Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from ACM, which has more than 100 mastheads across Australia. Today's is written by ACM national agriculture writer Chris McLennan.
There are so many twists and turns to this story it is hard to know where to begin.
The reclusive and unmarried farmers who raised unusual pigs, milked cows by hand and used Clydesdales instead of tractors.
The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) which was bequeathed their little 48 hectare (119 acre) farm but was unable to make good on the instructions in the last brother's will.
The agent who made the mistake of thinking the auction was done when the reserve was reached and then was buried by hundreds of more bids as more buyers entered the fray.
And then back to the national trust again which had to seek out the executors of the brother's estate to decide where the spend the auction windfall.
Oh yes, there is a Hollywood star involved in this tale as well.
So back to where the story began with the remarkable Nehill brothers - Alex, Peter and Joe.
They quietly operated a small farm at South Purrumbete near Cobden in south-west Victoria first bought by their grandfather in 1874.
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.
The bachelor brothers raised large English black pigs and shunned mechanisation to farm with Clydesdale draught horses until 1978. Sort of the Pennsylvanian Amish in Australia.
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.
But appears COVID put an end to that dream.
The national trust said it took the job on in good faith, 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.
"NTAV spent much time and expertise creating and delivering a historical farming experience for the general public to enjoy," a trust spokeswoman said.
"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 mounted post-COVID and eventually became "too great" for the trust.
The Nehill brothers had also left instructions if the farm was to be sold, the funds should be bestowed at another trust owned Western District property.
Now to that amazing auction - held last Friday, on-site at the farm.
About 35 people turned up.
The farm was expected to sell for about $800,000.
Ray White auctioneer Alistair Tune opened the bidding at $750,000 and then took bids of $5000 "for a bit".
The auctioneer's task for any client, in this case the national trust, is to wring every last dollar from potential buyers.
So when bidding sailed past the reserve, Mr Tune thought it timely to suggest $1000 bids, thinking the end was near.
Five buyers threw hundreds more bids at him, until the hammer fell by exhaustion as much as anything, at an incredible $1.205 million.
It was $405,000 above the reserve, or $10,126 per acre.
"That much above reserve is something I have never experienced," Mr Tune said.
It was an unexpected windfall for the national trust.
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."
The trust consulted 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.
That trust property is to be the 1870's built Mooramong Homestead, about an hour's drive to the north of Cobden at Skipton.
Mooramong was gifted to the national trust in the 1970's.
The trust is now planning to open accommodation for short-stay tourists at Mooramong Homestead next month.
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.
The pair bequeathed the property to the national trust after their passing in the 1970's.
It is still a working farm, running sheep across and growing crops about 1619ha (4000 acres).
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Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
