Highett property with jail cell heads to auction
A former suburban police station with its original lockup still standing behind the house has hit the market in Highett, and buyers are lining up to inspect what could be Melbourne's quirkiest property listing of the year.
While the front looks like any other 1980s-era renovator, step into the backyard and you'll find a fully intact jail cell, complete with barred door, concrete toilet, and more than a few ghost stories from its former life as a police outpost.
RELATED: Grollos sell Mt Buller pub after 20 years
Landmark bowling alley's future revealed
Ray White Carnegie's Aarun Tong said the moment he laid eyes on it, he knew this wasn't just another listing.
'Honestly, it stopped me in my tracks,' Mr Tong said.
'It's definitely one of the most unique features I've ever seen in residential real estate, a bit of Aussie history tucked away in someone's backyard.'
The property sits on a generous 724sq m block opening the door to serious redevelopment potential, subject to council approval, or a bold renovation for buyers keen to preserve its offbeat character.
Mr Tong said buyers will definitely be intrigued.
'There's a novelty factor you just don't see anywhere else. It's not every day you inspect a house and find a jail cell out the back,' he said.
The home also features five bedrooms, two levels of living, a large open-plan kitchen, under-stair storage, detached studio with a 'Full Send' flag, and two backyard storage rooms, one of which could make a perfect workshop or artist's retreat.
There's even a separate powder room outside, adding to the mystery of who used it, officers? suspects? tenants past?
Originally believed to have operated as a local police base until the 1990s, the cell out back is one of the few physical remnants left, and the Ray White Carnegie agent said it is arguably the most unforgettable.
'In its current state, I'd say it leans more towards a development opportunity,' Mr Tong said.
'But it does have a nostalgic charm to it.
'A character-filled renovation isn't out of the question, it just depends on the buyer and their appetite for a project.'
Located moments from Highett Station, Southland Shopping Centre, local schools, parks, and cafes, the property blends Bayside convenience with a backstory that's anything but ordinary.
And while Mr Tong said it's unlikely the cell will ever hold criminals again, it might just hold wine, work-from-home dreams or someone's next big renovation adventure.
'You could do something really cool with it,' he said.
'It's got this bizarre charm that people remember. It's not just another block.'
The home will be auctioned on August 2 at 1pm.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
22 minutes ago
- News.com.au
‘This phone call was certainly different': How trainer Brad Widdup hooked up with The Everest slotholder Michael Gregg and Mulberry Racing
Trainers are used to getting phone calls from prospective owners but rarely do they go as well as the one Brad Widdup received in late 2019. Widdup 's phone rang out of the blue from an interested businessman looking to get involved in the industry as an owner. The caller was Sydney billionaire businessman Michael Gregg. 'It was one in a million,' Widdup says. 'You get a lot of calls inquiring and for one reason or another, nothing comes of it. 'This phone call was certainly different. 'Like any owner, it can be luck of the draw and a lot of people go to the big trainers because they are successful and are in the paper all the time so that's who they see. 'There are a lot of other good trainers out there that need clientele to show their wares.' Widdup's stable is not dominated by syndicators with consistent support from the likes of Frank Mittaga, Chris Lawler, Brad Hunt, Adrian Whittinham and John Cordina. Gregg, who made his money as an early investor in Wisetech Global and private equity, is just the latest to throw his support behind the astute horseman. His Mulberry Racing has been expanding its racing footprint, doing so with a relatively low profile. That changed last month with the purchase of a slot in this year's The Everest. Mulberry Racing snapped up the slot left vacant by Star Entertainment and will pick a runner for the race for the first time when the $20 million feature takes centre stage again at Royal Randwick. • Rosehill Turf Talk: Cohen spies a $3 special on Saturday 'People like him investing in the industry is important, we need new people,' Widdup said. 'That is what The Everest has done, it is bringing new investors into the industry and it's exciting. 