Start your Engines: Council hosts Abandoned Vehicle Auction

Published on 23 February 2026

On Thursday 5 March 2026, Council will clear out its Impound Yard at Laurenceson Road, Gympie (near the RSPCA building), giving the community the chance to snap up a bargain at the upcoming Impounded Vehicle Auction. From runabouts and work Utes to trailers and even a boat, there’s a diverse mix of vehicles ready for a new home, all going to the highest bidder.

Whether you’re hunting for a first car, a project vehicle, spare parts or scrap metal, this is your chance to bid on over 35 vehicles this year.

The last auction of its kind, held in 2024, was a strong success, attracting around 50 attendees, with 18 walking away with at least one successful purchase. The highest bid on the day was $1700 for a Nissan Navara 4WD, and the lowest price paid was just $1 for a canopy. On average, vehicles sold for $336.

These impounded vehicles are the result of being left abandoned on Council land. While every effort is made to locate the owners – leaving notices, conducting searches and issuing letters to last registered owner, this is not always successful. The auction enables Council to recover some of the costs associated with storing these vehicles.

Gympie Regional Council Mayor Glen Hartwig said the auction always delivered a few surprises.

“If you’re prepared to roll up your sleeves, there are some fantastic finds to be had. Not everything is showroom ready of course, but that’s part of the appeal,” Cr Hartwig said.

“A lot of work goes into trying to locate the owners of the vehicles and the auctions are the very last resort.

“Some of these vehicles are great opportunities and we’d love to see them go to a new home where they can be put to good use.”

The auction starts at 10am, however, those interested are invited to inspect from 9.30am. Attendees must wear enclosed footwear and sign in prior to auction commencement. For safety reasons, children under 16 years of age are not permitted into the compound.

Cash will not be accepted. EFTPOS facilities will be available.

For more information, or to view some of the vehicles that will be on offer in the auction, visit gympie.qld.gov.au/impoundedvehicles