Abandoned Kalangadoo police station sold after a decade empty

An abandoned police station and residence in the state’s south east have gone under offer, finally ending a decade of uncertainty.

The Kalangadoo police station at 13 Eliza St has been vacant since 2016 – having opened just seven years earlier – after the officer based there reportedly started covering the town from another station.

The officer retired the following year and no one has been stationed to Kalangadoo, which has a population of about 450 residents, since.

Despite a lack of available housing in the region, a nearby police residence has also sat idle – much to the dismay of locals – with a state government plan to offer it to other public sector workers seemingly unsuccessful.

MORE: Huge Adelaide real estate milestone you never thought you’d see

The Kalangadoo police station at 13 Eliza St has finally sold after being empty for a decade.

---

It has been vacant since 2016.

---

The police station and residence were listed for separate sale last year.

Their respective selling agents confirmed both were now under offer.

SAL Real Estate agent Brenton Leggett, who listed the “historic’’ police station, said since its closure, Kalangadoo had been policed from the nearby towns of Millicent and Mount Gambier.

Mr Leggett declined to say who had purchased the property or whether it had been bought for the full $250,000 asking price.

He said the buyers intended to have the property rezoned from commercial to residential and convert the police station, which has no holding cells but comes with a large front office reception area, into their own home.

“All I can say is (the buyers) are local entities,’’ Mr Leggett said.

“We had plenty of inquiries on the property, I suppose because of the (low) price guide.

“The majority of people were looking at it to live in … but being a commercial sort of dwelling made it a little bit harder (to sell) because banks at the moment are reluctant to lend on commercial-type premises.

MORE: Housing boom ahead: Project to unlock 500-plus new homes

The buyers hope to convert it into a home at some point.

---

It’s sale price is unknown.

---

“(The new owner) will need to get it rezoned for residential and then … they’re going to maintain the current building that’s there and use it for residential purposes.’’

Key2Sale agent Sara McManus, who listed the three-bedroom police residence at 11 Ann St, also declined to reveal details about the purchaser of that property.

However, it is understood the sales of the police station and the home, which had a $507,000 price guide, were to separate buyers.

Ms McManus said the residence had gone under offer some time ago, with the purchaser awaiting the sale of their current home before fully committing to the purchase.

House prices in Kalangadoo have jumped 11.7 per cent in the past year, according to PropTrack, with the median price now at $430,000.

– by Lauren Ahwan