Iconic Castlemaine gothic church on the market offers unique repurposing opportunities

A landmark gothic church in Castlemaine has been listed for sale, presenting a one-of-a-kind opportunity to transform one of the area’s most historic architectural gems.

David Napoleone, Romanor Falconer, and Raoul Holderhead of Burgess Rawson are teaming up with Michael Cantwell of Cantwell Property Castlemaine to manage the sale of the notable property located at 11-13 Lyttleton Street in Castlemaine. Interested buyers are invited to submit their expressions of interest by 3 pm AEST on Tuesday, 26th September 2023.

The property spans 2,023 square metres and features a remarkable 40-metre frontage. Included on the grounds are three historic structures: two churches and a renovated 3-bedroom home, all with a combined building area of 672 square metres.

“The zoning allows numerous options including repurposing to residential, short-stay accommodation, childcare, commercial use, community centre or a place of assembly/place of worship, all subject to council approval,” said Mr Napoleone.

Constructed around 1861, the Italian-Gothic church is the highlight of the property. Other structures include a church hall dating back to about 1855 and a three-bedroom residence built around 1857. The character-filled church is accentuated by features such as a pitched roof, slate tiles, and exceptional stained-glass windows. Raoul Holderhead points out the church’s “eye-catching original timber doorways” as a significant draw.

“There is the potential to re-align title boundaries and further subdivide for an asset hold or sell-down,” Holderhead noted.

The prime location of the property adds to its allure. It is situated in the centre of town, near an IGA, Australia Post, CBA, NAB, a Woolworths currently under construction, and is only 250 metres from the Castlemaine train station. The property also offers a large rear garden and ample on-site car parking via a right-of-way through Templeton Street.

Located 120km north of Melbourne and 40km from Bendigo, Castlemaine serves as the commercial hub for the Mount Alexander Council and has a trade catchment of about 20,000 people.

This new listing follows a series of similar sales managed by David Napoleone, involving the Uniting Church’s divestments in locations such as Preston, Montmorency, Thornbury, Reservoir, and Blackburn South.