Two of Queenscliff's most stately properties hit the market, perhaps by divine intervention

Sharing a rear boundary in the high Victorian-era precinct of gracious Queenscliff are two 1880s properties on the market concurrently – and maybe by divine intervention.

The headline grabber is the beautiful Italianate and towered pile of 1883 Lathamstowe that looks out at all the seaside interest of The Heads, the historic fort and the beachside reserve from its 1640 square metre corner.

It was built by a brewer – Mr Latham, the one-time owner of Carlton and United – as a holiday duplex that, to atone for his sins, maybe, he made available to Anglican ministers and their families when the peninsula township was the preferred holiday resort of the gentry.

Due to be auctioned (by invitation only) next Tuesday, the seven bedroom, four bathroom mansion comes with pre-approved plans for restoration by some of Melbourne’s best heritage architects, landscape and interiors designers. It is being quoted at $6 million.

Right behind is the converted 1888 former Methodist Church sitting fairly centrally in Hesse Street, Queenscliff’s commercial thoroughfare, and with a set price of $1.8 million.

Renovated into a four bedroom residence that includes small, self-contained guest quarters, it also has a retail area operating as a vintage clothing store that returns a rental of $67,600 per year.

Of Lathamstowe, Fletchers Bellarine agent James Gladman says: “It hasn’t been done up but is in reasonably good condition, and is certainly liveable.”

The current owner, “who is not a celebrity and who prefers to remain under the radar, has been working for two to three years to get plans for a major renovation approved, and so has taken all the pain out of the process for the next person”.

The package of plans for modernising the property that could include creating a huge roof deck on a building uniquely built with a flat roof for the admiring of “amazing 360 degree views” have been done by multiple award winners in their design fields; heritage architect Bruce Trethowan, interior designer Paul Hecker and garden designer Paul Bangay.

Gladman expects a lively auction with major interest having been registered from Melbourne and Sydney, but also from Singapore and the UK. “An absolute landmark building like this creates interest,” he says.

Of the church, Nicole Lowe of RT Edgar Point Lonsdale says “all the renovation work has been done and it’s amazing, with a white seamless kitchen and everything at the top level of quality”.

The 105 square metre retail space has been a cafe in the past “and is on a great position on the main street with the shops right on the doorstep”.

Being a ferry and tourism destination and increasingly a place where downsizers and Geelong-based workers want to live, the results of both sales should be informative.