Brand new Brighton bathing box auctions may be about to cease

Investors looking to snap up a slice of one of Melbourne’s most iconic landmarks may be about to run out of time.

76B and 76C Dendy Street Beach in Brighton are set to go under the hammer, with price hopes in excess of $280,000 each, through Nick Johnstone director Nick Johnstone.

But the auction may be some of the final lots for the beach’s famous bathing boxes.

Bayside City Council have said that after the slated April auction of two bathing boxes at Dendy Street Beach, only one more will be built and sold during the 2018/2019 financial year.

“As part of its 2013 Dendy Street Beach Masterplan, Council proposed to construct eight additional bathing boxes at Brighton’s iconic Dendy Street Beach,” Bayside City Council acting director of corporate services Bill Shanahan told the Herald Sun.

“Since this time Council has built and auctioned one to two bathing boxes each year.

“Council does not have plans to construct any further bathing boxes at Dendy Street Beach following the completion of the current program.”

The original objective of the construction program was to fill in gaps between existing boxes, Brighton Bathing Box Association secretary John Rundle said.

“We have a neutral stance as to whether any more should be built,” Rundle said.

“We supported the infill objectives, and I don’t know if they could fit too many more in down that end of the beach.

“I’m not sure we’ll see any more built in the foreseeable future.”

Johnstone says that Brighton beach boxes are a rare opportunity to buy the boxes which are often held by families across generations.

“They’re a fantastic lifestyle opportunity, with great scope for capital growth; in my opinion they’re still undervalued when you compare them to some along the Mornington Peninsula,” he said.

Bayside residents and rate payers are the only people permitted to purchase the beach boxes.

The auction is scheduled for on Saturday, April 28.