Potential buyers of Walgett Shire Council’s sale of land for unpaid rates were left disappointed last month when a confusing schedule of the sale left many unaware of the auction day, let alone able to attend and purchase.  

Twenty-seven properties with unpaid rates were due for auction on Saturday 2nd September, when the Walgett Shire Council postponed the auction for a later date. The postponement notice was issued in the local newspaper, on the council website and their social media page.  

Then on 31 August, the Walgett Shire Council announced that the sale would go ahead on 2 September, leaving two days’ notice for willing bidders to make it to the Lightning Ridge auction.  

“The whole process was supposed to be cancelled,” a source told the Western Plains App.  

According to the source, conflicting information provided by council about whether houses could be built on the land and whether those lots would still be sold was a cause to cancel the auction.   

Despite this, the auction went ahead, albeit with a much smaller crowd due to the short notice given.  

Walgett Shire Council Mayor Jasen Ramien said that it could only be described as a “total lack of communication”.  

According to council documents, $195,000 was received in unpaid rates from the auction, which “could have been much better” if not for the dispute over building on vacant land.   

On the day of the auction, not all of the 27 properties were available for sale.  

“Four…were removed as rates were either paid or an arrangement accepted. A further 10 vacant lots…were removed…that would not be approved for building in the SP1 zone,” a council report stated.  

In his report, Debt Recovery Officer Barry Thomas noted that zoning laws that mean some land lots can’t be built on could continue to be damaging to future sales, something that was only discovered just prior to the auction. 

“Unfortunately, the concerns were not raised until the last weeks of the sale when a prospective buyer sought advice as to what he could erect on a lot he proposed to buy,” Mr Thomas said.  

Since learning about being unable to build on these properties, there is a concern of the value unpaid rates sales can offer Walgett Shire Council in future, potentially rendering them ‘unsaleable’.  

“In addition, Council will lose considerable rate revenue and the viability of businesses would be reduced. It also brings into question the status of the recently commenced Opal Centre,” Mr Thomas said.  

Of the 13 properties put up for sale only one failed to reach its Reserve, which will now be sold by private treaty.  

Another sale of the 10 cancelled lots will take place once the building issue is resolved, likely in February 2024.