Huge 'South Lanyon' piece of the ACT for sale near Tharwa

A block of land larger than any Canberra suburb has hit the market near Tharwa.

The 1342-hectare parcel, known to locals as South Lanyon, is 35 kilometres south of Canberra’s CBD and 2.4 kilometres from the Tuggeranong suburb of Banks.

Canberra’s largest suburb, Kambah, measures 1130 hectares.

South Lanyon comprises about 500 hectares of protected woodland and 200 hectares of river corridor, leaving about 642 hectares of developable land.

The property is jointly listed through Ray White Rural and Raine & Horne Commercial and will be sold via tender.

South Lanyon has functioned as the current owner’s family estate for more than 20 years and a 99-year lease is applicable to the site.

Raine & Horne Commercial agent Nick Cotis said the primary use of the land is currently agricultural, however its scale and position would lend itself to a variety of uses including accommodating urban sprawl.

Ray White Rural agent Simon Southwell said the land represented a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure one of the largest land parcels in the nation’s capital”.

“[It offers] huge potential for rural residential development, eco-tourism, a solar production farm, land banking or agricultural pursuits of your choice,” Mr Southwell said.

Mr Southwell said South Lanyon provided an ideal environment for fishing, horse riding, mountain biking, bushwalking or events including weddings.

South Lanyon is on the eastern side of Tharwa Bridge. The Murrumbidgee flows through the estate, which encompasses five kilometres of river frontage.

The pasture-improved farmland has been in production since the 1850s. Dams and a bore with a four-megalitre licence complement the abundant water.

It also features a five-bedroom homestead, powered shearing shed, farm shed and cattle sheds.

The demand for rural parcels in the territory was highlighted last month when the ACT government purchased more than 100 hectares of central farmland in Belconnen.

It was the first time the Land Development Agency had participated in an auction for rural land.

The 104.17-hectare Wintergarden Estate passed in at auction for $3.6 million before selling for an undisclosed price.

Mr Cotis said the agencies would not be releasing a price guide for South Lanyon and tenders close on August 31.