Media Release 07/05/2019 : Vehicle auction: Chance to turn trash into treasure

On Thursday 9 May 2019, Gympie Regional Council will be holding a public auction for abandoned vehicles and vessels, which has historically seen vehicles be sold for as little as $10.

The auctions, which are held periodically and usually around once every two years, are the last step in a long process of trying to reunite lost and abandoned vehicles with their owners.

Councillor Mark McDonald said that after Council leaves notices, conducts CITEC searches and issues correspondence to the last-registered owners, the last resort is to conduct a public auction.

“It really is a case of one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” said Cr McDonald.

“I have heard of items being sold at auction from as little as $10, with the majority of vehicles being sold for $100 or less,” he said.

Council estimates that less than 10 per cent of abandoned vehicles and vessels are collected by their owners.

All funds received through the sale of the vehicles is returned to the Council’s budget to contribute towards the costs of impounding the vehicles.