An waterfront property in a popular Australian beach town is a rare find these days.
But there’s a major catch with this one: you can’t sleep in it overnight, you don’t own the land and it’ll set you back $1.3million.
The boat shed, in the picturesque suburb of Portsea, Victoria has just hit the market for the first time in 65 years and offers spectacular views and uninterrupted waterfront access.
Buxton real estate agent, James Redfern, told Daily Mail that ‘compared to other boat sheds and beach boxes in the area, this one has a much bigger footprint’.
‘It is in a lovely spot. It’s big enough for a boat or a jetski, which sets it apart and makes it great for anyone locally who loves getting out on the water,’ James said of the 7.2m x 3.5m space.
‘Inside it’s got some lovely storage facilities, a kitchenette, shelving, cupboards, as well as solar panels for power. There’s plenty of space to host family and friends.’
There are, however, a couple of catches that potential buyers need to be aware of – the main one being that, despite costing as much as the average Australian home, you can’t technically live in a boat shed.
James confirms that the property is not a legal residence and there are no bedrooms or bathrooms on the title.
The boat shed, in the picturesque suburb of Portsea, Victoria has just hit the market for the first time in 65 years and offers spectacular views and uninterrupted waterfront access
The boat shed is 7.2 metres by 3.5 metres – but it has no bathrooms or bedrooms and is not classified as a residence
Boatshed 2 is ideally positioned at the end of Shelley Beach and overlooks the picturesque Collins Bay
And speaking of ownership, the other major catch is that when you buy one of these boat sheds, you don’t actually own the land it’s on; you only own the shed itself.
Because the beach is technically council property of the Mornington Peninsula Shire, there are also maintenance and aesthetic compliance requirements that must be adhered to by the boat shed owners.
Changes to the shed in the way of ramps, steps or other improvements are also generally not allowed, unless they fall under the scope of required permissible alterations.
James admitted that he has fielded quite a number of queries where he’s had to sadly confirm it’s not an abode you can legally live in.
That being said, he says there’s plenty of interest from locals. These boat sheds are typically scarce and tightly held by owners, with potential buyers often having to wait patiently for many years before the opportunity to buy one arises.
‘It’s a niche and specialised property, but we’ve had some really good inquiries,’ he said.
‘All sorts of interesting people have inquired. But ultimately this will appeal to somebody who has a property nearby and probably enjoys water sports and wants easy access to get out there on the water.’
A unique feature of this boat shed is that it boasts private ramp access – meaning water sports lovers can launch their boat, jet ski or other vessel directly off the ramp and into the water.
This particular boat shed is one of only two on the beach with private ramp access
This property opportunity will appeal to water sports lovers as it affords them the opportunity to launch their vessel directly off the private ramp
The boat shed is equipped with beautiful storage, shelving, kitchenette and solar panel power. It’s an idyllic spot to host family and friends while spending the day at the beach
Until now, the boat shed has remained in the possession of one family since the 1950s – and it is one of about 1000 boat sheds erected on the Mornington Peninsula.
Boat sheds and beach boxes are fundamentally designed to store boats and beach equipment, but owners also enjoy them as a shaded retreat during days spent at the beach.
The difference between a boat shed and a beach box comes down to size – with a typical beach box about half the size of this particular boat shed.
The vendor’s parents – who were the original owners – first secured this property in the 1950s by putting their names down on a list with council in the hopes of securing one of the rare plots.
‘They were lucky enough to be allotted the second to last spot available,’ he explained.
The family then built the boat shed on their assigned plot – and that same beautiful structure still stands there. It is one of the largest boat sheds along the coveted run of properties on Shelley Beach and overlooks the picturesque Collins Bay.
Over the years, the realtor says the property has been lovingly maintained and well-enjoyed by the family.
James said the family had ‘wonderful memories’ of their decades using the boat shed – but that the time has now come for them to pass it on to a new owner.
‘It’s time for them to sell up – but they’re really sad about it. They’ve just absolutely loved it.’