Latest news with #BellarinePeninsula
ABC News
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
The Cat Empire, Thelma Plum head up Queenscliff Music Festival 2025 line-up
Each year in November, music lovers of all ages flock to the Bellarine Peninsula for a weekend away. Their destination? Queenscliff Music Festival — the beachside Victorian event beloved for its family-friendly atmosphere and ripper line-ups. This year is no exception, featuring Australian faves alongside a a dash of overseas acts and up-and-comers. Let's take a peep, shall we? Do you really need to be told why The Cat Empire remain one of our country's must-see live bands? The headliners are certain to delight all sorts when their genre-fusing, party-facing ruckus takes over the main stage, celebrating their tenth album, Bird In Paradise. Gamilaraay singer-songwriter Thelma Plum has been touring solidly behind her latest album I'm Sorry, Now Say It Back . And we'll let you in on a secret: her world-class tunes sound even better on the live stage. Is there a better beach-y fit than US surfer turned professional strummer, Donavon Frankenreiter? He began his music career with a self-titled debut released under Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records, and like his good buddy Johnson, Frankenreiter excels at simple, soulful sing-alongs. Yolŋu rock sensation King Stingray seem incapable of delivering a limp performance, so be sure to fit their life-affirming anthems into your viewing schedule. Also in the mix is two Western Australian legends: homegrown folk heroes The Waifs and alt-rockers Little Birdy (who are touring their 2004 debut album later this year). Punk rock institution Cosmic Psychos will be QMF's resident mosh pit inspectors this year, while Minor Gold will flex the golden harmonies that have made them Double J faves. If you're after a boogie, the cosmic Squid Nebula, talented Sex On Toast or soul-funksters Suneden will be happy to supply. You've also got stomping siblings Pierce Brothers, close collaborators Didirri + Rowena Wise, the swampy blues of Opelousas, plus Fenn Wilson & The Weather. The little tackers will go gaga for Teeny Tiny Stevies, heading up QMF's stage dedicated to kids programming. And if all that wasn't enough for you, know there's more names to be added to the 2025 line-up, rounded out by local produce, arts, and community offerings. The three-day extravaganza takes over Princess Park, a short stroll from the historic Queenscliff Foreshore, with its gorgeous piers, cliff views and coastal walks. Plus, there's camping nearby if you prefer the outdoors. Queenscliff Music Festival runs from Friday 28 to Sunday 29 November on the traditional lands of the Wadawurrung people, proudly co-presented by Double J. Here's the line-up so far: The Cat Empire, Thelma Plum, Donvan Frankenreiter, The Waifs, King Stingray, Little Birdy, Cosmic Psychos, Pierce Brothers, Didirri + Rowena Wise, Squid Nebula, Minor Gold, Sex On Toast, Opelousas, Fenn Wilson & The Weather, The Smith & Western Jury, Riley Catherall, Suneden, Teeny Tiny Stevies Early bird tickets are on sale now.
News.com.au
16-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Geelong suburbs where sellers home prices hold or fold revealed
Fresh data has revealed the Geelong suburbs where buyers or sellers have the upper hand when it comes to sticking to their guns on price expectations. The PropTrack figures for vendor discounting – where homes sold by private treaty saw the biggest drop between the original advertised price and what buyers ultimately agree to pay – reveals the suburbs where buyers are able to negotiate the best deals. Coastal areas remained the best buyers' markets over the past 12 months, with prices sliding a median 8.3 per cent in Anglesea and Point Lonsdale between listing and sale, and close to 8 per cent in Portarlington and Barwon Heads. Barwon Heads has experienced an overall 20.7 per cent drop in median house price in 12 months to May (to $1.42m), PropTrack data shows, with the vendor discounting data showing sellers continue to grapple with where value sits in the Bellarine Peninsula hot spot. Pricing homes proved more stable across urban Geelong, with discounting most prevalent across the expensive inner suburbs, especially central Geelong, but also Manifold Heights, Newtown and Geelong West. Prices ebbed the most for central Geelong apartments, with a 5.7 per cent median discount between listing and sale. Sellers had it best in areas such as Armstrong Creek, Belmont, Corio, Grovedale, Lara and Newcomb, where the PropTrack data recorded a median vendor discount of zero. Hayeswinckle, Highton director Michelle Winckle said discounting price guides was more prevalent in more expensive inner suburbs where there were fewer buyers competing for homes. The data shows prices were most stable in Geelong's northern and southern suburbs. 'It's at a lower level where there's more people competing,' she said. Geelong's property market has endured a turbulent 24 months, with prices overall trending down until recently. Ms Winckle said price expectations were often changed to make homes more competitive in the marketplace. 