Beechworth newsagency hits the market backed by 162 years of trade
It’s been the go-to for a newspaper or magazine, not to mention a “chin wag” for 162 years, and now, the double-fronted newsagency at 26-28 Camp Street is for sale with a $1.3 million asking price.
Located beside the town’s historic former post office and directly opposite the iconic Beechworth Bakery, the newsagency was established as far back as 1864.
“It is right near the intersection of Camp and Ford streets, which are our two main streets,” selling agent Tony Stockdale, of First National Real Estate Bonnici & Associates, says. “We have one roundabout, and that’s it, so it’s very central.”
Response to the listing has been positive so far, according to Stockdale, with investors approaching from the local district and Melbourne.
Investors were primarily focused on the property’s income and lease security, but the tenant’s longevity and the location’s prominence added to its appeal.
“It’s not as if another newsagency is going to open up in town to create competition,” Stockdale says. “It’s a strong investment.”
Scottish immigrant James Ingram set up the shop after arriving in the town with his wife Margaret in the mid-1850s. He initially established the site as a bookshop, which developed into a broader bookselling, stationery and newsagency business. The words “James Ingram” and “Bookseller” remain on the facade, reminding the community of the store’s foundations.
“It’s very much a recognisable landmark in the town,” says Stockdale. “Of course, there are some hotels and other businesses that have been running for a long time in town, but this would have to be one of the longest trading in Beechworth.”
The offering
The two-storey building with double frontage has approximately 400 square metres of floor space on a 426-square-metre site, with one on-site car space. The newsagency tenant has just begun a two-year lease with two further three-year options, providing a potential eight-year tenure.
“As an investment, it’s a strong proposition with a $96,000 a year lease return which is a yield of about 7.4 per cent,” says Stockdale. “There’s also potential to upgrade the upper level which spans about 132 square metres – at the moment, it’s used as storage, but could have the ability to generate more income.”
Beechworth is growing
Beechworth has long been one of the most popular towns in Victoria’s High Country, a region that continues to expand as it attracts more people from Melbourne and beyond.
The population grew by almost 11 per cent between 2016 and 2021, rising from 3859 to 4274 and Victoria’s High Country recorded 2.7 million trips and more than $1.1 billion in direct visitor spending in the first nine months of 2025, according to Tourism North East.
“Beechworth is becoming really popular as a tourism destination,” says Stockdale.
“You can reach it from Melbourne in under three hours, and we have a lot to see here – there’s the famous Beechworth Bakery here, Bridge Road Brewers and lots of amazing biking trails and wineries. It continues to evolve.”
