One of Australia's most celebrated anglers Jim Allen, is hoping to hook a buyer for a historic property in the Melbourne CBD when it goes to auction next month.
The two-storey brick building on a Flinders Lane corner incorporates one of Melbourne's earliest hotels, known as the Ship Inn in the 1850s.
After a number of extensions in the 19th century, it was renovated again in 1906, when it was given an art nouveau makeover.
In recent years, 383 Flinders Lane has been better known as the home of the Compleat Angler and the Flyfisher, separate retail outlets that Mr Allen founded and has since sold.
The owner of Tavistock House is himself somewhat of a national treasure, with a Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to recreational fishing.
Mr Allen acquired the property from hotelier Leon Ress in 1993 for $600,000 in the wake of the property crash.
A nice price
With around 900 square metres of space and set on a 442 sq m plot, the property could fetch more than $6 million.
Colliers International's Oliver Hay, Daniel Wolman, Matt Stagg and David Sia are auctioning the property on November 18.
Mr Allen renovated the property and opened his fishing tackle shops and at one stage lived on the top floor.
"The barbershop in Tavistock House is the oldest barbershop in Melbourne," Mr Allen said.
"It's traded continuously as a babershop since 1860."
As in fishing, success in the property market also demands patience and timing.
For Mr Allen, who lives in seaside Queenscliff, the time to exit is now.
"I've loved it," he said. "It's been a lovely old building.
"If I don't get out of it at 73 it will be a lot harder to get me out of it at 78. There is a time to buy and a time to sell and I'm just picking the moment."
