Historic lease: Jack’s Magazine a blast from the past

When it comes to Australia’s most unique commercial properties, this one might take the cake.

The chance to lease and revitalise the historic Jack’s Magazine site in Melbourne looms as a once in a lifetime opportunity, with site custodians Working Heritage offering lease terms of up to 65 years.

Comprising 13 bluestone and brick buildings, most of which were built between 1875 and 1878 throughout the Maribyrnong parklands, Jack’s Magazine was for years used for the storage of explosives during Victoria’s gold rush.

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Named after the site’s foreman Wally Jack, who oversaw it from World War I until 1943, the magazine was maintained for decades by the Department of Defence before being decommissioned in 1993, and it was eventually handed over to the State Government.

Now a heritage-protected reminder of a bygone era, the property includes underground tunnels, a loading dock shed, cordite store, examining room, cooperage buildings, tramways and those distinctive earthblast mounds surrounding the two main buildings, which were designed to protect the surrounding area in the event of an explosion.

Inside one of the main buildings at Jack’s Magazine.

But Jack’s Magazine’s future could now lie in any number of industries, with agents seeking expressions of interest from retail, tourism, hospitality, creative industries, education and accommodation groups.

Rick Berry and Tom Fisher from Fitzroy’s are seeking registrations of interest from potential operators, with Berry saying there is simply no other site like it in Melbourne.

“Given the significance of this offering, we’ve come into this revitalisation campaign with a very open mind as to what can be achieved for the site in keeping with its heritage character,” Berry says.

The magazine site could be repurposed for a number of different uses.

Positioned just off the Maribyrnong River, the site also has a canal that is able to be reconnected to the river and adapted for future use.

Multiple tenancies will also be considered for the site, opening the potential for an industry hub in an area on the up.

“Increasing gentrification over the past 10 years has seen Maribyrnong recognised as a vibrant, city-fringe locality,” Berry says.

“Significant population growth has occurred alongside improved utilisation of land and growing investment in transport and amenities, while its close proximity to the Footscray Town Centre and Victoria University presents further opportunities for potential operators at Jack’s Magazine.”

The registration of interest campaign closes on December 15.