Town by Town Snapshot – Indented Head

The size of Indented Head is approximately 4.1 square kilometres and has 4 parks covering nearly 6.2% of total area.

The population of Indented Head in 2011 was 920 people and by the 2016 Census the population was 1,127 showing a population growth of 22.5% in the area during that time.

This Bellarine Peninsular hamlet has been a standout performer for those who have owned property for some time as values have increased by over 60% in the last five years.

Indented Head was named by Captain Matthew Flinders when exploring Port Phillip Bay in the ship ‘Investigator’ (1802).

Landing on the east side of the bay he ascended Arthurs Seat and observed on the opposite side of the bay the Bellarine Peninsula with the indented coastline which he named Indented Head.

The place was again noted in 1803 when Lieutenant Tuckey explored the bay.

He was a member of the contingent which unsuccessfully settled at Sorrento (It was from this contingent that the convict, William Buckley, absconded, and he crossed to the Bellarine Peninsula).

Until the 1850’s several pastoralists occupied the Indented Head area and a Road Board for the Portarlington district was enlarged eastwards on 29 October 1860 and renamed the Indented Head Road District with an area that held about 3300 people.

At about the same time the Indented Head Farmers’ Association was formed, mainly with the objective of maintaining good prices for local wheat through import duties.

The Association later influenced land legislation, lobbied for grazing commons and animal pounds and conducted an annual ploughing contest.

There was foreshore camping there at least as early as the 1920s, and in 1951 the Victorian municipal directory described it as a seaside resort with a store, telegraph office, the Batman Park camping area and two private camping areas.

In 1988, after decades of camping, Indented Head was described as having three shops and a cluster of houses.

CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in Indented Head is 60-69 years with households in Indented Head being primarily childless couples and are likely to be repaying $1,400 – $1,799 per month on mortgage repayments, and in general, people in Indented Head work in a professional occupation.

In 2011, 72.1% of the homes in Indented Head were owner occupied compared with 73% in 2016.

TIDBIT

The ‘Ozone’ steel paddle steamer was sunk as a breakwater in 1925.

PROFILE

Population: 1,133

Male: 48.5%

Female: 51.5%

Median age: 56

5 year population change: 22.5%

Median house price: $613,500

Change in Median Price: (5yrs) is 61%

Median asking rent per week: $410

Average length of ownership: 14 years

Owner occupiers: 78%

Renters: 22%

Historic median house price:

June 2020: $613,500

June 2019: $573,750

June 2018: $506,000

June 2017: $450,000

June 2016: $380,000

House sales per annum:

Period ending June 2020: 34

Period ending June 2019: 28

Land median sale price:

June 2020: $307,500

June 2019: $287,500

Land sales per annum:

Period ending June 2020: 10

Period ending June 2019: 7