10-05-2025
Police station, school and fun park become homes amid rural housing shortage
From the street, the cream stone building with its eyelash verandah is quintessentially mid-north South Australia.
Around the back, however, would-be buyers get a glimpse into the building's fascinating history.
Formerly the small town of Laura's police station, the property retains two original stone jail cells that are still fitted with benches and fastening loops for prisoners' chains.
Built in 1878, the home and its outbuilding were the town's police station until 1968, when they were decommissioned and later became a private dwelling.
Real estate agent Angus Barnden, who is selling the property, said former police stations were rare in the real estate market, but their historical features were often why people bought them.
"It's the quirkiness and the character," he said.
At the other end of the state, 20 kilometres outside Mount Gambier, a former primary school that closed in 2011 when enrolments dropped to 11 students has been transformed into a family home by current owners Peter Hoare and Mandy Daly.
"It caught our eye — we were looking for something a bit different that we could renovate," Mr Hoare said.
"We had looked at the old Blyth hospital and were keen to buy that and turn it into a bed and breakfast, then we looked at the old Tantanool School.
"But when this one came up at Tarpeena, we just fell in love with it. The shape, the angles, the big arch window."
Mr Hoare said the site also offered a large land parcel.
"It was being sold for land value only, so we couldn't resist," he said.
After spending a year renovating, the pair is now selling the site.
Mr Hoare said it was garnering a lot of interest from potential buyers.
"I think there's a big opportunity here for a B&B, a caravan park, you name it … there's so much potential," he said.
Real estate agent Paul Segneri said interest in quirky, unusual and alternative real estate was on the rise, due in part to the nation's housing crisis.
The Mount Gambier agent, who is selling the renovated Tarpeena primary school, said he had received a "noticeable increase" in enquiries from buyers looking for multi-generational dwellings in recent years.
"The cost of aged-care and retirement living is prohibitive for some families.
"More families are looking at ways to innovate, save money and often sites like decommissioned public spaces provide exactly that opportunity."
The changing social fabric of country communities has also seen the consolidation of traditional spaces, such as schools, country halls and churches.
Mr Segneri said buyers were capitalising on the unique market opportunities.
"We've sold decommissioned churches, old halls, you name it — [for] people who want something different, who want a bit of space, don't mind a project.
"These types of properties allow so many different options.
Across the road in the same town, a former fairytale family fun park sold last year as private housing.
The new owners share their backyard with more than a dozen colourful sculptures and displays of Humpty Dumpty, Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel.
"Can you imagine being a kid growing up in that place?" Mr Segneri said.
