Beaufort

Lifestyle & dining

Life in Beaufort revolves around its main street and the picturesque Lake Beaufort, a popular spot for walking, fishing and picnicking that gives the town a natural centrepiece most places its size can't match. The pace is unhurried and community-minded, with local cafes, a pub and a handful of independent shops doing the daily business rather than chain retailers.

It's the kind of town where footy netball clubs, the annual show and community markets carry real weight socially, and where neighbours tend to know each other. For those who value a close-knit community over big-city buzz, that's the whole appeal.

Shopping

Beaufort's retail strip covers the essentials — supermarket, pharmacy, hardware, banking and a range of small local businesses — enough for day-to-day needs without a drive. For bigger shopping trips, Ballarat is the nearest major centre, with its full range of department stores, specialty retailers and shopping centres within a reasonably short trip along the Western Highway.

Getting around

The Western Highway runs straight through Beaufort, making it a straightforward drive to Ballarat in one direction and Ararat in the other, with Melbourne accessible in around two hours. Beaufort also has its own railway station on the Ararat line, giving residents a public transport option for commuting or getting into Ballarat and beyond without relying on the car.

Within the town itself, most things are an easy walk or short drive from home, and there's minimal traffic congestion to worry about — a genuine point of difference from metropolitan living.

Schools & families

Families are well served locally by Beaufort Primary School and Beaufort Secondary College, meaning children can be schooled within the town from prep through to year 12 without needing to travel. This is a significant drawcard for families weighing up a move to regional Victoria, as it removes the need for long school-run commutes that come with living in some smaller towns.

The property market

Beaufort's property market is firmly geared towards affordability and land. Current listings are dominated by houses (64%) and vacant land (31%), with apartments, units and acreage/rural properties each making up a small 2% share — a mix that reflects the town's character as a house-and-land, low-density community rather than one built around unit development.

The median house price sits at $450,000, with median rent at $400 per week, figures that remain well below metropolitan Melbourne and even many regional centres closer to the coast. Recent growth has been strong, with house prices up 20.8%, suggesting renewed buyer interest in what has traditionally been a quiet, undervalued corner of the Central Highlands. For buyers priced out of Ballarat or Melbourne, or those simply chasing more land for their money, Beaufort's numbers make a compelling case.