Going, going, gone: Brisbane Airport’s Lost Property Auction takes off
Brisbane Airport’s Lost Property Auction is now live, giving bargain hunters and collectors access to a treasure trove of items that have reached the end of their airport journey and are ready for their next destination.
Thousands of items left behind or abandoned by passengers have been bundled into almost 700 lots for the annual auction, following a year in which some 25 million passengers travelled through Brisbane Airport.
From the valuable to the downright bizarre, Brisbane Airport’s Lost Property team has seen it all.
Among the stranger items left behind this past year included a boat’s outboard engine, a vehicle towbar, sewing machine, Christmas tree, weed trimmer, and even a Starlink satellite internet kit.
From laptops, iPads and gaming consoles to luxury perfumes and smart watches, this year’s eclectic collection gives people a glimpse into the items travellers leave behind when passing through the terminals, including some bulkier belongings that proved overweight or simply impractical to take on an aircraft.
Every year, many lost items remain unclaimed well beyond the standard holding period. Rather than letting them go to waste, Brisbane Airport’s annual Lost Property Auction gives these forgotten belongings a second chance.
100% of the proceeds raised through this year’s auction will be donated to the Children’s Hospital Foundation, helping improve the lives of sick kids and their families, with Lloyds Auctions generously donating its services to support the cause.
Fancy a Fokker?
This year’s auction also offers the rare chance to own a piece of Brisbane aviation history, with parts from the same Fokker F28 Friendship airliner that was repurposed as the centrepiece of Brisbane Airport’s iconic Fellowship Place. Collectors' items include the nose cone, pilot’s seat, control yoke, instruments and parts of the control panel.
Tech lovers will have plenty to bid on, with hundreds of laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, smart watches and other electronics featuring in this year’s Lost Property Auction.
Items include:
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Phones
- Headphones
- Air pods (dozens of them)
- iPod
- Smartwatches
- Charging banks
- Luxury perfumes
- Jewellery
- Outboard engine for a boat (yes, left behind at the terminal!)
- Equestrian helmet
- Christmas tree
- Ariat boots (new in box)
- Radio-controlled helicopter
- DJI drones
- CPAP machines
- Towbar
- Gaming consoles
- Swags, camp stove, tent and sleeping bag
- Surfboards and boogie boards
- Bikes and e-scooters
- Roller skates
- Guitar
- Bluey
- Sewing machine
- Power tools
- Hats, including wedding hat from Sophia’s Collection
- Brand new American Tourister suitcase
Aircraft memorabilia donated by Aviation Australia from Fokker F28 Fellowship:
- Pilot's seat
- Nose cone
- Emergency exit
- Instrument panel
- Aircraft lights
- Pilot’s yoke
VIP Experience Packages donated by Brisbane Airport partners:
- Brisbane Lions VIP package including 2026 signed jersey, 4 VIP tickets with food and beverage and exclusive game day experience
- Brisbane Broncos VIP package including signed jersey and sideline tour
- Brisbane Roar VIP package including signed jersey and pitch side tour
- Brisbane Heat VIP package
Competitive bidding is also expected on:
- Exclusive Brisbane Airport airside tour
- 1 year of free parking at Brisbane Airport
For Brisbane Airport, the auction is about more than finding new homes for lost property. It’s an opportunity to turn forgotten belongings into something that can make a real difference for Queensland families.
Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said supporting the Children’s Hospital Foundation was a fitting way to extend the impact of the annual auction across Queensland.
“Every dollar raised through our Lost Property Auction will support the Children’s Hospital Foundation and its work supporting Queensland’s youngest patients receiving hospital care and their families.
“The Queensland Children’s Hospital cares for children from communities right across the state, so we’re incredibly proud that something as simple as giving lost property a second chance can ultimately help Queensland families when they need it most.
"This is one of the country's most anticipated auctions every year.
“There are plenty of bargains to be found in time for Christmas, whether it's a unique piece of jewellery, electronics or something to spark a new hobby."
Children’s Hospital Foundation CEO Lyndsey Rice said every bid would help make a difference for sick and injured children and their families across Queensland.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Brisbane Airport, Lloyds Auctions and everyone who gets behind the Lost Property Auction. What might be a forgotten item for one traveller can become something much more meaningful for a child and family going through an incredibly difficult time.
“Funds raised will help the Children’s Hospital Foundation support life-changing research, cutting-edge equipment and vital programs that improve care and outcomes for children, no matter their illness or injury, and no matter where in Queensland they call home.
“So, whether you’re bidding on a laptop, a surfboard or aviation memorabilia, you’ll know your bid is helping make a real difference for Queensland’s sickest and most critically injured kids.”
Adding even more colour to this year’s auction is ‘Sparkly Brain’, a striking piece by Brisbane artist Rachel Burke, commissioned by the Children’s Hospital Foundation for its 10th birthday to recognise a decade of world-leading neurological care and research at Queensland Children’s Hospital. Measuring approximately two metres by two metres by two meters, the artistic sculpture has been donated by the Foundation and will go under the hammer alongside Brisbane Airport’s eclectic collection of lost property.
Items can be viewed and bids placed via bne.com.au/auction
The bidding process will run through until 8 November and will conclude with a livestreamed auction.
To help spread the word about the auction, three young people who have benefited from the work of the Children’s Hospital Foundation star in the campaign promo.
Download campaign promo here.
Download high-resolution images here.
Video News Release available upon request.
For interviews, contact Brisbane Airport's media team: 0466 322 485.
