No convict relic, but former Tasmanian prison farm listed for sale

The Hayes Prison Farm, Kilderry, has been listed for sale at $3.35 million.

The property was converted into the Hayes Prison Farm by the Tasmanian government as a minimum security facility during the 1960s.

It has been listed by Peter Wade at Robert Real Estate.

The former Hayes Prison Farm comprises 595 hectares, of which 218 hectare will be protected under a conservation covenant.

The balance land, some 379 hectares, is considered prime agricultural farming land.

The property has numerous buildings located on it, including barns, dairy and various others, plus the gaol 70 cell block and administrative buildings associated with the prison.

The state government-owned Derwent Valley farm, decommissioned in late 2012 after the last 40 prisoners were moved to Risdon Prison, was briefly speculated as being potentially a detention centre for asylum seekers.

The farm near New Norfolk allowed prisoners to be rehabilitated through learning agricultural skills.

Low-security inmates milked the cows in the 20-stand dairy and grew vegetables and tomatoes in a large glass hothouse.

They produced and packed frozen vegetables in a purpose-built kitchen and coldroom for Hobart nursing homes and hospitals.

The land held a 800-megalitre River Derwent water licence suitable for stone fruit, cherries, vineyards, and market garden.

"Over the years the farm has been recognised for its excellent dairy herd, extensive market gardens, grazing sheep and wool production, cattle and processing of vegetables," the marketing says.

The Hayes Prison Farm offers exciting and somewhat different opportunities," Peter Wade said.