Brisbane Airport holds lost property auction to sell forgotten items

Brisbane Airport will sell lost property items in an auction.

From AirPods and GoPros to purses and diamond rings, one can only imagine the value of an airport’s stockpile of lost property.

However, Brisbane Airport has an idea of how much you can make from selling the items left behind, after hosting a “lost property auction” which raised A$66,000 ($71,000) in 2022.

The airport said it tries to reunite items with owners, but two-thirds of lost property is still never claimed after the holding period. Instead of throwing items away, the airport donates some to local charities and sells the more valuable items to the public in an annual charity auction.

This year will be the airport’s sixth, and largest, auction. A total of 673 lots will be auctioned off by Lloyds Auctioneers and Valuers, and “everything must go”.

“Each year, this auction gets bigger and bigger as more passengers travel through the terminal,” said Stephen Beckett, head of public affairs at Brisbane Airport.

However, not all of the items have been lost by forgetful flyers.

“Some of the items left behind in the terminal are simply because passengers have exceeded their baggage limit and choose to leave them,” he added.

The online auction ends on Sunday, December 17 and lots will be progressively closed from 10am AEST.

Ever wondered where all the lost items at the airport go? If left unclaimed, this treasure trove of odds and ends is auctioned off for charity. Discover what's available now: https://t.co/Bl19UswmXg pic.twitter.com/px1rR5zgcI

— Brisbane Airport ✈️ (@BrisbaneAirport) November 25, 2023

This year, proceeds will to go the Courier-Mail Children’s Fund, which serves young Queenslanders.

Unclaimed items this year include fancy gadgets such as a GoPro Hero 6, DJI Drone, original PlayStation, “so many” AirPods and “dozens and dozens of laptops, iPads and phones”.

Expensive accessories are also available, such as a white Gucci bag, 18-carat gold jewellery, sunglasses and shoes.

More unusual items include Star Wars memorabilia, a fire extinguisher, CPAP machines and dartboards.

To increase the funds raised, Brisbane Airport has also added items to the auction. The public will be able to bid on exclusive behind-the-scenes airport tours, one year of free parking at the airport’s domestic terminal and money-can’t-buy aviation signage.