Town by town snapshot: Inverleigh

The size of Inverleigh is approximately 211.7 square kilometres and it has six parks covering nearly 3.3 per cent of the total area.

The population of Inverleigh in 2011 was 1,182 people and by the 2016 Census the population was 1,468 showing a population growth of 24.2 per cent in the area during that time.

Inverleigh is a rural township at the junction of the Barwon and Leigh rivers and is reached by railway from Geelong or by the Hamilton Highway 30 kilometres east of Geelong.

The Hamilton Highway was originally the Lower Leigh Road, an early track to Victoria’s Western District.

In 1843 William Lawson built an inn near a ford across the Barwon River and not only was the inn conveniently near a river crossing, the land thereabouts was flood prone, and the silt left by the waters was ideal for farming.

Settlers had orchards and dairying and Lawson built a new hotel, named the Horseshoe Inn during 1851-53, and a township was proclaimed in 1853 leading to a bridge over the Barwon being built in 1855.

Inverleigh maintained a comparatively consistent population level during the years after World War II, with about a 30 per cent growth between 1971 and 1996.

CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in Inverleigh is 0-9 years with households in Inverleigh being primarily couples with children and are likely to be repaying $1,800 – $2,399 per month on mortgage repayments, and in general, people in Inverleigh work in a manager’s occupation.

In 2011, 88.6 per cent of the homes in Inverleigh were owner-occupied compared with 91.3 per cent in 2016.

AGENT PERSPECTIVE:
The Inverleigh market continues to perform strongly with solid results across both town/residential sales and acreage properties.

Only 25 minutes from Geelong, the popularity of the area continues to grow with a strong influx of Geelong families seeking the balance of country living within easy commuting distance of Geelong’s schools, amenities and services.

With further subdivisions along Common Road providing more opportunity for new home sites the rural life and friendly community that Inverleigh provides will continue to be highly sought-after.

The provision of quality retail therapy and cafes has increased to support the population growth, coupled with the longstanding service of the Inverleigh Hotel – making Inverleigh a town on the radar of both Geelong and Melbourne buyers as both a principal place of residence and/or a country escape.

With strong capital growth year-on-year, Inverleigh is following the growth profile of Batesford, Bannockburn and Winchelsea – offering the perfect balance of country living close to Geelong and the coast.

Matt Poustie – HF Richardson Real Estate (Newtown)

TIDBIT:
The original Horseshoe Inn was thought to have been established around 1851-1853.

Population: 1,474
Male: 51.4%
Female: 48.6%
Median age: 39
5 year population change: 24.2%
Median house price: $690,000
Change in median price: (5yrs) is 92%
Median asking rent per week: $340
Average length of ownership: 17 years
Owner occupiers: 94%
Renters: 6%

Historic median house price:
December 2020: $690,000
December 2019: $582,500
December 2018: $528,250
December 2017: $384,000
December 2016: $346,000

House sales per annum:
Period ending December 2020: 9
Period ending December 2019: 5

Land median sale price:
December 2020: N/A
December 2019: N/A

Land sales per annum:
Period ending December 2020: 0
Period ending December 2019: 3