Beachfront Beauty: 5 Things to Consider Before Moving to the Surf Coast

From Torquay to Lorne and everywhere in between, Victoria’s Surf Coast offers some of the loveliest towns to settle down in. Depending on where you establish yourself, you’ll also be treated to stunning beaches, pumping surf, and a laid-back lifestyle among people who care about creating a sense of community in their townships. 

Before you start searching for the best local builder Torquay has to offer, though, it’s important to keep in mind that moving to the Surf Coast comes with quite a few logistical challenges. The following five points are the most important ones to consider:  

1. Sand will be everywhere all the time

When you live close to the beach and enjoy a surf-loving lifestyle, you have to make peace with the fact that sand and salt will be with you all the way. Your car, your floors, your shower, your hair, and probably even your bed from time to time – they’ll all bear traces of your time spent at the beach. 

While this sounds nice in theory, it can be frustrating for those who like everything to be just so. Also, that salty air means you’ll have to be careful about rust on bicycles, vehicles, and any metal fixtures. 

2. House prices are high

Prices are so high, in fact, that recent research from the market research firm Propertyology found the Surf Coast to be the fourth most expensive urban region in Australia. Of course, each shire within the Surf Coast offers different median property prices. You may also be able to take advantage of government grants to bulk up your deposit. However, it’s certainly worth spending some time checking out houses in different areas, talking to local builders, and weighing up your options.

3. Expect seasonal visitors

When you live on the Surf Coast, friends and family members tend to be extra keen to visit you when the weather is warm and the skies are clear. While they do, of course, want to see you, there’s no harm in lining that up with the ideal surf conditions! 

It’s lovely having these regular visits from your loved ones. However, if you’ve got people inviting themselves out every weekend during the summer months, you may have to learn how to tactfully say “no” so you can enjoy a few weekends to yourself.  

4. You can’t say “no” to tourists

While you can learn to turn away overly eager friends who want to use your house as a free Airbnb, you don’t have any control over the tourists who tend to flood the Surf Coast when conditions are good. 

Depending on where you settle down, tourist season can turn a quick five-minute shopping trip into an hour-long ordeal. They pack out the beaches, clog up the roads, and sadly, some don’t have the same level of respect for the environment as locals do. However, they also support the local economy, and many small businesses in the Surf Coast region rely on tourism to survive. 

5. Take advantage of Melbourne’s proximity

The beauty of the Surf Coast is that it gives you all the laid-back beauty of a tiny beach town with easy access to one of Australia’s largest and most culturally-rich cities. So, you get to wake up to calm coastal sounds but then pop into the city to visit the best coffee roasters Melbourne has to offer and explore the galleries, museums, fashion stores and cultural events.

If you’ve considered these facts and are still keen to make the Surf Coast your forever home, then you’re probably the type of person who will fit in beautifully with the locals.

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