Higgins location and character
Higgins lies in the western part of Belconnen, which was established in 1966 by the Commonwealth through the gazettal of the Districts Ordinance 1966. It sits approximately twelve kilometres north-west of the Canberra city centre, adjoining Scullin, Holt and Latham.
The suburb was gazetted in 1968, among the first wave of Belconnen suburbs released after the district was created.
Higgins has seen almost no redevelopment since, which is why its housing profile remains overwhelmingly detached and why a buyer here is effectively choosing between houses rather than dwelling types.
Transport and amenity in Higgins
Canberra's light rail does not serve Belconnen. Light rail Stage 1 commenced services on 20 April 2019 between Gungahlin and the city, and Stage 2A from Civic to Commonwealth Park is under construction and expected to be operational in early 2028. Transport Canberra buses serve Higgins and connect it to the Belconnen Town Centre and the city.
Road access is by Southern Cross Drive and Ginninderra Drive, the principal arterials through western Belconnen.
The Kippax group centre is the main local shopping precinct for western Belconnen, and the Belconnen Town Centre provides the district's full range. This guide does not describe school catchments, which the ACT Education Directorate can confirm.
Housing stock in Higgins
Higgins is built almost entirely of detached houses from the late 1960s. Its attached stock is among the smallest of any suburb covered in these guides.
At the 2021 Census, 1,189 of the 1,236 occupied private dwellings were separate houses, 30 were semi-detached or townhouse dwellings and 23 were flats or apartments, so houses made up 96.2 per cent of occupied homes against 72.3 per cent nationally. Three-bedroom homes numbered 630 and four-bedroom homes 366, with 101 two-bedroom dwellings.
The Census also recorded 66 unoccupied private dwellings out of 1,303 on Census night. Inspections on late 1960s Canberra housing commonly consider roof and ceiling condition, original wiring and plumbing, insulation performance given the cold winters, and asbestos-containing materials, addressed further below.
Who lives and buys in Higgins
The 2021 Census counted 3,321 residents in Higgins, with a median age of 38, matching the national figure, and an average household size of 2.6 people compared with 2.5 nationally. Adults aged 35 to 44 were the largest group at 489, followed by 481 aged 25 to 34, 451 children aged 5 to 14 and 439 adults aged 45 to 54.
Mortgaged ownership leads. The Census recorded 547 dwellings owned with a mortgage, 374 owned outright and 279 rented, so 44.5 per cent of households with a stated tenure held a mortgage, 30.4 per cent owned outright and 22.7 per cent rented, against 35.0, 31.0 and 30.6 per cent nationally.
Median weekly household income was $2,248 against $1,746, median monthly mortgage repayments were $2,000 against $1,863 and median weekly rent was $400 against $375. For a buyer, this is a family market where a detached house is effectively the only product available.
Leasehold title and planning in Higgins
Land in the ACT is not freehold. It is granted under a Crown lease, and most residential Crown leases run for 99 years, with a buyer taking on the remaining term. Every Crown lease contains a purpose clause specifying the permitted use of the land, which in practice defines what can be built on it.
Varying that purpose clause, most commonly to permit higher density, requires permission from the Territory Planning Authority and attracts the Lease Variation Charge on the resulting uplift in value. With only 30 townhouse dwellings and 23 flats in the entire suburb, Higgins has seen almost none of that, so density potential should not be assumed.
A further lease can be applied for at any time during the term, for an administrative fee rather than a payment for the land.
Buying in Higgins under ACT contract law
Under the Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003, a seller must attach a required set of documents to the contract before the property is advertised. Those include building and compliance inspection reports, from an inspection carried out not earlier than three months before the property was first advertised, building conveyancing inquiry documents, an energy efficiency rating statement, copies of all interests and encumbrances, an extract of the title, and the Crown lease and deposited plan.
A buyer therefore receives a building report before making an offer rather than commissioning one afterwards, which matters for housing of this age. A buyer is entitled to a cooling-off period of five business days, ending at 5pm on the fifth working day after it begins, and forfeits 0.25 per cent of the purchase price to withdraw during that period.
