A landmark heritage villa with views over Corio Bay has hit the market in Geelong’s exclusive Eastern Beach precinct.
‘Longville House’, a two-storey Victorian Eclectic style house, was built for former Geelong mayor and prominent solicitor John Longville Price in the early 1880s.
Once part of a much larger property, it originally fronted the water with an Eastern Beach Rd address, but now faces east at 2 Fitzroy St, Geelong.
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The four-bedroom, three-bathroom is selling for the first time in 37 years, offering entry to prized position opposite Corio Villa.
Listing agent James Wilson said the vendors had extensively renovated the much-loved family home in the early 1990s.
They’re now looking to downsize.
Mr Wilson has set a $4.5m to $4.7m price guide for the 652sq m property, which is selling via expressions of interest.
“It has got a lovely history to it with its association to John Longville Price and it’s opposite Corio Villa, in that prime position on that corner of Eastern Beach Rd,” Mr Wilson said.
“It’s certainly changed through the years. It was originally oriented to the bay, the original front gates are still there onto Eastern Beach Rd where there’s been two townhouses built when it was subdivided at some point.
“It was extensively renovated in about 1990 and it’s just served as a really good family home to the occupants who bought it back in 1987.”
The classic Victorian home, which is believed to have been divided into flats in the 1960s, has had its traditional layout restored, with a series of formal living and dining rooms spread over two levels linked by a grand central staircase.
Ornate features including marble fireplaces, decorative cornices, skirting boards and a structured garden pay further homage to its rich history.
Both the first floor sitting room and front balcony capture views over the Eastern Beach promenade.
“It still gets a really good bay outlook from some of the living rooms upstairs and the balcony so you’ve got that absolutely waterfront feel to it,” Mr Wilson said.
He said that pocket was one best bayside locations in Geelong, just a short stroll from the Eastern Beach pavilion and Eastern Gardens.
“You can be in Western Beach and other aspects of the waterfront but I think when people think of the Geelong waterfront that is where they think of,” he said.
Expressions of interest close on January 28.