Highton, Geelong Property Report 2025

Suburb background — why Highton keeps a premium

Highton sits on Geelong’s river-and-hills side, not the flat bayside, and that single fact does a lot of work. It means elevation, views, mature trees and streets that feel like they’ve grown over time instead of being rolled out in one go. You’re also only 6–8 km from the CBD, so you can live quietly and still work, study or shop in town. When buyers compare it with Belmont or Grovedale they can see why Highton trades higher — it just looks and feels better.

The suburb also plays to two buyer types at once. Down near the Barwon River and Queens Park you get green, walkable pockets and quick access to sport. Up on the higher parts you pick up district or bay glimpses and quieter streets, which is what Melbourne relocators like. That mix is why the better Highton listings still get attention even when the wider market is slow. If you want the full lending process in plain English, the Home Loan Guide runs through it step by step.

How Highton grew — and why it matters to buyers

Highton wasn’t a single estate release. The older areas closer to Newtown and the river are established and on bigger blocks. Later growth toward Waurn Ponds and the Ring Road brought in more modern family homes that suit Deakin, Epworth and Surf Coast workers. For you, that means real choice: older block to renovate, or newer, lower-maintenance house closer to the freeway.

Location, connections and real-world travel times

Geelong CBD: 8–12 minutes by car on a normal day. That makes office days, Kardinia Park, shopping runs and Waterfront weekends practical.

Melbourne CBD: about 79 km via the Princes Freeway/M1 — call it an hour when the road behaves. If there’s congestion, park at Geelong station (10–15 minutes from Highton) and take V/Line to Southern Cross.

Avalon Airport: ~26–28 km (under 30 minutes). Melbourne Airport: ~90–92 km, so leave just over an hour.

Ring Road access: this is one of Highton’s superpowers — you can go south to Torquay/Armstrong Creek/Deakin or north toward Melbourne without crawling through the CBD.

Schools, colleges and zoning

Inside or right on the edge of Highton you’ve got Bellaire Primary School, Montpellier Primary School, Highton Primary School, plus quick access to Oberon Primary and Belmont Primary. That’s a lot of choice for one suburb and it’s a big reason families will pay a bit more here.

Christian College Geelong has its Middle School campus in Highton, and other campuses are only minutes away, so a child can stay in one school system. The Geelong College in Newtown is about 10 minutes away in normal traffic, which is why Highton suits Melbourne relocators who still want strong independent options.

Secondary government options like Belmont High School and Grovedale College are realistic because of distance and bus routes. Zones move, so we always tell buyers to check the Department of Education map the week they buy.

Lifestyle, landmarks and day-to-day amenity

Highton Village gives you groceries, coffee, hair, pharmacy and small services, so you’re not forced into the CBD for basics. Barwon River and Queens Park are close for walking, riding and kids’ sport. Geelong Waterfront and Eastern Beach are a quick drive for weekends, and Kardinia Park / GMHBA Stadium is close enough to do Cats games properly.

South of Highton are Deakin Waurn Ponds and Epworth. That’s why we see medical and uni staff buying here — they get an established suburb and a short daily run. And because Highton can hit the Ring Road fast, Surf Coast weekends are easier from here than from a lot of other Geelong suburbs.

Market and housing in 2025

Houses are in the low-to-mid $900,000s, townhouses/units around the low $600,000s. That’s above the Geelong LGA median, but the suburb earns it because of elevation, schools and freeway access. Days on market are commonly 3–6 weeks for good stock. Renovated/view homes can go faster because upgraders and Melbourne buyers are chasing the same listings.

Finance, deposits and lender appetite

At a $920,000 purchase price, a straight 10% deposit is $92,000. Add VIC stamp duty, legals and an emergency buffer and most Highton buyers we see are using $120,000–$150,000. That pushes a lot of deals into high-80s/low-90s LVR. That’s workable — but it’s exactly where LMI cost, lender appetite and loan structure start to matter.

This is why we run a rate challenge across 35+ lenders. We want to see who is actually passing through sharper pricing for Geelong right now, not the national headline rate. If you’re already in the area and just want to test your current bank, the home loan refinance calculator is a quick way to spot savings before we package a deal.

Investors need to be realistic: Highton is more a quality-asset suburb than a high-yield suburb. Think 3.5–4% gross with low vacancy and good tenant profiles. That’s fine, but it means we pick lenders that assess rent fairly and keep your future borrowing capacity alive.

Nearby suburbs to compare

Almost everyone short-listing Highton also looks at Belmont (family, slightly cheaper), Newtown (closer to CBD, prestige), Waurn Ponds (Deakin/Epworth) and Grovedale (entry-level). Link to those internally so buyers don’t bounce to REA or Domain just to compare. Google also likes the Geelong-suburbs cluster.