Flowerdale owner turns houseboat hotel into $1m property play
3561 Whittlesea Yea Rd, Flowerdale, comes with an unusual weekender destination — and it could help the property to a $1.2m sale.
A Victorian property owner who plonked a boat and a trio of tiny homes on the site of a former vineyard burned on Black Saturday could be set for a $1m-plus payday.
The eye-catching property, which comes with its own lake as well as the possibility of reviving its old grape growing and winemaking facilities, is listed with a $1.2m asking price.
But the current owner has basically turned it into a short-stay accommodation space as they built income on the site in a way local agents believe could be a future drawcard for the area.
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Property records show 3561 Whittlesea Yea Road, Flowerdale, last sold for $520,000 in 2017.
In 2006, before the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires wiped out thousands of Victorian properties, the site was a vineyard that got listed for sale at $950,000 — but did not appear to sell.
Incredibly, with the boat, and tiny homes, technically relocatable the $1.2m figure is just for the property’s more than 17ha of land — with buyers to potentially negotiate the inclusion of the unusual features that have proven a successful venture for the current owner.
The weekender is virtually surrounded by water views.
The captain’s chair is still featured in the boat’s living area.
The house boat’s galley is fitted out with space to cook and dine.
Egan Real Estate’s Tom Egan said he’d never seen anything done quite like the Flowerdale property, but believed the current owner had little trouble finding guests for the unusual accommodation.
An Airbnb listing for the property shows the boat rents out at more than $400 a night, with two bedrooms and accommodation for up to six guests.
It has just one review, indicating it is in a “nice location”.
One of the tiny homes is also advertised at a bit over $200 a night, with multiple strong reviews describing it as a farm stay with wonderful peace and serenity.
A tiny home with a mezzanine level features on the block.
One of the bush block’s tiny homes at the foot of a natural incline where deer and alpacas can be seen.
A third tiny home cabin on the block also has its share of seclusion.
“They have put a few tiny homes, and a houseboat on the lake and turned it into a bit of a B&B,” Mr Egan said.
“The boat is an overnighter, and it’s all self contained.
“It’s for a weekend away, without five-star accommodation to take in nature.”
The agent said the unusual offering was the first time he’d been involved in selling a boat as a housing option, and hoped not having his captain’s license wouldn’t be an issue, but noted it was possible the next owner might try to look at making the boat their home — instead of a short-stay accommodation space.
“You go to England and all along the inlets, people live on boats now,” he said.
“It’s a permanent housing structure there. So that might be the case here, and the boat could be negotiated into the sale.”
A portion of the block is in inclined land covered in bush.
The lake provides scope for fishing, according to its Airbnb listing.
The area where the vineyard was once located can still be seen.
Beyond that, he said the use of tiny homes to build a revenue stream on a property was something he is expecting to see more of.
“It’s an eye opener, because maybe the tiny homes might be the way of the future,” Mr Egan said.
“Basically, you just have a roof over your head somewhere to sleep so I can see a definite future for tiny homes.”
The property attracts deer and has alpacas on it.
Mr Egan said while the fires had burned much of the old vineyard, a knowledgeable operator might be able to re-establish the space without too much hassle.
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