Prized Victorian beach boxes under threat
<p dir="ltr">The popular yet pricey bathing boxes in Melbourne’s southeast are facing threats of erosion and choppy water - which could see them become inaccessible.</p>
<p dir="ltr">With water lapping at the edges of the colourful Brighton beach boxes, many appear to be sandbagged and some appear to be totally inaccessible.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Despite that, and concerns of erosion in the area,<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/melbourne/brighton-beach-boxes-in-melbourne-under-threat-due-to-tide-and-erosion-issues-c-4572768" target="_blank">locals claim</a><span> </span>that several of the 82 boxes on the foreshore have been built and sold by Bayside Council.</p>
<p dir="ltr">One box was recently snapped up for a whopping $650,000, despite it being unlivable.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Well that’s the price of a house, isn’t it?” one shocked local<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/melbourne/tiny-beach-box-in-mount-martha-on-melbournes-mornington-peninsula-sells-for-650k-c-4485584" target="_blank">told<span> </span></a><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/melbourne/tiny-beach-box-in-mount-martha-on-melbournes-mornington-peninsula-sells-for-650k-c-4485584" target="_blank">7NEWS</a></em>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">At just 25 square metres in size, the tiny beach box would have cost $26,000 per square metre. At the same cost rate, an average-sized house would cost around $6 million.</p>
<p dir="ltr">With only 120 of the colourful boxes between Mount Eliza and Portsea, the rare occasions where one hits the market sees them sell for more than $300,000.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Though anyone who can afford it can purchase a bathing box in Mount Martha, the Mornington Peninsula Shire only wants local ratepayers to be able to own them.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But by spending a similar amount, people can purchase a full-sized home in suburbs including Craigieburn, Deer Park, Werribee and Pakenham.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Quite often boxes along the peninsula have notes put under their doors asking if they’re for sale,” said Mark Davis from the Mornington Peninsula Beach Box Association.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“There’s only so many of them and they aren’t being built anymore.”</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 7NEWS</em></p>