'Not only does it create interest in racing but in business as well. 'It's a strong talking point and its creating interest away from racing.' An obvious goal would be to see the Mulberry colours carried in The Everest with a horse they own. Group 2 Challenge Stakes victor Jedibeel is an obvious candidate but would only take his place in the field if Widdup thought he'd be competitive. Picking the right horse is the top priority. 'One day I am sure he would like to have his own horse but he is not going to put a Class 1 horse in The Everest and I am the same,' Widdup said. 'I don't want to run a horse in The Everest and get beaten 25 lengths. I don't think Jedibeel would get beat 25 lengths but he has raced against the one of the favourites Briasa and drawn bad gates both times. 'I am not going to talk up Jedibeel is an Everest horse or anything like that but he is not going to be far away.' Jedibeel lets down and WINS the Challenge Stakes! ðŸ�† @BWiddupRacing | @G1TySchil — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 8, 2025 • Jedibeel went for a break after finishing eighth in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in May but has returned to work to begin preparing for the spring. 'Jedibeel had a little break in Queensland but has come back,' Widdup said. 'I just have to be careful where I go with him. He may have to go to Melbourne. 'I don't want to be pushing him against the good ones straight up. 'He is at that level now but there is plenty of races and nothing is set in concrete yet.' All of Mulberry's horses wear the bumblebee colours Gregg's University Of NSW cricket club. They will be back on show this weekend with two-year-old prospects Tequisoda, You're The Choice and Gladstone Grande all acceptors in races at Gosford and Hawkesbury. Emerging colt Nashville Jack, fourth in this year's Silver Slipper, was a winner of a 900m trial at Rosehill Gardens and isn't far away from a return to the races too. There just a few of a pool of young horses that Widdup hopes can make their mark in the coming years. 'We have a lot of young horses and some will be good and others won't,' Widdup said. • Pride poised to continue winter hot streak at Rosehill 'Nashville Jack is obviously the standout at this stage and is a very straightforward horse. 'He has a good attitude and action so hopefully he can keep improving.' While Widdup has a plethora of young talent to look forward to, he will rely on one of his proven performers at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Tough galloper Phearson ($17) will be looking for a change of luck when he leads the stable's assault in the Listed $200,000 Winter Challenge (1500m). The seven-year-old hasn't won since his Group 3 Liverpool City Cup victory last March but has been hampered by bad gates in recent starts and can bounce back to top form. 'Phearson is going as good as I've ever had him going but he's not had any luck and keeps getting bad gates,' Widdup said. 'It's not helping him but I am more than happy with the way he is going. 'The horse looks enormous. 'I am sure Tom (Sherry) will be confident. He knows the horse quite well and thinks it's going well, just not getting the luck.' 'I wouldn't be shocked if he won on Saturday, if he puts it together he is going good enough.' Phearson leads the whole way to take out the final race at Randwick! @BWiddupRacing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 2, 2024 Bella Khadijah ($15) will go in search of back-to-back victories when the daughter of Pierata contests the Stuart Macdermid Benchmark 72 Handicap (1500m). The three-year-old filly was scratched from Wednesday's meeting at Randwick Kensington in the same race her stablemate Hasty Honey scored in. 'The reason I split them up, she would have been a three-year-old filly carrying 60kg,' Widdup said. 'Hasty Honey was going well so I didn't want smash her by doing that. 'You are going to Saturday grade but carrying three kilos less in a three-year-old race. 'She is going well. Is she going well enough to win? I am not sure. 'Mentally she is not there yet but she has ability to.' Widdup is expecting another strong showing from Art's Alive ($11) in the Myplates Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) with Jay Ford aboard. The daughter of Snitzel gave a price at odds first-up when narrowly beaten by Hi Dubai in an 1100m event at the same track. 'Art's Alive went terrific first-up and came through it good,' Widdup said. 'I can't knock her at all and she should run well again.'
