Local legend’s Mordialloc boat building works for sale

The boat building works of one of Melbourne’s most famous bayside identities looks set to join the long list of sites to be transformed into apartments.

The Mordialloc site that has been home to Pompei’s Boat Building Works for around 80 years will be auctioned later this month, with agents spruiking the property as an “exciting Bayside development site”.

The Pompei name is royalty in the area, with the late Jack Pompei synonymous with boat building on the Mordialloc Creek for decades. Pompei was at one time considered the custodian of the creek, and the nearby Pompei Bridge is named in his honour.

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But a piece of Pompei’s legacy is on the block, with his former workshop at 557-561 Main St to be sold in an executor’s auction on October 27.

Pompei, often referred to as “Mr Mordialloc” passed away in 2008, 21 years after being awarded an OAM for his efforts in marine search and rescue. Pompei is believed to have saved more than 600 people from drowning in Port Phillip Bay over the years.

The site is in the heart of Mordialloc.

Teska Carson Directors George Takis and Michael Taylor are marketing and auctioning the property, which is zoned for mixed-use.

“The property presents a very seldom offered opportunity to purchase a prime site in a brilliant location with excellent exposure and frontage in the heart of a well-established and popular suburban retail and commercial precinct, with a very low vacancy rate,” Takis says.

“That combination of factors will surely draw a strong contingent of potential purchasers especially those looking to take advantage of the prime position for redevelopment.”

The 937sqm site includes on-site parking and has 57 metres of frontage to Main St. Among the buildings on the property is an 850sqm old brick warehouse, which has been the home of Pompei’s Marine since the 1940s.

Pompei’s son Leon has been involved in a long-running dispute with Kingston Council over the use of a nearby area of Mordialloc Creek, known as Pompei’s Landing.

The boat building works will be sold with vacant possession.