Auction's surprise windfall will help fund overnight stays at historic sheep station

The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) says the surprise $1.205 million paid for the remaining 48 hectare (119 acre) Nehill property on Friday would now "benefit" the historic sheep station.

The 1870's built Mooramong is about an hour's drive to the north which had also been bequeathed to the trust.

The trust says the decision to use the auction proceeds at Mooramong was made in consultation with the existing original trustee and executor of the Nehill brothers estate.

"The National Trust acted in-line with the conditions of the will and sought to sell The Nehill Brothers Farm so the funds could be used to maintain and support another NTAV owned Western District property," a spokeswoman said.

The Nehill sale at South Purrumbete provided a windfall for the trust after Ray White auctioneer Alistair Tune was run off his feet fielding 248 bids from five buyers at the on-site action near Cobden.

It had been expected to sell for about $800,000.

Mr Tune said the property sold for $405,000 above the reserve, or $10,126 per acre.

"I opened the bidding at $750,000 then it went in increments of about $5000 for a bit, then it got down to $1000 bids for close to a couple of hundred bids," he said.

"That much above reserve is something I have never experienced."

Alex and Peter Nehill left their quirky property to the national trust in their wills more than a decade ago in the hopes it would be developed into a tourist venture.

Alex and his brothers, Peter and Joe were the third generation to live there after their grandfather, Patrick Nehill, bought the property in 1874 after leasing it for six years.

The three bachelor brothers raised large English black pigs and shunned mechanisation to farm with Clydesdale draught horses until 1978.

They milked their dairy herd by hand, selling the cream and feeding the skim milk to their pigs.

When Alex, the last surviving brother died, the farm was handed over to the national trust in 2007.

The brothers hoped the farm could be used to showcase a number of rare breeds of farming animals, provide a relaxing picnic spot and information panels depicting the story of farming practices relative to the area.

The trust spokeswoman said Alex Nehill also nominated a number of executors and trustees to oversee their final wishes.

"The trust has maintained and managed the house and land while also investing in upgrading infrastructure such as internal roads, ablution block, renovating the house and building sheep and cattle yards," the spokeswoman said.

"NTAV spent much time and expertise creating and delivering a historical farming experience for the general public to enjoy.

"This work was completed to best deliver the desired outcome for the property, a place where people could go in the Western District to learn about farming."

But costs after the COVID restrictions to maintain the farm and fund the resources required to manage a successful consumer facing operation "were too great", the trust's spokeswoman said.

The trust's chief executive Simon Ambrose said: "The trust was honoured to be the custodians of The Nehill Brothers Farm for the last 16 years.

"Sharing the stories of people and place sits at the heart of what we do," Mr Ambrose said.

"We are equally humbled and thankful when we are bequeathed properties in a manner that also allows us to pass the baton on.

"With renewed energy and resources we can all invest in broader storytelling.

"Alexander Nehill requested we spend any proceeds from a sale on a NTAV owned property in the western districts and we will do just that."

The trust is planning to open accommodation for short-stay tourists at Mooramong Homestead next month.

The Victorian government last year gifted the trust about $2 million to open some of the historic cottages from its Regional Tourism Investment Fund.

Early plans were for more than 100 people to be able to take in a slice of the rich squatter's life each night.

The homestead is just out of Skipton, about 50km from Ballarat.

The property is part of the 15,000ha squatting run originally occupied in 1838 by Scottish born Alexander Anderson (1813-1896) and his two partners.

It passed through several hands before racing identity L.K.S Mackinnon bought Mooramong as a 21st birthday present for his son Donald.

Donald (Scobie) famously married the American silent screen star Claire Adams who had featured in about 40 Hollywood films.

She famously directed the building at Mooramong of what was, at the time, the largest privately owned pool in the Southern hemisphere.

It is still a working farm, running sheep across and growing crops about 1619ha (4000 acres).

After their deaths in the 1970's, they bequeathed Mooramong to the trust.