Torquay (Vic.)
VICTorquay (Vic.) is a growing suburb in VIC with 18,534 residents.
- SAL code
- 22551
- SA2
- 203031053
- Population
- 18,534
- LGA
- Surf Coast
Torquay (Vic.), VIC had 18,534 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 13.9% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 35-44 years, and the median age sits at 39. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,167 a month. Around 75.7% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 42.7%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 90.9% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 23 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Torquay (Vic.), VIC at a glance
Torquay is the surf-coast town ~21 km south of Geelong (~104 km from Melbourne) and the de-facto capital of the Surf Coast Shire. The character is coastal-suburban with a working surf-industry HQ (Rip Curl, Quiksilver), modern estates pushing inland, and old-Torquay weatherboards within walking distance of the beachfront esplanade. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market + lifestyle + council context.
For homebuyers
Torquay reads as a coastal town that has matured into a year-round community rather than a holiday strip. Old Torquay around The Esplanade keeps the weatherboard-and-cottage feel within walking distance of front beach and the Surf Coast Walk; newer estates (Quay 2, Illawong Rise, Stretton) push inland with 4-bed family homes on smaller lots. Surf Coast Plaza anchors retail with Rip Curl and Quiksilver flagships next door, and Bells Beach is a 10-minute drive south for the Rip Curl Pro each Easter. Schools include Torquay P-6 College, Torquay Coast Primary (~719 students in 2026), the Catholic St Therese and Lisieux primaries, and Surf Coast Secondary College on White Street. Geelong CBD is ~20 minutes by car for work; Melbourne is a ~90-minute run via the Geelong Ring Road and West Gate. In short: a coastal lifestyle suburb that now functions as a Geelong commuter town with the beach and surf culture as the everyday backdrop.
For investors
Torquay is a high-price, low-yield coastal market that has flattened after the post-pandemic run. Median house sale $1,210,000 against $742/week rent gives a ~3.09% gross yield; units sit at ~$799,000 / $645/week / ~3.54% (Your Investment Property March 2026). 12-month house growth ~+0.41% (units -6.55%), with 310 house sales and 55 unit sales in the past 12 months. Days-on-market 55 (houses) / 77 (units) — buyers are taking their time.
Strengths
- Owner-occupier depth from Geelong commuters and sea-changers underpins price stickiness even with growth flat (~+0.41% YoY houses, YIP March 2026).
- Established short-stay + coastal-tourism demand — beachfront stock and old-Torquay cottages have a parallel holiday-let income channel.
- Surf Coast Shire is investing a record $64.25M capital works in 2025/26, much of it in Torquay (Wurdi Baierr aquatic centre access, Banyul Warri synthetic hockey pitch, Fischer Street upgrades).
- Surf Coast Secondary College and three primaries means the family-rental segment is supported by school catchment depth.
Trade-offs
- Yields are thin (~3.1% houses, ~3.5% units) at a $1.2M entry — debt-serviceability is the constraint, not stock.
- Days-on-market has stretched to 55 days for houses and 77 for units (YIP March 2026) — exit liquidity is slower than metro Geelong.
- Unit values fell ~6.55% YoY (YIP March 2026) and rental demand softened as Surf Coast stock levels rose.
- New estate roll-out under the Torquay/Jan Juc Development Contributions Plan keeps adding land supply, capping growth on the inland fringe.
What's coming
Surf Coast Shire's 2025/26 budget is a record $64.25M of capital works ($15.11M new, $49.14M carried forward). Torquay-specific items include the Wurdi Baierr Aquatic and Recreation Centre slip lane on the Surf Coast Highway, the Banyul Warri Fields synthetic hockey pitch, and pedestrian/cycling upgrades on Fischer Street. The Torquay/Jan Juc Development Contributions Plan continues to fund estate-driven growth inland of the Surf Coast Highway.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a coastal-lifestyle town with real schools, real shops and a real Geelong commute, not just a holiday strip. For investors: a capital-preservation play with sub-3.5% yields and slow turnover — not a cashflow market.
Population
?18,534
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+13.9%
3yr: +4.5% · 10yr: +44.7%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,295/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
39
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?10/10
SA2 · least disadvantaged
Unemployment
?1.4%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
4
3 primary, 1 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?17
9 long day, 7 OSHC
Parks & green space
?23
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?57
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?49
Surf Coast · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
Source: Valuer-General Victoria (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from VIC police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Torquay (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Torquay (Vic.) suburb alone is ~18,534 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 10,225 to 26,581 over 24 years, averaging 4.1% per year.
Schools
5 in suburbSector
3 public · 2 private
Type
4 primary · 1 secondary
Total enrolment
2,848
Avg per school
570
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for VIC.
Source when available: Victorian Department of Education / Vicmap School Zones.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 0.0%Almost entirely detached houses (90.9%), owner-occupied (75.7%), built for families (45% are 4 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
VIC 29%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: VIC DTP Designated Bushfire Prone Area
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Overlay (flood codes)
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
14 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZ | Farming ZoneRural | 44.5% | 15.26 km² |
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 22.1% | 7.59 km² |
| LDRZ | Low Density Residential ZoneResidential | 9.6% | 3.29 km² |
| PCRZ | Public Conservation and Resource ZoneEnvironmental | 8.8% | 3.02 km² |
| UGZ1 | UGZ1Other | 4.2% | 1.43 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 3.9% | 1.35 km² |
| CDZ2 | Comprehensive Development Zone Schedule 2Business | 3.7% | 1.28 km² |
| IN3Z | Industrial 3 ZoneIndustrial | 1.1% | 0.36 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 0.9% | 0.30 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 0.4% | 0.15 km² |
| SUZ5 | Special Use Zone Schedule 5Special use | 0.3% | 0.09 km² |
| SUZ4 | Special Use Zone Schedule 4Special use | 0.1% | 0.05 km² |
| TRZ3 | TRZ3Special use | 0.1% | 0.04 km² |
| PUZ6 | Public Use Zone Schedule 6Special use | 0.1% | 0.04 km² |
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Zones (ZONE_VIC/2026-04-29/08783d2926383881) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.