000 residents. Put in context, this makes the estate larger that its neighbouring township of Barwon Heads.

Construction is well under way on the $100 million first phase of the Warralily Village that will be the heart of the community.

The design of the village, which includes a town square, ‘main street’ style shopping and exciting eat-street concept, will create a community meeting place.

Active residents of all ages will be well catered for with seven football ovals, three soccer ovals, 22 netball courts, nine tennis courts, two bowling greens; a multi-purpose stadium and four pavilions.

But it’s the interaction between the reisdents that will make or break the community and that’s where Warralily is one step ahead.

It has engaged an on-site community development officer to welcome new residents and nurture community groups, gatherings and events, such as playgroup, mothers group, yoga, environmental groups and the Warralily Business Network.

FAST FACTS Officially named Geelong in 1827, with its name derived from the Wathaurong Aboriginal “Jillong” – thought to mean “a place of the sea bird over the white cliffs”. The surrounding land was known as “Corayo”. The bay was later called

IMAGES: MICHAEL TAYLOR

Corio Bay and the township Geelong Proclaimed a city in 1910, the thriving port serviced a major wool hub and became a major manufacturing town. Geelong earned the nickname Pivot City in reference to it being a shipping and rail hub to Melbourne, Ballarat and the Western District The City of Greater Geelong in June 2011 had an estimated resident population of 215,150, according to ABS stats. It had 454 in 1841, 25,017 in 1901, 72,995 in 1954 and 146,349 in 1988. It is estimated to be 355,287 in 2026 It showcases more than 15,000 business enterprises, with a multi-skilled workforce of 100,000 people. Its knowledge-based sector includes health, research, biotechnology, education, tourism and retail Average temperature in summer is 24.9C (max) and 13.5C (min). The winter average is 13.9C (max) and 5.4C (min) Average travel time to Melbourne is one hour by car, train and bus (Source: liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au, intown.com.au)

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GEELONG, SURF COAST + BELLARINE

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ROPERTY values in and around Geelong have experienced a healthy rise since 2014.

Based on property evaluations carried out as part of the City of Greater Geelong’s 2016-17 budget, the city used the data to establish rate bills, a Dennis Family Homes blog reported in

June.

Highlighting how property prices have changed over the past two years, the evaluations showed large increases in average house prices in 59 suburbs and towns in the region.

Charlemont ($764,635) was among the top five most-expensive neighbourhoods based on average value. It was well behind Swan Bay ($1.144 million) and Bellarine ($1.081 million).

At the other end of the scale, Norlane (4082 homes, $200,957 average value), Corio (6121 homes, average $220,747) and Whittington (1810 homes, average $231,735) were among the most affordable suburbs.

As for areas with the largest increases in value, Anakie (10.95 per cent), Wallington (10.84 per cent) and Mount Duneed (10.52 per cent) ranked among the top 10 increases. North Shore (17.55 per cent) and Ceres (16.98 per cent) topped the list.

Quoting City of Greater Geelong’s financial services manager Mike Kelly, the post explained that people who own properties where the revaluation succeeded the average movement of five per cent should expect their rates bill to increase.

Those that sit on or below the average shouldn’t expect to pay more.

The total number of houses evaluated across the 59 suburbs and towns was up 2200 (103,000 compared to 100,800 recorded last year).

Average property value and percentage rise from 2014-2016 ANAKIE

$495,606

10.95%

ARMSTRONG CREEK

$429,228

4.05%

BREAMLEA

$641,215

2.83%

CHARLEMONT

$764,635

7.14%

CURLEWIS

$518,711

1.26%

LARA

$387,795

5.80%

LEOPOLD

$372,099

1.51%

LOVELY BANKS

$490,593

9.95%

MARSHALL

$340,373

6.42%

MOOLAP

$458,996

3.77%

MOUNT DUNEED

$621,930

10.52%

WALLINGTON

$790,523 1

0.84%

WAURN PONDS

$480,887

5.58%

GREATER GEELONG

$400,310

5.44%

(Source: Geelong Advertiser)

Nationally, Geelong is among the best regional performers as capital city property markets become too expensive.

CoreLogic’s March quarter Regional Report said dwelling sales increased across Geelong, up 2.0 per cent to 6117, while houses and units across Geelong rose by 5.4 per cent and 2.8 per cent.

“With mortgage rates at their lowest levels in 53 years and tipped to drop even further, we’re likely to see housing purchases popular across larger coastal regional markets throughout 2016,” research analyst Cameron Kusher said.

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