Original Barwon Downs General Store & Residence on Half an Acre
Opposite the Barwon Downs Public Hall, the original general store, café and fuel stop sits beside a two-bedroom weatherboard residence. The old petrol bowser, newspaper signs and handwritten café menu are still there, while behind the buildings a broad lawn looks out across neighbouring farmland. The property is offered as one holding across two titles totalling 2,023 m².
The former general store and café
Dating back to the 1960s, the store was still trading when the current owners bought the property in 2007 and closed in 2013. The approximately 97 m² premises retains its wide display windows, glass-fronted counter and shelving. A large shop floor is complemented by two adjoining rooms and multiple storage areas, with split-system air conditioning and a power supply separate from the residence.
Two 4,000-litre underground fuel tanks remain beneath the shop side of the property. The vendor advises they were used for unleaded petrol and diesel, were last used in 2013 and have yet to be decommissioned.
The shopfront is clearly visible from the road linking Birregurra and Forrest, and a sweep-through driveway serves both buildings. Buyers exploring a country café, local-produce shop, gallery or specialty retail business have an established shopfront to work with and a home right next door. Reopening the store or establishing a new use is subject to council approval.
The two-bedroom weatherboard
Built in the 1960s, the residence has its own front entrance, with a breezeway between the house and shop. Timber floorboards, corner windows and a freestanding wood heater give the living room its character. The country kitchen retains its older cabinetry and range, while a separate dining room, two bedrooms with built-in robes, a bathroom, laundry and separate toilet complete the layout. The home also has an instantaneous hot water service.
Both buildings are vacant. Beyond them, the backyard has established trees, sheds and three water tanks, with room for an orchard, a kitchen garden or a place to sit and enjoy the paddock outlook.
Two titles and room to plan ahead
The title boundary runs between the house and the shop, and both titles are offered together. With the buildings set towards the road, much of the land remains open behind them. Buyers drawn to the land can enjoy the space as it stands or explore future building plans, subject to council approval.
Between the Otways and the coast
Barwon Downs has a community hub, playground and tennis courts, with the public hall directly opposite. Forrest is approximately 8 km away for nearly 100 km of mountain bike trails, with Lake Elizabeth, West Barwon Reservoir and Stevensons Falls nearby for walks and days outdoors. Birregurra is approximately 17 km away for primary school, rail services towards Geelong and Melbourne, and dining at Brae. Colac provides supermarkets and hospital services.
Lorne is approximately 36 km by road for a morning swim or lunch on the foreshore. Follow the coast east for surfing at Aireys Inlet, Anglesea and Bells Beach, or head south through Forrest and Skenes Creek to Apollo Bay and the start of the Great Ocean Walk.
Whether you're looking for a country home with room to grow, a shopfront for a business of your own or a substantial holding in an Otways township, the original Barwon Downs General Store gives you all three to consider in one property.