Home loan considerations for Higgins property
Detached houses on standard Crown leases are the most widely accepted security, and with 1,189 of them in a highly uniform profile the suburb offers a valuer close comparable evidence. That uniformity generally makes valuations here more predictable than in a mixed suburb.
The corollary is that the handful of attached dwellings, 30 townhouses and 23 flats, have almost no local comparable evidence, so a valuer would need to look to neighbouring suburbs for those.
Loose-fill asbestos insulation is the principal caution. The suburb was gazetted in 1968, at the start of the 1968 to 1978 period when the product was installed in Canberra roof spaces, and in 2015 the ACT Government released a list of 1,022 affected properties across the Territory. Buyers should check the Affected Residential Premises Register for a specific address and read the asbestos information in the contract documents.
Lending considerations for Higgins
- The 1968 gazettal falls at the start of the loose-fill asbestos period.
- The uniform detached stock makes house valuations comparatively predictable.
- The few attached dwellings have almost no local comparable evidence.
- Density potential should not be assumed given how little redevelopment has occurred.
- Median monthly mortgage repayments of $2,000 sit above the national figure.
Lender policy differs between institutions and changes over time. The guide to Australian lenders explains how credit policy varies, and the home loan guide sets out the main loan structures.
Transfer duty when buying in Higgins, ACT
Transfer duty, commonly called stamp duty, is set by the state or territory rather than by suburb. The table shows indicative duty in ACT for an owner-occupier buying an established home at four illustrative purchase prices. These prices are examples only and are not an indication of values in Higgins.
| Purchase price | Owner-occupier duty | Eligible first home buyer |
|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $8,408 | Nil |
| $750,000 | $19,208 | Nil |
| $1,000,000 | $33,958 | Nil |
| $1,500,000 | $68,100 | Nil |
From 1 July 2026 the Home Buyer Concession Scheme provides a full exemption with no income test or price cap. Age, prior ownership and residence conditions apply, so the figures shown assume eligibility. Figures are indicative, exclude transfer and mortgage registration fees, and are subject to change. Eligibility conditions apply. Confirm the amount with the relevant revenue office before relying on it, or model a specific price with the stamp duty calculator. Grants and guarantees are explained in the government grants guide.
Frequently asked questions about buying in Higgins
Is Higgins mostly houses?
Almost entirely. At the 2021 Census, 1,189 of 1,236 occupied private dwellings were separate houses, or 96.2 per cent, against 72.3 per cent nationally, with only 30 townhouse dwellings and 23 flats in the entire suburb. Three-bedroom homes numbered 630.
When was Higgins established?
The suburb was gazetted in 1968, among the first wave of Belconnen suburbs released after the district was created in 1966 through the gazettal of the Districts Ordinance 1966. It has seen almost no redevelopment since.
Was Higgins affected by Mr Fluffy asbestos?
The suburb was gazetted in 1968, at the start of the 1968 to 1978 period when loose-fill amphibole asbestos was installed in Canberra roof spaces. In 2015 the ACT Government released a list of 1,022 affected properties across the Territory, and buyers should check the Affected Residential Premises Register.
Does the uniform housing help with valuations?
For houses, generally yes. With 1,189 separate houses in a highly consistent profile, a valuer has close comparable evidence. The corollary is that the 30 townhouses and 23 flats have almost no local comparisons, so a valuer would need to look to neighbouring suburbs for those.
Do I own the land when I buy in Higgins?
Not as freehold. Land in the ACT is granted under a Crown lease, most residential leases running for 99 years, and a buyer takes on the remaining term. Every lease contains a purpose clause specifying the permitted use, and varying it attracts the Lease Variation Charge on the uplift.
Who lives in Higgins?
The 2021 Census counted 3,321 residents with a median age of 38 and an average household size of 2.6 people. Of households with a stated tenure, 44.5 per cent held a mortgage, 30.4 per cent owned outright and 22.7 per cent rented. Median weekly household income was $2,248 against $1,746 nationally.
Sources for the Higgins guide
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: 2021 Census of Population and Housing, General Community Profile (tables G01, G02, G36, G37, G41), Suburbs and Localities
- ACT Government: Loose-fill asbestos
- ACT Planning: Crown leases
- Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003
- Transport Canberra
- ACT Revenue Office