An island property operating as a one-stop shop for the local community has an ace up its sleeve that would make every Aussie homeowner green with envy.
The property, which is currently on the market, serves as the general store, post office, cafe and petrol station for French Island, the larger but lesser-known sibling to Philip Island in Western Port Bay, about 60km southeast of Melbourne.
The 5900sqm property acts as the focal point for the local community, which is entirely off-grid and accessible only by ferry.
The only shop on French Island has been listed for sale with a $1.07m to $1.19m price guide. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
“You could call it the French Island hub,” said selling agent Craig Missell. “Everything happens around that property.”
“They’re the supplier of petrol to the island. The post office is on the property. They supply all the gas bottles to the area.
“They have bands come over, and on a weekend they might have wine tasting and music. There’s a lot there going on.”
The cafe hosts events such as wine tastings and music performances. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
The property has two key revenue streams: monthly rental income from the French Island General Store, and annual income from Telstra, which operates a cell tower on the property.
There are also three dwellings on the property that are rented as short-term accommodation for visitors.
But due to an unusual planning quirk, the property has no council rates, because French Island does not have a local council.
It’s what’s officially called an unincorporated area, meaning the area is not governed by a municipal council, instead falling under the authority of the state government.
The entire island is off-grid, with power provided by solar panels and batteries. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
A handful of unincorporated areas are scattered across Australia, including Lord Howe Island, Victoria’s alpine resorts, and sparsely populated areas in outback South Australia and NSW.
Most of French Island is undeveloped, with about two-thirds of the 170 square kilometre landmass occupied by a national park.
French Island is accessible only by ferry from Stony Point in the west or Corinella in the east. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
It’s dotted with farms and home to just 141 people, according to the latest census, although the human population is vastly outnumbered by the thousands of koalas that roam across the island.
“You can be sitting and having a coffee at the general store and you’ll quite often get a family of koalas walking past you,” Mr Missell said.
With no natural predators and quarantined from mainland diseases, the koala population has exploded from just three individuals released in the late-1800s to reach unsustainable levels today, putting pressure on the island’s pristine ecosystems.
Most of French Island is national park, with the rest occupied by farms. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Its untouched natural landscapes and activies such as birdwatching, cycling and bushwalking are what draws visitors to the island, while residents enjoy a quiet and calm lifestyle, Mr Missell said.
“It really does feel like you’re away from the hustle and bustle,” he said. “It’s a self-sufficient lifestyle for people that want to live off-grid.”
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