Town snapshot – Whittington

The size of Whittington is about 1.6sqkm and has 6 parks covering nearly 6.8 per of total area.

The population of Whittington in 2016 was 3,879 and by the 2021 Census the population was recorded at 3,990 showing a population increase of 3 per cent in the area during that time.

Whittington is a residential suburb 4 kilometers south-east of Geelong with the name thought to have been adopted early in the 1920s in honour of an early landowner, James Whittington.

Originally the area was known as Breakwater (after the structure built across the Barwon River to prevent the inflow of saltwater, so providing freshwater for the infant Geelong), and as St Albans.

In 1871 a horse trainer, James Wilson, established a successful stables and two years later expanded them by buying a property that had been occupied by a meat preserving works. They were near the Geelong Racecourse at Geelong East and in 1873 Wilson built the St Albans homestead (Victorian Heritage Register) and went onto a wider sporting career.

He trained the mare, Briseis, winner of the Derby, Melbourne Cup and Oaks in 1876.

The names St Albans and Whittington coexisted for about 30 years, with Whittington taking over when residential development rapidly spread through its area during the 1960’s.

More than 500 Housing Commission units were built there with a State Primary School opened in 1978.

 

 

The Geelong East primary school and technical school (later a TAFE) adjoin Whittington and the St Albans reserve.

In about 1999 all of Whittington South of Townsend Street was detached and named St Albans Park.

This left the Anglican church just inside the reduced Whittington, and the Uniting church and St Albans homestead in the new suburb.

CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in Whittington is 50-59 years with households in Whittington primarily couples and retirees who are likely to be repaying on average $1,192 per month on mortgage repayments, and in general, people in Whittington work in a labourer occupation.

AGENT PERSPECTIVE:

“Whittington has been a go to suburb for Geelong investors and downsizers looking to get in the market from $500,000 for homes and low $300,000 for units.

“It’s quite common for us to see home owners from the 3219 area downsizing into Whittington to free up some cash or relinquish debt.

“Investors from Melbourne are also showing interest in this market that they can enter for the $500,000 to $550,000 price range.

“Recently we sold one property sold a fully renovated home at 31 Melva Crescent for $610,000.”

Yan Lin – Director, Hayeswinckle East Geelong

 

TIDBIT:

The original town centre in Wilsons Road has the homestead, St Albans Uniting church, originally a Methodist church (1869), and the Anglican church.

Population: 3,990

Male: 48.1%

Female: 51.9%

Median age: 42

5 year population change: 3%

House median sales price: $500,000

Change in median price: (5yrs) 34.9%

Median asking rent per week: $420

Average length of ownership: 11 years

Owner occupiers: 59%

Renters: 41%

House median value:

June 2024: $520,000

June 2023: $540,200

June 2022: $582,250

June 2021: $519,000

June 2020: $419,800

House sales per annum:

Period ending June 2024: 33

Period ending June 2023: 54

Land median sale price:

June 2024: N/A

June 2023: N/A

Land sales per annum:

Period ending June 2024: 1

Period ending June 2023: 0