Sir Cecil Looker’s Beveridge livestock station listed for c$100m as housing, industrial site
The children and grandchildren of late Sir Cecil Looker have listed a 434 hectare Beveridge property held by the family since 1966.
The development site, at the top of a northern Melbourne growth corridor, can make way for more than 1000 dwellings and up to $1.2 billion of commercial product, according to the marketing agents.
The livestock station, Merri Park, was visited by Prince Phillip in 1968, Core Projects’ Kane Malcomson and Chris Jabs said.
Hobart born Sir Looker was a private secretary to Robert Menzies and Potter Partners executive.
Merri Park at Beveridge
Merri Park includes 1545 Merriang Road and 300 Donovans Lane in Beveridge, about 35 kilometres from the city.
Merri Creek runs through it.
The Wallan-Sydney rail line, which passes alongside it, is earmarked for a freight terminal (story continues below).
The agents say 199ha is allocated for industrial use.
A further 125ha could be considered for commercial development.
Merri Park is east of the 1121ha ex-Lockerbie sheep farm which Stockland acquired from two daughters of late furniture maker Ernest Burgess 10 years ago for $300m, and is now making way for the Cloverton housing estate.
Mr Burgess paid $920,000 for that Kalkallo property in 1979.
Stockland is a suitor for Merri Park; 10 months ago it spent $105m on an 89.5ha farm in nearby Donnybrook, held by a family for 35 years, and now earmarked for a c1500 lot subdivision.
Blueways, Deloraine Group, Dennis Homes, Moremac, Ouson Group, Potter Group, Mirvac, Satterly and Villawood are also proposing residential communities in the precinct.
Qube in partnership with a private developer has earmarked a major industrial project near the intermodal station, too.
