Torquay

Lifestyle & dining

Life in Torquay revolves around the coast. The main strip along Gilbert Street and the Esplanade is dotted with cafes, surf shops and restaurants that fill up on weekends with locals and visitors heading to or from the beach. Surf City precinct, home to global surfwear brands, gives the town a genuine claim to its surfing heritage, while Bells Beach just south hosts the world's longest-running professional surf competition each Easter.

Outside the cafes and surf shops, the pace is unhurried. Farmers' markets, a strong cycling and running culture along the coastal paths, and an easy back-and-forth to neighbouring Jan Juc for another stretch of beach all add to the appeal for people who want an active, outdoors-oriented routine.

Shopping

Torquay's retail heart centres on the Gilbert Street and Bell Street precinct, offering everyday shopping, boutiques and dining without needing to leave town. A Central Business District precinct anchored by supermarkets covers the practical side of things, while the surf and outdoor retail cluster gives the town a distinct commercial flavour not found in most coastal towns its size. For bigger shopping trips, Geelong's larger retail centres are a manageable drive inland.

Getting around

Torquay is well served by road, with the Surf Coast Highway connecting directly to the Geelong Ring Road and on to the M1 for the run into Melbourne, generally taking around 75-90 minutes depending on traffic. There's no train line into town, so most residents rely on cars or V/Line-connected bus services through Geelong, which acts as the regional public transport hub.

Locally, Torquay is a walkable and cyclable town, with a coastal path linking the town centre to Jan Juc and beyond, making car-free trips to the beach, shops or school genuinely practical for many households.

Schools & families

Families have a good spread of options in Torquay, from Torquay Coast Primary School and Torquay P-6 College through to Catholic primary schooling at Lisieux Catholic Primary School and St Therese School. For secondary years, Surf Coast Secondary College serves the town and surrounding area, meaning most families can cover schooling from prep through to year 12 without leaving the district.

Parks & recreation

Beyond the beaches themselves, Torquay has an extensive network of coastal reserves, walking and cycling trails, and sporting facilities that make outdoor recreation the default weekend activity. Point Danger and the foreshore reserves offer whale-watching in season, while the Torquay Golf Club and various ovals cater to more traditional pursuits. The nearby Connewarre wetlands and coastal hinterland add further variety for those keen on birdwatching or quieter nature walks away from the main beaches.

The property market

Torquay's property market reflects its popularity as both a lifestyle destination and a growing residential town. The median house price sits at $1.26 million, having recorded growth of 5.0% recently, while units and townhouses offer a comparatively more accessible entry point with a median unit price of $730,000. Median rent across the suburb is $795 a week, underlining strong demand from both owner-occupiers and tenants chasing the coastal lifestyle.

Current listings show houses make up the large majority of stock at 72%, with land at 13%, townhouses at 9% and apartments or units at 6%. That mix points to a market still built predominantly around detached housing and new land releases, though a growing share of townhouse and apartment development is giving buyers more choice, particularly those looking to downsize or secure a lower-maintenance coastal base.