From Hawthorn to Hawthorne and Armadale to Armidale: Life in suburbs that share a name

From Hawthorn to Hawthorne, Armadale to Armidale, it seems creativity fell by the wayside when naming some of Australia’s suburbs and towns.

The Shire suburb of Como in Sydney shares its name not only with the famed city in northern Italy, but with a pocket in Perth and another on the Sunshine Coast.

Manly and Coogee, two of Sydney’s best-known beachside enclaves, both have counterparts elsewhere – in Brisbane and Perth, respectively.

But when it comes to comparing the property market and daily life in neighbourhoods such as these, the similarities often end fast.

Avalon Beach NSW and Avalon VIC

Known by locals as Avalon, this affluent suburb is one of the shining jewels on Sydney’s northern beaches.

With streets dotted by grand Hamptons-style homes, buyers have their pick of cafes, restaurants and properties with coastal views or Pittwater panoramas, if they have deep enough pockets.

Avalon Beach’s median house price is $1.765 million according to Domain data for the June 2019 quarter. Its highest known sale so far this year was a five-bedder that exchanged in February for $5.1 million.

By contrast, Geelong’s Avalon is dominated by properties on rural acreages. With much of the suburb taken up by an international airport, little room is left for residential stock, with more listings and a selection of shops in neighbouring Lara.

The airport, which has offered Jetstar flights since 2004, has an increasing impact on prices in the area, according to Owen Sharkey from First National Golden Plains.

“There is a huge amount of investment in the land around there,” Mr Sharkey said. “A lot of the land sold … has been on 20 to 50 acres [eight to 20 hectares], [with investors] knowing that the landscape is going to change.

“If you do attract any family-type buyers, they are paying an absolute premium,” he added. “It would be a family that sees the purchase for a long-term, strategic purpose.”

There have been no sales in Avalon so far in 2019, with only seven properties changing hands last year, according to PriceFinder figures.

Mr Sharkey said buyers would likely pay at least $700,000 to $800,000 for land on two to four hectares.

Brighton VIC and Brighton SA

As far as Melbourne’s waterfront goes, it doesn’t get more iconic than Brighton, which lures buyers with colourful bathing boxes and grand residences in period and contemporary styles.

With a median house price of $2,167,500 and a median apartment price of $937,500, the suburb is among a cluster of blue-chip suburbs in Melbourne’s high-end market.

Cinemas, galleries and chic cafes keep locals entertained on non-beach days. A trip to the CBD takes about half an hour by car.

Though it isn’t as widely known, Adelaide’s Brighton is also a coastal pocket with a bustling shopping strip. The suburb, which has a walking track along the shoreline, also shares a feature in common with Brighton in the UK.

“The good thing about our Brighton is that we have a pier as well, which is a really popular spot for fireworks,” said Andrew Boswell from Magain Real Estate Adelaide.

About 15 kilometres south-west of the CBD, Brighton has a median house price of $730,000, almost $200,000 above the median for Greater Adelaide.

Mr Boswell said houses to the west of Brighton Road had an element of prestige, but that the suburb was more affordable and less busy than nearby Glenelg.

He described the area as particularly popular with empty-nesters with five to 10 years left before retirement.

Stock includes bungalows on large blocks and new developments that cater to the downsizer crowd.

“If you open the Saturday paper, a lot of properties will be priced between $600,000 and $800,000, but then again you’ll also see properties at $1.1 million,” Mr Boswell said.

Newtown NSW and Newtown QLD

Arguably the hipster heart of Sydney, Newtown may not be as grungy as it once was but the suburb is still a go-to for cafes and bars, quirky second-hand stores, vegan pizzerias and everything in between.

With a median house price of $1.28 million, up 32.6 per cent over the five years to June 2019, Newtown is welcoming more families and young professionals into the fold.

Central Station is less than 10 minutes away by train – a convenience often reflected in property prices. Newtown’s highest sale so far this year was $3.15 million for a terrace on Georgina Street with six bedrooms.

Newtown’s aesthetic may be unique, but there’s one aspect that isn’t — suburbs with the same name can be found in Brisbane, Geelong and Toowoomba.

In Toowoomba’s Newtown, investors and families are eyeing Queenslanders and cottages instead of terraces, many of which fall in an affordable range. Here, the median house price sits at $310,000.

Lachlan Brealey of LJ Hooker Toowoomba said plenty of buyers were paying attention to those prices.

“’It’s the most traded in and the largest [suburb] in Toowoomba where you get everything from older brick homes to character properties … closer to the CBD,” he said.

Mr Brealey said the area was popular with buyers priced out of eastern parts of the city. “It’s more approachable, it’s more affordable, and it’s cute too.”

While Sydney’s Newtown still wears the hipster crown, Toowoomba’s Newtown may be following in its footsteps.

“It’s going through a real phase of gentrification at the moment,” Mr Brealy said, which he described as part of a broad trend across the city.