WA castle kennel and cattery up for sale

Buyers across the country are showing interest in a Camelot-themed pet services business in Western Australia, with price expectations in excess of $3 million.

Camelot Pet Resort at 1881 Mandurah Road, Karnup includes 41 working kennels, 26 cat homes, three grassed dog exercise yards, and a residential home on the 7.46 hectare property.

The property has 41 kennels and 26 cat homes. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

The recently updated separate residence features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and air conditioning, with additional sheds and a workshop also on site.

Sale attracting buyers from across the country

Agent Rebecca Cutten, of Cutten & Co. Real Estate, said that the well-known property has had interest at both the local and interstate level.

“There are some interested parties from the eastern states who own kennels, another who ran one of the local wildlife parks,” Ms Cutten explained.

“What is on offer is a great business, there’s potential for a lot more very quickly as there is already council approval for extension.”

The property, which is between Rockingham and Mandurah, holds one of only two local licenses offered at full capacity.

“It’s a rural property in the middle of town – five minutes to a pub, fifteen minutes to the foreshore,” Ms Cutten said.

“It’s a great, established and running business that can be run as is and easily expanded upon. In peak periods they have to turn people away,” Ms Cutten said.

There is an separate three-bedroom home included in the sale. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

Covid-19 travel restrictions have undoubtedly influenced the pet services industry, as Dannielle Prescott member of the Pet Industry Association Australia explained.

“2020 was definitely the worst year for pet boarding in Western Australia, but since then business has slowly built back up. It’s taken us until now to get back to where we were [before the pandemic],” she said.

However, Ms Prescott noted that the tide has turned “now, everything’s back to normal.”

Unique design presented building challenges

But the most distinctive aspect of the property is the Camelot Pet Resort’s eye-catching castle cattery building, designed and built by Steve Butcher, after he and wife Lillian purchased the property in 1986.

Mr Butcher was an industry award-winning carpenter with a vision for an unusual building for his pet boarding service. The inspiration behind Mr Butcher’s distinctive design was simple, he wanted a challenge.

“We were watching Great Castles of Europe and wanted something at least two storeys high. I knew absolutely nothing about building castles,” he said.

After researching castle design at libraries in Perth, Mr Butcher sourced materials for his building that were steeped in history.

“Timbers in the office came from a 120-year-old, now 140-year-old, church from South Australia out of a salvage yard. There are beams from the wool station in Fremantle and roof timbers from the old Perth markets,” he said.

The property’s distinct design includes building materials with a history such as the 140-year old timbers, beams from the wool station in Fremantle and roof timbers from the old Perth market.  Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

Mr Butcher’s dedication to his craft resulted in a building with attention paid to the details.

“We sized all the timber pieces up then used them all instead of a rounded roof, there are ridges, so it appears round. All the windows are curved to go around the turret, I’ve made wooden frames so they can open, but the cats don’t get out. We had the sheeting in water for weeks so it would curve around.”

However, after 36 years, it’s time for the Butchers to move on.

Ms Cutten is confident the property will sell well, with extensive land on offer with a residence, business and numerous inclusions to facilitate a seamless transition to new ownership.

“It’s an unique situation where you can come over here and buy yourself a job.”