The Melbourne suburb where a beach box is less than half price
By Orana Durney-Benson
For generations, brightly coloured bathing boxes have been an iconic image of Melbourne summers.
In Brighton, a bathing box could easily cost you $450,000 – more than the price of some one-bedroom apartments in the city. In the ritzy beachside suburb of Portsea a pretty blue boatshed looking out over Port Phillip Bay has just a few square metres of space, but will set you back $910,000 to $1 million – not an unusual price for the area.
But across the bay in Werribee, you can scoop up a beachside hut for a fraction of that price.
For sale in Werribee South is a quirky blue-and-yellow boatshed that has been converted into a seaside retreat. It is listed with a price guide of $200,000 to $220,000.
Campbells Cove spent many years as a nudist beach, but in 2015 it transitioned to a strictly clothes-on beach.
The blue-and-yellow shack is one of many boatsheds that have dotted the Campbells Cove shoreline since the 1920s.
The hut comes with a lounge room, a brand-new kitchen, a shower room, and a deck that looks out across the water.
There are no bedrooms as council regulations state the boatsheds can only be used during the daytime.
A rainwater tank behind the shed provides fresh water, while the stove and barbecue run on gas.
The listing describes the boatshed as “an ideal retreat for families, retirees, artists, and ocean enthusiasts”.
A beach box in Werribee is listed with a price guide of $200,000 to $220,000.Credit: Domain
“With numerous parks and playgrounds also nearby, the beach is literally at your doorstep, offering the perfect blend of coastal relaxation and outdoor adventure,” the listing says.
Patrick Bowen from LJ Hooker Property Point is the listing agent.
Buyers will have access to the property on a 99-year lease.
For those with deeper pockets, the $1 million Portsea boatshed is being sold by Warwick Anderson, principal of RT Edgar Toorak.
It’s built from masonry blocks that have been rendered and painted pale blue. Timber beam trusses support a tin roof that keeps out the rain and wind.
A few steps takes you to Shelley Beach, where you can watch the rich and famous jet past in boats.