Step back in time with this Beechworth landmark now for sale
The former Star Hotel stands as one of Beechworth’s most iconic heritage buildings, offering a glimpse into the Victorian town’s past as a thriving high-country destination.
The building, located at 59 Ford Street, has recently been listed for sale, which CRE Brokers’ Rod Devlin says is a rare opportunity for investors in the region.
“Superbly positioned and offering exceptional character, strong street presence and a planning permit aimed at growth, it’s [the former Star Hotel] perfectly suited to boutique short-stay accommodation, food and beverage, retail or mixed-use commercial outcomes (STCA),” he says.
Set on a 655 square metre parcel in the historic main street, the two-storey building features dual ground-floor retail tenancies, a rear yard with four on-site car parks, and a substantial upper level with original detail including the magnificent Club Room with its pressed-metal ceilings, fireplace and double glass doors opening onto the grand verandah overlooking Ford Street.
The hotel first opened in October 1853, and by 1855, it was purchased and rebuilt by John Alston “Seven Star” Wallace, so called because he owned seven hotels all named The Star. In 1864, the current building opened and operated as a hotel until a fire in an adjoining building damaged the Star Hotel in 1905. The last drinks were poured in 1918, when the hotel was formally delicensed.
In the decades that followed, it reinvented itself as the Star Coffee Palace, and later as a Youth Hostel and private residence, with the original bar and dining rooms now serving as retail spaces.
It was also rumoured that there was a tunnel beneath Ford Street that linked the Star Hotel with the Commercial Hotel opposite, so that dignitaries of the day would not be seen traversing between public houses late in the evening, and those who accompanied them. However, there’s no evidence of the tunnel, which Devlin says hasn’t stopped the myth from persisting to this day.
Devlin says the buyer pool is already active, with several interested parties coming forward.
“We’ve had immediate response to the marketing – properties of this nature simply don’t come up often in high-performing tourism locations,” he says.
He expects interest from heritage-minded purchasers seeking a project with both historical provenance and yield.
“A buyer may want to renovate the entire upper level into a stunning holiday home or residence, boost income through short-stay accommodation at the rear, and convert the galvanised shed facing the IGA car park into a funky retail or food and beverage space (STCA).”
