Beach Rd eyesore: Neighbours fuming as Bayside mansion left to rot
A one-time Beaumaris mansion has been left to rot, with neighbours saying the smashed up den — which sits on beachfront land valued at “well more than $3 million” — has been taken over by drug users and boozing teens. Take a look inside.
Inner South
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Three million dollar real estate with beautiful bay views has become a smashed up den for teen drinkers and drug users.
And neighbours of the abandoned Beaumaris mansion say they fear for their safety with trespassers trashing the property as it awaits redevelopment.
With its smashed windows, graffiti, overgrown shrubs, mountains of litter and cigarette butts, the former four bedroom, two bathroom family home at 17 Beach Rd Beaumaris is not the usual hot property to grace the lavish beachside strip.
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The neglected lot, which Bayside Council has said has a planning permit for an eight dwelling development, has turned heads on the busy stretch for a number of years and frustrated neighbours say their calls to boot intruders have been ignored.
Neighbour Diane Campisi said she and her husband witnessed people “shooting up” inside and had chased out teen drinkers on multiple occasions.
Plans for a $4.6 million redevelopment, which includes a multistorey apartment building with a basement, were approved by Bayside Council in August but construction has not started.
Temporary fencing at the front of the property has been taken down.
“I don’t feel safe — when we have guests over in the backyard, I have to lock our front door so people from next door don’t run in,” Ms Campisi said.
“I understand it’s a thrill for them … but it’s not their house to smash.”
Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said the property had been a “derro house” for more than six years.
“I’ve been over there to lay rat bait occasionally … otherwise, we’re used to it,” she said.
“The property is willing people to go in there and have a look, and the (temporary) fencing didn’t do anything to help because people can just force it open.”
Ms Campisi was forced to fork out $800 for a wooden fence between the vacant land and her frontyard pool, with council’s wire fencing deemed inappropriate for the wet area.
“I’m disappointed they care more about the fence than about our safety,” she said.
Bayside City planning and amenity director Dr Hamish Reid confirmed the council had received six complaints regarding the property over the past two years.
But Dr Reid said trespass and anti-social behaviour were “matters for the property owner and Victoria Police” and the council “could not compel the owner to erect a fence”.
“(The) council recently issued a notice to comply for the owners to cut back long grass and remove any materials that may constitute a fire hazard,” Dr Reid said.
“(Council) officers are monitoring the property.”
The house two doors down, 19 Beach Rd, is advertised for sale with prestige real estate agency Kay & Burton, which spruiks it as a “tri-level family masterpiece” with pool and spa.
According to realestate.com.au, the derelict property was first sold in March 1985 for $220,000 but Century21 Real Estate Beaumaris representative Graeme Lund said the land would now be worth “well over $3 million”.
Mr Lund said ownership of the house had switched hands multiple times in the past decade, with a number of multistorey redevelopment plans left up in the air.
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“The house is horrendous … it looks sad and depressed,” Mr Lund said.
“Ultimately, whatever is built there will be better than what is there now. (The development) will be a nice place to live and will improve the strip.”
Victoria Police was contacted for comment.