The family who built Gold Creek Village are giving back

They have an obvious love for the village and know all the shopkeepers by name. But they are also dedicated to contributing to the community. And they'd much rather talk about the dahlias they grow on their Hall property, which have become something of a fundraising phenomenon.

Retired builder John started growing the beautiful summer bloom on a garden plot of the 600-acre property six years ago.

"I bought half a dozen tubers and started from there. It's a very addictive flower," he said.

He now grows more than 600 dahlias and cuts about 20 bunches a day from late December until the frosts come the following year.

The bunches are sold from from the Bower Bird boutique at Gold Creek, which is run by John's sister Lesley Christiansen, to support farmers in this terrible drought. They are also sold at the family's Cafe Injoy at Gold Creek.

They have so far raised $14,000 for farmers, providing not only bales of hay but vouchers for families doing it tough to buy supplies in their local community.

But they don't take credit for the idea. Their grandson James Anderson-Bowell, now 16, started fundraising for the farmers, selling the flowers at Cafe Injoy, back in 2014 while in grade five for Radford College.

Back then, he raised $1000 for Buy a Bale which fed 200 cattle for 30 days. The young boy was then recognised for his efforts, receiving a Fred Hollows Schools Award.

"He'd been watching a television program about the drought with me and said, 'Nan, what if I couldn't feed Cherry?'. Cherry was his pony," Lyn remembered.

And so the dahlia fundraising phenomenon was started. John hopes to have bunches for the farmers for sale at Gold Creek by late December.

But over the years, the Andersons have also raised $30,000 for the Sunrise Cambodia charity helping vulnerable children in that country.

They've also raised thousands of dollars for the Wallaroo Rural Fire Brigade between Canberra and Murrumbateman.

And they are a busy family.

Cronulla-born John built 3000 homes in Canberra and boasts builder's licence No.25 in the ACT.

Lyn, a nurse, ran the Gold Creek Chapel for many years. They have three children. Son Michael has the Brindabella Winery.

Son-in-law Andrew Bowell runs the recently opened Mini Golf at Federation Square.

They have worked hard and feel fortunate.

"It's called giving back," Lyn said.

And they're not slowing down.

"We'll keep going as long as we can until we keel over in the dahlia patch," Lyn said, with a laugh.

And new princess party and entertainment business Once Upon a Memory is having its grand opening in Federation Square at Gold Creek Village on Sunday from 11am to 1pm. Have your photo with a princess. Also face painting , balloon animals and more.