New ABS population data shows residents are moving in droves to Throsby, in Canberra's Gungahlin region

The couple, together with their two-year-old son Musa and seven-day-old daughter Emaan, recently moved into the suburb and are enjoying the nature walks, quiet streets and friendly neighbours.

And they're not alone.

More than 500 new residents moved into Throsby in the last financial year, marking the highest rate of population growth in the country, according to data released this week from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The five-year-old suburb, located in the Gungahlin region, recorded 38 per cent growth in the 2020-2021 financial year. The number of residents grew from 1328 to 1834.

While three other ACT suburbs recorded higher growth rates - West Belconnen (276 per cent), Denman Prospect (81 per cent) and Taylor (71 per cent) - these were excluded due to having fewer than 1000 residents at June 2020.

A Suburban Land Agency spokesperson said population growth in greenfield estates is not uncommon as it "reflects the cycle from land sales to completion of homes and units and people moving into those properties".

Ms Hafiz and Mr Anwar were living in a townhouse in Forde before they purchased a block of land in Throsby in late 2020 to accommodate their growing family. Their new-build home was completed in time for Christmas 2021.

"We kind of stumbled across this piece of land. We'd been driving through Throsby quite a bit because our son goes to daycare in Throsby and ... we just liked the feel of it," Ms Hafiz said.

"There's lots of big trees, a nice nature reserve, the park is wonderful and it's pretty quiet."

A tight-knit community has been growing in Throsby since the first residents moved in four years ago.

The Suburban Land Agency's community engagement program, Mingle, has played a role in connecting residents, through public events and activities.

A spokeswoman for the Suburban Land Agency said the program begins before residents move into a suburb and is generally active for three to five years.

"We find that once [people] buy a block of land they really want to be hearing from us," the spokeswoman said.

"We want those connections to come through really strong so that once they've moved in that sense of belonging is there. So they can walk down the street and say hello to their neighbour and know who they are, or just have that familiarisation so that it feels like home."

As the homes have popped up, so too have community facilities such as Throsby School, which welcomed its first students in January.

Construction of a new visitor centre at the Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary is also underway, which will house an education centre where woodland tours will depart from, as well as a cafe.

Mr Anwar said a strong community feel is one of the suburb's drawcards.

"It adds an element of safety as well. It's good because kids are playing outside and it's really important to keep our community safe," he said.

The property market has fluctuated since residents started calling Throsby home. In December 2019 the median house price was $760,000. It dropped to $700,000 one year later and has since risen to $785,000 in December 2021.

Throsby's house price record was broken late last year with the sale of 47 Shingleback Street for $2,001,000.

Real estate agent Nik Brozinic of Carter and Co Agents, who sold Ms Hafiz and Mr Anwar their block, said homes have continued to sell for large sums this year.

"We have seen substantial growth in house [prices] out there, especially this year ... from January up until now, there has been some real benchmark setting sales out there for your standard four-bedroom home being around that $1.38 million mark in Throsby," he said.

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Mr Brozinic said demand for the suburb was evident in one his recent Throsby sales, a four-bedroom house that sold for $1,665,000.

"At that auction, there were 10 registered bidders, so there's a huge demand out there and sale prices will follow that," he said.

"We have seen interstate buyers coming to Canberra ... but primarily [in Throsby] it's local buyers, looking to upsize."

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