Castlemaine’s old police station building in central Lyttleton Street has sold at auction on Friday to a private buyer.
A crowd of about 70 interested onlookers gathered in front of the substantial CBD property and auctioneer and real estate agent Rob Waller opened bidding at $700,000.
Bidding then rose steadily in mainly $5000 increments with keen bidding between two parties.
When bidding reached the $750,000 mark, the auctioneer informed the crowd that the double-storey 14-room building on its large land parcel would be selling as the vendor’s reserve had been reached.
Determined bidding then resumed with the two parties involved each appearing keen to clinch the prime central CBD site that includes over a quarter-acre of land.
The final winning bid was $832,000 – stamp duty free as it was a government property – with the successful bidder then making a quick retreat to sign documents.
Mr Waller of Castlemaine’s Waller Realty declined to disclose the identity of the buyer but was happy to comment about the result.
“It’s a solid result,” he said.
“It had been sitting there empty for three to four years.
“It needs a bit of work. It’s a great property for someone with a bit of vision.”
The building was used as the town’s police station for many years through the ’60s and right up until the new police station opened on Hargraves Street in October 2014.
Mr Waller said that while the ground-level floor of the building would be perfectly suited to a commercial venture, the second level would be well suited to residential purposes and the large prime CBD parcel of land to the rear had numerous possibilities.
On site among the crowd of interested onlookers Mount Alexander Shire councillor Dave Petrusma – a former police officer and police prosecutor – was part of the local police team to serve the very last full shift at the building.
“That last shift started at 11pm and finished at 7am and that was it, they started moving straight into the new police station as soon as we finished,” Cr Petrusma said.
“I’d been on divisional van duties.
“Before it was used as the police station it was the old water board building.
“There’s a massive safe in there that had been for the water board customers so when it became a police station the safe was still there and we didn’t need to get one put in.”
Two old former police cells are also still part of the unique property.
“As a councillor I think it will be good to see some sort of development happen to allow the property to be used again,” Cr Petrusma said.
“There’s some stories in there.”
