Entrepreneurial buyers have been given a rare chance to take custody of an unusual property tucked away in a quiet Tasmanian village.
Occupying a substantial 1854sqm block at 3 Scone Street Evandale, just outside Launceston, the property is much more than a standard home.
It includes a four-bedroom house, as well as the neighbouring police station, which is now officially off-duty.
A home for sale in Tasmania includes the former police station next door. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Inside the station are two holding cells which are still intact, as well as a reception area, office space, bathroom and a double garage.
The house itself is more than 100 years old and was where police officers working in the station would live, according to selling agent Riley Turner of Wolf Property.
The station has community purpose zoning – typically reserved for government, health or education facilities. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
“The cottage was built in 1920, they were basically using it to house the police that would stay there overnight,” he said.
“The cop shop has two cells in there, which are functioning.”
The reception area remains intact inside. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Mr Turner said the police station was ripe for reimagination, with potential uses including offices, consulting rooms or accommodation, subject to council approval.
“It is zoned community purpose, so it's flexible in what you can do,” he said.
Included in the police station are two functioning jail cells. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Although Mr Turner said he was unaware of any infamous criminals who had been held at the station, the town does have its origins in Australia’s convict past.
Established in 1811, Evandale is one of Tasmania’s oldest inland towns and is known for its well-preserved Georgian layout and streetscape, with many of its picturesque buildings constructed using convict labour.
The cosy quarters could be re-imagined by entrepreneurial buyers. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
John Kelly, father of Australia’s best-known bushranger Ned Kelly, served time as a convict in Evandale in the 1840s, building a road to nearby Longford.
In slightly more recent history, underworld figure Mark “Chopper” Read was convicted of shooting a man in his driveway in Evandale in 1992.
The century-old house was used as accomodation by officers working in the police station. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Evandale has a median house price of $650,000, and Mr Turner said the town was benefitting from the uplift in Launceston’s housing market, which recently recorded the fourth-highest house price growth of Australia’s largest regional cities.
“The whole Launceston market is performing well,” he said. “Evandale is a really strong little township.”
The property sits on the circuit of the National Penny Farthing Championships, which is hosted in Evandale every year. Picture: GVS Media
Evandale also hosts the National Penny Farthing Championships, where riders of the iconic early bicycles race around town on a route which runs past the former police station.
The property goes to auction on May 2.
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