Canberra farm sold at auction…to owner’s family

One of the first properties to ever be auctioned at Old Parliament House has sold for $3.6 million, but it won’t move far from the vendors’ own family.

The established farm, known as Castle Hill, was among five properties auctioned at the iconic landmark in Canberra on Thursday. The auction attracted 75 interested people.

Farmers Geoff and Maureen Hyles made the decision to retire and sell their 526ha agricultural property at 1449 Tidbinbilla Rd, Tharwa, which has 3.6km of river frontage on the Murrumbidgee River directly across from the historic Lanyon Homestead.

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The auction attracted eight registered bidders, with the property selling to the Hyles’ relatives, John and Anna Hyles.

“Properties like this, in the ACT, are as rare as hens’ teeth,” says Ray White Rural Canberra – Yass agent George Southwell.

The Castle Hill farm.

“The property sold on behalf of Geoff and Maureen Hyles, who have owned it for 47 years, to John and Anna Hyles from the same family. The Hyles’ family history in the local farming region is legendary.”

Southwell says Castle Hill attracted great interest from across Australia and overseas, with the majority of prospective buyers long-term farmers.

“Enquiries domestically ranged from north of Perth to Melbourne, Brisbane and the Darling Downs as well as close to the ACT,” he says.

“Ninety per cent of the parties engaged in the campaign were true generational family farmers, which indicates that while drought has an impact on the market there is still strong confidence in the rural sector.”

Front row L-R: Castle Hill vendors Maureen and Geoff Hyles; buyers John and Anna Hyles, and friend Jamie Lindsay.
Back row L-R: George, Janie and Simon Southwell of Ray White Rural Canberra – Yass.

The diverse property currently operates as a grazing enterprise running cattle and sheep, as well as a fish farm. A small area is leased to a free-range egg producer.

There are multiple accommodation options, with a three-bedroom, two-bathroom homestead, granny flat and a separate riverfront cottage, as well as a tennis court.

There are 50 paddocks and farming infrastructure, including hay and machinery sheds and combination cattle/sheep yards.

This article originally appeared as “Farm on Canberra fringe sells at auction for $3.6 million”.