Last of Williamstown rifle range to be developed

The last piece of Williamstown’s former Merrett Rifle Range will be developed as a $35 million housing estate.

Owner Stonehenge has launched it as Williams Cove, an eco-friendly, 32-townhouse development.

The waterfront site, 121-129 Kororoit Creek Road, forms the western edge of the ex-111 hectare rifle range which the state government development agency now know as VicUrban acquired from the federal government for $11.7 million in 1987.

The Williamstown property was used to hold shooting events at the 1956 Olympic Games.

It hadn’t operated, however, for more than a decade before it was master-planned for housing.

VicUrban sold 60ha to developers in the early 1990s.

Stonehenge director Mark Davis said it was one of the first to buy a parcel; at that time, the average subdivided block was selling for about $80,000.

One bay-view allotment traded $172,000, he added.

By comparison, today two or three-storey townhouses at Williams Cove are priced from $850,000.

Mr Davis expects construction to start in July.

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Marc Pallisco

A former property analyst and print journalist, Marc is the publisher of realestatesource.com.au.