It’s the return of the Sydney Airport Lost Property Auction, and this year, more than 3,000 unclaimed items will be auctioned by Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers for charity. With bids starting as low as five dollarydoos, bargain hunters will need to keep on the online auction, which is already underway, kicking off from Sunday, 5 February to Sunday, 12 February. Raising over $1.4 million for charity since the auction’s inception in 2013, this year, the Sydney Airport is supporting Bayside Women’s shelter, with every dollar from the 2023 auction being donated.
R.M. Williams belt | Image: Sydney Airport
We are thrilled to welcome back Sydney Airport’s Lost Property Auction for charity after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic”, said Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert.
With flights back in the air, Sydney Airport’s lost property auctions for 2023 will see 120+ laptops, 60+ headphones, 20+ phones and tablets, 16 cameras, 15 Bluetooth speakers, 140+ jewellery items, 40+ bottles of wine/spirits, 60+ sunglasses and glasses, 50+ handbags, backpacks and wallets, a hedge trimmer, a Makita circular saw, a violin, an air fryer, a record player, a 50th-anniversary edition of Abbey Road on vinyl, an outdoor sun lounge and a Partridge in a pear tree! Everything is going under the hammer across four themed auctions, with all the money raised being donated to Bayside Women’s Shelter.
Commenting on the “rather unique sales like a hedge trimmer, circular saw, and sun lounge,” Culbert, along with the rest of staff at Sydney airport, were left scratching their heads “wondering how that ended up at the airport.”
But despite the 3000 unclaimed passenger valuables to be sold off for charity, Sydney Airport quickly pointed out that more than 4,000 items have been returned to passengers in the last year.
Bailey Nelson sunglasses | Image: Sydney Airport
In a press release, Sydney Airport said unclaimed items are either donated to local charities or repurposed in Sydney Airport’s Lost Property Auction.
“Not only is this auction a great chance for shoppers to grab a bargain, but it’s also a wonderful way to support an organisation that’s making a meaningful difference in the community,” said Culbert.
“The Lost Property Auction is a terrific initiative that has raised more than $1.4 million and counting for charity over the last decade, and this year we’re proud to be partnering with Bayside Women’s Shelter.
The Bayside Women’s Shelter will receive all of the auction’s earnings to support their efforts to create a community centre with a cafe where women fleeing domestic violence may receive training and upskilling.
A very dubious-looking Audemars Piguet | Image: Sydney Airport
Numerous bids totalling thousands of dollars have already been placed since the auction opened on Sunday. Top of the bidding wars is a very dubious-looking Audemars Piguet Automatic men’s wristwatch, a Rolex lady’s timepiece, a 1968 Louis Vuitton twin-handle duffel bag, a DJI Mavic 3 drone (with remote control), and even an Olympic torch from the 2000 Sydney summer games. The current bid for the Royal Oak Audemars Piguet Automatic men’s watch is $1100 (though that’s likely to increase by the time this is published). Someone even left behind a pair of Apple Pro wireless AirPods still sealed inside the box.
Sydney Airport isn’t the only unclaimed property auction in the country or the world. Lost items and unclaimed luggage auctions are held at airports everywhere, with the largest unclaimed property auction in Australian history being recently hosted at Brisbane Airport in November 2022.
If you’re a keen bargain hunter or want to join in the bidding wars, below is the schedule for each of the four themed Sydney Airport Lost Property auctions.
- Tech, Cameras, Gaming: Saturday 11 February | Closing 11 am
- Handbags, Sunglasses, Clothing & Shoes: Saturday 11 February | Closing 2 pm
- Jewellery & Watches: Sunday 12 February | Closing 11am
- Beauty, Alcohol, Art & Homewares: Sunday 12 February | Closing 2 pm