'You often don't know until you've started a campaign and it's just not grabbing the market, so it needs to be adjusted,' Ms Winckle said. 'Quite often, it can still sell at what they originally wanted. It's just about changing up the strategy.' Buyers advocate Michael Ramsay said more properties were selling in coastal markets since interest rates were cut, though there were still examples of homes being listed at prices well above what the market considered fair. That was a sign that prices guides were getting closer to buyers expectations compared to the start of the year, Mr Ramsay said. SuburbData analyst Jeremy Sheppard said there's a correlation between higher discounts and softer demand. Buying in an area where vendors were accepting offers well below list prices often came with a downside, Mr Sheppard said. 'Bargain hunting is great if you're simply seeking a roof over your head and you plan to stay in the property for 20 years, but from an investment point of view it's not always good,' he said. '(In a high discount area) you'd have to be confident that you wouldn't need to sell for some time as it will be more difficult for sellers … if you're holding for the long term, this won't be an issue as the market will eventually balance out. All areas will eventually grow if given enough time.' GEELONG MEDIAN VENDOR DISCOUNT FIGURES Suburb Property type Median sale price Median vendor discount Point Lonsdale H $1,207,500 -8.3 Anglesea H $1,350,000 -8.3 Portarlington H $863,500 -7.9 Barwon Heads H $1,420,000 -7.8 Jan Juc H $1,270,000 -5.9 St Leonards H $720,000 -5.8 Geelong U $615,000 -5.7 Ocean Grove U $741,000 -5.4 Winchelsea H $650,000 -5.1 Geelong H $880,000 -4.4 Torquay H $1,175,000 -3.6 Newtown U $575,000 -3.4 Manifold Heights H $1,260,000 -3.1 Newtown H $1,150,000 -2.7 Ocean Grove H $955,000 -2.6 Geelong West H $850,000 -1.8 Drysdale H $710,000 -1.3 Lara U $447,500 -1.3 Belmont U $538,000 -1.1 Norlane H $451,000 -1 Grovedale U $496,250 -1 Highton H $861,000 -0.9 Clifton Springs H $652,600 -0.9 Leopold H $650,000 -0.7 Bannockburn H $785,000 -0.7 Hamlyn Heights H $720,000 -0.6 Herne Hill U $368,000 -0.6 Wandana Heights H $925,000 -0.5 Marshall H $630,000 -0.1 Armstrong Creek H $650,000 0 Lara H $680,000 0 Corio H $490,000 0 Belmont H $700,000 0 Mount Duneed H $700,000 0 Grovedale H $663,000 0 Charlemont H $615,500 0 Highton U $500,000 0 Bell Post Hill H $660,000 0 Bell Park H $611,000 0 Curlewis H $638,250 0 Newcomb H $550,000 0 Waurn Ponds H $765,500 0 St Albans Park H $585,000 0 Whittington H $529,000 0 Herne Hill H $700,000 0 North Geelong H $610,000 0 Geelong West U $387,500 0 East Geelong H $765,000 0 Hamlyn Heights U $530,750 0 Thomson H $512,500 0 Lovely Banks H $840,000 0 Source: PropTrack. Median vendor discount for homes sold in 12 months to May 2025. Excludes suburbs with less than 30 sales.
News.com.au
08-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Retired Supercars champion Paul Dumbrell finds buyer for beachside Barwon Heads pad
Retired racing car driver and former Total Tools boss Paul Dumbrell has wrapped up the sale of a beachside Bellarine Peninsula home he originally planned to bulldoze. Records show the Bathurst 1000 champion traded the five-bedroom house overlooking 13th Beach in Barwon Heads for $7m. His family splurged a combined record $10.2m on the exclusive 1275sq m property at 2 Stephens Pde and an older neighbouring home during the Covid coastal boom of 2020. The prized location, wedged between Barwon Heads Golf Club and the dunes, was intended to be the site of a new $6m luxury beachside mansion. But plans to demolish both existing houses to build a contemporary double-storey, seven-bedroom pad with basement parking for seven cars and an underground gym hit a snag when the City of Greater Geelong rejected the proposal. Both properties were relisted for sale separately through Bellarine Property, Barwon Heads agent Christian Bartley early last year, with a combined asking price upwards of $13m. The newer Swaney Draper architect-designed residence constructed from rammed earth, sandstone and timber at No. 2 was the pricier part of the package, advertised with $7.8m to $8.5m price hopes. Designed to blend into its natural surrounds, the house has commanding ocean views and a north-facing entertainer's deck overlooking the golf course's seventh fairway. A path directly across the road delivers you to 13th Beach within minutes. The property was withdrawn from sale in July but is understood to have later changed hands in a private off-market deal. Mr Bartley, who was not involved in the sale, declined to comment. He did, however, help broker the $3.3m sale of its four-bedroom weatherboard next door neighbour at 4 Stephens Pde, Barwon Heads after a seven-month campaign. At the time he said the new owners also planned a knockdown rebuild to capitalise on untapped views. Earlier this year Mr Dumbrell and his stepmother Lisa also sold a luxury Portsea pad for $5.7m. The successful businessman won two Super2 titles and seven Supercars Championship races before retiring from racing in 2018. He later became chief executive of Total Tools and in January this year was appointed chief executive of civil and construction supplier Jaybro Group.
