Council to lock in buyer for Old Geelong Gaol
GEELONG’S council will go behind closed doors tomorrow to decide which tender will win the contest to buy the old Geelong Gaol.
The meeting is the culmination of an extended eight-month process to sell the 19th century bluestone prison on Myers St, dumping from council’s books a financial liability for maintenance that last year was estimated at least $1.56 million.
The campaign to sell the gaol is being handled in confidence due to the commercial nature of the tenders, but selling agent Andrew Lewis of Colliers International has said at least four parties — developers and hospitality operators — were keen to buy it.
Mr Lewis said interest in the 9423sq m property with a 3993sq m development area had come from local buyers, private and not-for-profit entities, corporations and developers.
The process was due to wrap up early in the year but the council tightened the contract of sale, committing the buyer to fulfil maintenance to the bluestone gaol, which opened in 1853. The last prisoners were removed in 1991.
Mayor Bruce Harwood said in May the extension also allowed a bidder that had missed the previous deadline to enter the contest.
“The level of interest was worthy of consideration of a small extension,” Cr Harwood said.
“Be that as it may, we’ve certainly got some genuine interest from some genuine parties and I think we will get a good result there.”
The gaol’s potential development area excludes the three-storey cell block, the governor’s and wardens’ residences and main entry from Myers St and an exercise yard in the southwest quadrant, including a section of wall and a guard tower.
Mr Lewis said price expectations had not been set for the property, although the council possessed a valuation.
Meanwhile another old gaol of a similar vintage at Castlemaine sold in May for about $1.5 million.
Celebrated artist David Bromley and fashion designer Yuge Bromley bought the Old Castlemaine Gaol with a vision to make it an arts precinct.
The creative couple “immediately fell in love” with the 1861 property, which has been run as a cafe and tourist destination, including an escape room experience, since last sold in 2012.