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
BHP turns to China to kill diesel
Mining heavyweight BHP has struck an agreement with two of China's most powerful battery manufacturers, including one currently blacklisted by the United States Department of Defence. The memorandums of understanding (MoU) signed this week will see Chinese battery giants - BYD's battery subsidiary FinDreams, and Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), collaborate on electrifying heavy-duty mining equipment, developing fast-charging infrastructure, and advancing battery recycling technologies across BHP mines. CATL is the largest EV battery supplier in the world, with clients ranging from Tesla, Volkswagen and Toyota. But in January this year, the Pentagon added CATL to its official blacklist, flagging it as a 'Chinese military company' with links to Beijing's military-industrial complex. US Representative House Select Committee on China chairman John Moolenaar warned that companies like CATL were a serious threat to the country. 'We cannot allow these loaded guns to threaten our economy and security,' he told CBT news. The designation, under Section 1260H of the US National Defence Authorisation Act does not act as a ban, but warns American entities from investing in the company due to national security concerns. BHP did not address the blacklisting in its statement but BHP group procurement officer Rashpal Bhatti said the move is part of its long term strategy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2050. 'This strategic relationship marks further progress in BHP's work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our operations and enable support for further developments within the global resources sector,' he said. CATL head of overseas business Tan Libin said it would collaborate with BHP on a number of areas. 'Together with forward-thinking resources companies like BHP, we aim to demonstrate how advanced battery technologies can decarbonise mining operations, logistics, and product delivery, accelerating a more sustainable, efficient future while creating long-term value and transforming the global resources industry through innovation,' he said. While the transition to electric mining fleet is a great step forward, experts say it also introduces new safety risks that must be carefully managed. According to Swinburne University School of Engineering Professor Weixiang Shen said mine sites expose battery systems to 'extremely harsh' conditions, including heat, dust, vibration and humidity, all of which increase the risk of failure. He said fast charging can cause batteries to overheat rapidly, combined with the risk of internal short circuits or electrical sparks during equipment switching, this can lead to thermal runaway, a dangerous chain reaction that can result in fires or explosions. 'Mitigating these risks requires the development of purpose-designed battery energy and thermal management systems capable of real-time monitoring, control and cooling as well as explosion-proof enclosures, all tailored to mining environments,' he said. 'Together, these systems provide robust protection against environmental hazards, ensuring the safe and reliable operation of battery-powered equipment in mining applications.' Professor Shen added that lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which offer better thermal stability than other chemistries, are currently considered the safest option in high-risk settings like mine sites. BYD and CATL are currently dominating the global battery market. According to South Korean research firm SNE Research, CATL and BYD held 38.1 per cent and 17. 4 per cent of global EV battery market share from January to May this year. In China, CATL accounted for 43.7 per cent of battery installations in June alone. Currently the company has a market capitalisation of approximately A$263.61 billion. As of December 2024, CATL also holds nearly 63 per cent market share in the premium electric vehicle market, having supplied nearly 2.22 million cars so far.
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's China trip faces criticism from opposition over ‘indulgent' optics and lack of serious negotiations
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been criticised for "indulging" in optics as he snapped pictures with pandas and strolled the Great Wall of China on the final days of his diplomatic visit to People's Republic. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has engaged in panda diplomacy on the final day of his trip to China, but faces criticism for indulging in optics rather than serious statesmanship. The final leg of Mr Albanese's trip has been dominated by symbolic gestures as he visited the Chengdu Research Centre for Giant Panda Breeding on Thursday. He posed for cameras in a Hawthorn Hawks jacket and praised the role of panda diplomacy in fostering bilateral ties. 'They're very sensible, smart,' Mr Albanese told his guide after he was informed of how pandas 'get up early' and 'move around outside'. Reflecting on his encounter with Fu Ni—a giant panda that spent 15 years at Adelaide Zoo—Mr Albanese heaped praise on the Australia-China connection. 'It's a really strong connection that is there... And the visit here has been very warmly received,' Mr Albanese told Sky News. — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 17, 2025 However, the diplomatic visit has faced heavy criticism as Mr Albanese avoided broaching serious issues confronting the Australian and Chinese governments. This was despite his government's oft-repeated claim that 'we will disagree where we must and engage in the national interest'. Throughout the trip he avoided clashing with Chinese President Xi Jinping over the Darwin Port, China's support for Russia or recent military drills near Australian waters. Instead, Mr Albanese dined with President Xi, watched a Chinese rendition of Paul Kelly and Midnight Oil songs, and walked the Great Wall of China. The opposition condemned the approach, accusing Mr Albanese of indulging in nostalgia and failing to secure substantive outcomes. Shadow finance minister James Paterson told Sky News on Thursday the 'tangible outcomes' of the trip were 'very hard to identify'. 'I do wonder whether… a visit to Chengdu to pose with some pandas…. is strictly necessary as part of a six-day visit to China,' he said. 'There is so much else at stake in our other international relationships. Frankly, I have to say that some of this is starting to look a little bit indulgent.' He also criticised the prioritisation of symbolism over diplomacy after Mr Albanese traced Gough Whitlam's steps along the Great Wall of China from 1971. 'The appropriate time to do a nostalgic history tour of Labor Party mythology is after you retire, in your own time, at your own expense, not on the taxpayer dime.'
