Hay’s ‘sixth museum’ sells for $530k

Geoff Murphy (centre) with son Thomas and Nutrien Harcourts’ James Sides, following the auction of Westhaven. Images: The Riverine Grazier / Krista Schade.

By Krista Schade - May 1, 2024

A unique parcel of land went under the hammer on Friday, with local businessman Geoff Murphy emerging from a spate of spirited bidding as the successful bidder.

‘Westhaven,’ located at 11 Jackson Street Hay, covers more than 17 hectares and includes a large homestead, colloquially know as the town’s sixth museum because of the large number of local historical items it boasts.

The auction, conducted by Nutrien Harcourts’ James Sides, commenced at $100,000 and quickly rose to the sale price, with three main bidders vying for the property.

There was plenty of interest in the auction, with 13 registered bidders and a crowd of 40 in attendance at the on-site sale.

Mr Murphy said after the auction he had no immediate plans, other than to clear the site.

“I’m not sure what we will do but we’ll clear it all off and work from there,” he told The Riverine Grazier.

“We will use the block to store some gear, but it has potential for commercial and residential sub-division, so we’ll be looking at that.”