Moving to Barwon Heads VIC 3227
What the official numbers say about living in Barwon Heads — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $1,463,000 for a median house or $1,030,000 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 105% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $450 a week, against a median household income of $2,226 a week.
About 83% of homes are owner-occupied and 16% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Barwon Heads grew 23% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (3,536 → 4,353 people).
Around 75% of households are families, averaging 2.5 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, United States; most spoken languages besides English: Italian, Greek, Japanese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Barwon Heads sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (59% of workers), while 36% work from home.
Nearest airport: Avalon Airport, 26.7 km north.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 66 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 5 schools · 15 cafes & restaurants · 1 supermarket · 7 parks · 2 beaches — see them all on the Barwon Heads profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Barwon Heads Primary School 850 m · Ocean Grove Primary School 3 km · Our Lady Star of the Sea Primary School 4.6 km · Surfside Primary School 4.8 km · Bellarine Secondary College Ocean Grove Campus 4.9 km
Groceries: Barwon Heads General Store 700 m
Parks and reserves: Barwon Heads Community Park 250 m · Seabanks Estate 450 m · The Mews 750 m · Moonah Park 1.5 km · Blue Waters Lake Reserve 2.8 km · Lookout Reserve 2.9 km · The Lookout 2.9 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Barwon Heads, most often seen first: Red Wattlebird · Little Raven · Eastern Rosella · Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Silver Gull.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Barwon Heads, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barwon Heads here | 4,353 | $1,463,000 | 10/10 | 16% |
| Ocean Grove | 17,714 | $970,000 | 9/10 | 19% |
| Connewarre | 953 | — | 10/10 | 4% |
| Wallington | 1,515 | — | 9/10 | 13% |
| Leopold | 13,272 | $662,000 | 5/10 | 7% |
| Curlewis | 4,175 | $650,000 | 6/10 | 6% |
| Point Lonsdale | 3,788 | $1,200,000 | 9/10 | 14% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Greater Geelong — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Corangamite — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3227 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Barwon Heads profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Barwon Heads has a median sale price of $1,463,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $1,030,000. Renters pay a median $450 a week, and about 16% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 23% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 3,536 people to 4,353. It sits about 66 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line. Local government is Greater Geelong council, and the federal seat is Corangamite.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Barwon Heads vs Leopold · Barwon Heads vs Curlewis.
Nearby guides: Ocean Grove · Connewarre · Wallington · Leopold · Curlewis · Point Lonsdale.
Keep an eye on Barwon Heads
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