This Highett home may look ordinary that is until you discover the fully intact backyard jail cell, a relic from its days as a suburban police station.
There’s a jail cell in this Melbourne backyard — and yes, it still has the toilet.
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.
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Ray White Carnegie’s Aaron 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 original jail cell still stands in the backyard, complete with bars and a concrete toilet, a rare remnant of the property’s police station past.
The double-storey brick home offers five bedrooms and is set on a 724sq m block zoned for growth in the heart of Highett.
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.
The spacious open-plan kitchen is ready for a revamp, or a bold redesign to match the property’s one-of-a-kind history.
The home’s central bathroom reflects its 1980s bones, offering renovators a clean slate to modernise or reimagine.
“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.
A central staircase divides the main living zones, flowing into a large kitchen that anchors the home’s lower level.
A detached backyard studio currently flies a “Full Send” flag, offering buyers serious potential for a home office, retreat or creative space.
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.
One of the front rooms features a wall heater and brick detailing, a reminder of the property’s solid construction and scope to transform.
With a detached studio, multiple storage rooms and dual living zones, the property offers flexible use for creatives or developers alike.
“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.
Buyers could renovate, redevelop, or embrace the quirky charm of one of Melbourne’s most unique listings.
Once a suburban stronghold of law and order, this former police station now hides its biggest secret behind bars.
“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.
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