Seaside Palace Offers Lots of Options

Giving life to a heritage home once takes courage, doing it 20 times takes a certain kind of madness.

Katalin and Stephen Blond are the vendors of the splendid Italianate wonder at 34-36 King Street in Victoria’s coastal Queenscliff. They are the passionate restorers of around 20 homes, yet seem (on the surface at least), particularly sane despite their extraordinary track record of saving

Australia’s built heritage, one front door at a time. It’s been six years since they found 34-36 King Street, and, ignoring all they knew of the struggle of restoration and renovation, they bought it.

“We thought it was the most beautiful building that was in need of some love and attention” says Ms Blond. “We loved it.”

At that point the building was in a very poor condition, having come through more than 100 years of love and loss.

It was built in 1854, as a seaside hotel, carefully positioned to be outside the city limits for Geelong drinkers – 17 miles or more from the CBD meant you could imbibe on a weekend, and customers flocked to the seaside hotel.

There was a fire in 1881 – Katalin reports that people carefully moved the billiard table out of harms’ way, carrying it by hand to safety – while furniture was tossed out of upper storey windows.

Katalin has amusing story after amusing story, the history of this building a testament to the transformative nature of Australian society. These owners, the Blonds, took the bones of this library of stories and painstakingly, and lovingly, rebuilt much of it.

The slate roof was carefully dismantled and restored, the balcony’s weathered wooden bannisters have been flawlessly replicated and repaired, and the cast iron nserts recast to replace those lost with time.

Other precious items including doors and spectacular marble mantles were rescued from the unfortunate demolition of a Toorak mansion – the source of yet another great story now pose proudly again in this building.

And the face of this grand lady? Well, that took months, actual months, of artisans restoring her lustre, literally one brush stroke at a time.

It is so easy to be distracted by the story telling, one can almost forget what is for sale here. Ten bedrooms, 1,354sqm of land, and a house sprawling over three levels with a soaring tower on 1354m2 of prime real estate boasting views of The Rip and Port Philip Bay and 360degrees views for miles from the tower.

What’s on offer here is the chance to create a most superb singular home, or multiple three storey luxury apartments (that would put The Block to shame) or maybe, with the potential purchase of the vacant land next door, a combination of all that and more. All while breathing in deep and sustaining breaths of the exhilarating ocean ambience.

A principal at Ray White Clayton, Lee Botsios has even more concepts – including the suggestion the property could satisfy a great local need for B&Bs.

“You could create a 20 room B&B,” said Mr Botsios, “or multiple units on the upper floors, and commercial tenants on the lower. We are happy to help potential buyers find the concept that works for them.”

Katalin and Stephen Blond have already spied their next project; they’ll be off to Ballarat to save yet another period home, applying their rare and valuable skills on property number 21.

Passionate admirer should note that 34-36 King Street, Queenscliff will be going to auction on December 7, at midday and the guide price is between $3,750,000 - $4,100,000.