Margaret Allnutt has sold the Aspendale home her family has owned since early last century. Picture: Wayne Taylor
A historic Aspendale property with its own boat building shed and slipway has sold to a high-profile sailing family.
The 1 Bowman Street home, believed to have housed Victoria’s first boat hire business, sold for an undisclosed figure at the top of its $3-$3.3m price guide.
The buyers were Stewart Rose — who campaigned to represent Australia at the 1996 Olympics and claimed a number of national titles in the sport including junior sailor of the year in 1996 — and his three-time Sydney Hobart Yacht Race-contending wife Kerryn.
RELATED: Aspendale home with boatbuilder’s slipway sure to float buyers’ boats
Melbourne stage four restrictions: Can you move house in lockdown?
Melbourne stage four: Real estate industry scores ‘small wins’
Vendor Margaret Allnutt’s family started the boat hire business on the edge of the Mordialloc Creek in 1938, with her late husband Dave building boats at the home from the 1970s.
Ms Allnutt will now downsize from the 1106sq m property that has 28m frontage to the creek, a slipway, boatshed, pool and pool house, a three-bedroom main house and a double-storey unit complex with another two residences.
Margaret Allnutt’s husband Dave built and maintained boats from the property in the 1970s. Picture: Wayne Taylor
The home comes with extensive water frontage to Mordialloc Creek.
“I keep pinching myself at the timing of it,” she said.
“But I couldn’t be happier, really. I got the price I wanted and people who will keep the house and will do some of the repairs that need to be done.
“I will miss looking out of my kitchen and lounge room windows and seeing the water and the boats, it is an ever changing scene.”
The view will be hard to farewell.
The everchanging panorama features numerous boats and a tranquil water backdrop.
The buyers are looking forward to maintaining the property’s boating heritage, with Ms Rose saying this would be their “forever home” and a wonderful place for them to teach five-year-old son William to sail a dinghy they have bought for him.
The main home has three bedrooms and has suited the same family for decades.
A pool and man-cave-like poolhouse were added to the home over the years.
“When you see a property like 1 Bowman come on the market, it’s so unique you know it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said. “And the history there is part of the appeal. But we’re also happy it will let us continue to explore our interest in sailing and boating.”
Buxton Mentone director Matthew Cox said it had been one of the most challenging sales of his career, with a number of government departments involved due to the waterway, as well as COVID-19 causing issues, but in the end three buyers had made offers.
A luxuriously appointed kitchen adds to the home’s appeal.
The pool house embraces the name on two fronts.
Mr Cox said a further six had abandoned plans as a result of COVID-19 biting their businesses.
“It was a real mixed bag including a developer looking to build multiple homes on site and people who were looking to change the zoning to have a bit of retail there,” he said.
MORE: Off the plan sales to continue amid stage four lockdown
Mark Philippoussis: Former Williamstown home of tennis champ for sale
Olympic golfer Marcus Fraser sells Beaumaris mid-century house
The post High-profile sailors take the helm at historic Aspendale boaties den appeared first on realestate.com.au.