Area Hotlist — Colac - Corangamite VIC
20 lifestyle anchors proven to sell property across the Colac - Corangamite area
Area Hotlist — Glenelg – Southern Grampians
Portland CBD (Henty St & Percy St)
401 votesHeritage bluestone façades, harbourside cafés and weekend produce markets give Portland’s twin main streets a lively, seafaring vibe. Morning coffee, banking and Friday-night fish-and-chips all happen on foot, so nearby weatherboards and low-set units sell fast to downsizers chasing easy, walk-everywhere living.
Lake Hamilton Foreshore
358 votesRowing shells glide past sunrise joggers on the 4-kilometre path circling Lake Hamilton. Playgrounds, barbecue shelters and a pumped-track keep families busy after school, adding resort-style recreation to properties only five minutes from Hamilton’s main street.
Grampians National Park
344 votesTowering sandstone ranges, wildflower-lined tracks and sunset lookouts sit less than an hour north. Locals squeeze in mid-week hikes up the Pinnacle or weekend winery lunches in Halls Gap, a nature–culture combo that continually attracts tree-changers from Melbourne and Adelaide.
Portland Harbour & Marina
332 votesVictoria’s deepest port hosts cruise liners, tuna charters and commercial trawlers side-by-side with sleek yachts. Sea-breeze sunsets, fresh off-the-boat seafood and jobs on the waterfront underpin strong rental demand for modern apartments overlooking the masts.
Hamilton Base Hospital
296 votesWith 24/7 emergency, birthing suites and regional cancer care, the revamped hospital secures local health and hundreds of clinical jobs. Medical staff keep rental vacancies tight, and retirees appreciate top-tier services just blocks from Lake Hamilton.
Cape Nelson Lighthouse & Coastal Park
274 votesHistoric 1884 lighthouse, rugged clifftop walks and seal-spotting platforms lie 12 minutes from Portland CBD. Weekend coffee at the keeper’s café then windswept headland hikes give locals enviable “holiday-at-home” credentials highlighted in coastal listings.
Portland Aluminium Smelter
251 votesThe region’s largest employer powers more than 500 direct jobs and reliable contract work. Steady pay cheques bolster housing demand, while ongoing green-energy upgrades signal long-term economic confidence for investors eyeing duplex builds and townhouse projects.
Hamilton CBD (Gray St)
235 votesGray Street’s wide boulevards host boutiques, brew-pubs and the Performing Arts Centre, earning Hamilton the moniker “country city of the south-west”. Walk-to-café convenience and top private schools keep four-bedroom homes in nearby tree-lined avenues in constant demand.
Narrawong Surf Beach
221 votesGentle waves, patrolled flags and dog-friendly zones make Narrawong a summer favourite 15 minutes east of Portland. Beach-shack rentals fill quickly during holidays, and buyers chase rare beachfront parcels for weekend escapes or Airbnb income streams.
Henty Highway
204 votesLinking Portland port to Horsham grain heartland, the highway moves produce and people swiftly across the shire. Efficient freight routes strengthen farm gate profits, while commuters enjoy reliable 110-km/h runs to industry hubs and bigger regional centres.
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape
196 votesUNESCO-listed eel-traps, volcanic lakes and guided indigenous tours celebrate 6 500 years of Gunditjmara engineering. Growing eco-tourism provides local jobs and boosts occupancy for heritage cottages and farm-stay cabins dotted around Tyrendarra and Macarthur.
Cape Bridgewater Blowholes
183 votesRoaring winter swells blast sea spray 20 metres skyward beside petrified forest cliffs. Locals bring visitors for the spectacle, then linger over lunch at the surf café—an effortless “wow-factor” that underpins steady tourism spend in the coastal hamlet.
Heywood Golf Club
167 votesEucalypt-lined fairways, friendly comps and $10 twilight fees create big social value for a modest green fee. Nearby quarter-acre blocks entice first-home buyers after space, while grey nomads appreciate parking vans beside the clubhouse for multi-round weekends.
Hamilton Botanic Gardens
159 votesDesigned by William Guilfoyle, the 1870 gardens showcase giant redwoods, ornate rotundas and roaming peacocks. Family picnics, wedding photos and twilight jazz events enliven the lawns and add premium cachet to period homes lining Kennedy Street.
Portland Arts Centre
148 votesTouring theatre, comedy and film festivals bring capital-city culture to the coast. After-work shows spill patrons into Percy Street restaurants, reinforcing Portland’s emerging evening economy and supporting investor interest in central shop-top apartments.
Mount Abrupt (Grampians)
135 votesDunkeld locals tackle the steep 6-kilometre return hike for panoramic sunrises over fertile plains. The dramatic silhouette frames many a property photo, boosting the hamlet’s desirability among wellness-minded buyers chasing weekend adventure on their doorstep.
Portland Bay School
129 votesThis purpose-built special-education campus offers sensory gardens, hydro-therapy pool and tailored learning programs. Families value having comprehensive support locally, and staff demand underpins solid rental returns on modern three-bedroom brick homes nearby.
Bridgewater Lakes Recreation Area
118 votesFreshwater lakes, white-sand dunes and sheltered swimming coves sit beside a tranquil campground 20 minutes from Portland. Kayaks, stand-up paddle-boards and sunset barbecues create a laid-back holiday aura that property ads for surrounding acre blocks eagerly promote.
Dunkeld Royal Mail Hotel
112 votesTwo-hat dining, an extensive wine cellar and kitchen garden masterclasses have foodies flocking to this Grampians foothills icon. Culinary tourism boosts B&B bookings and lifts demand for lifestyle holdings within a short pre-dinner stroll of Parker Street.
Great South West Walk Trailhead
106 votesPortland’s cliff-top caravan park hosts the 250-kilometre loop’s official start and finish. Trekking groups fuel year-round hospitality trade, and proximity means residents can sample half-day coastal legs on a whim—another compelling lifestyle perk to seal the property deal.