Australian Government Auction Guides & Buying Tips
Everything you need to know about buying from Australian government surplus auctions - how Grays and Pickles works, buying surplus vehicles, GST and the best auction sites.
Best Australian Government Auction Categories for Beginners (2026): Where to Start
Which Australian government surplus categories suit a first-time buyer: office furniture, IT, tools, ex-government fleet cars, plant and ex-ADF gear, ranked by risk, based on the government lots Pickles, Grays and Allbids actually list.
Best Australian Government Auction Sites: Allbids, Pickles, Grays & Manheim Compared (2026)
A buyer's breakdown of the major Australian government surplus auction platforms - Allbids, Pickles, Grays, and Manheim - plus the state fleet disposal contracts (VicFleet, QFleet, WA State Fleet, NSW). Buyer's premiums, GST, inventory, and where the deals are.
Ex-Government Utes and Fleet Cars in Australia (2026): HiLux, Ranger and What They Sell For
Where Australian state and council fleets sell their HiLux, Ranger, D-MAX and LandCruiser utes, what they fetched on the lots we recorded in 2026, and how to read a fleet ute listing before you bid.
Government Auctions by State & Territory in Australia (2026): Where to Find Surplus
A state-by-state guide to Australian government surplus auctions - NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT, and NT. Which fleet programs and auctioneers operate where, what's sold, and how to find local lots.
GST & Buyer's Premium at Australian Auctions (2026): What You Actually Pay
How GST (10%) and buyer's premium work at Australian government and surplus auctions - GST-inclusive vs GST-exclusive lots, how premium is calculated, and how to work out your true cost in AUD before you bid.
How Australian Government & Surplus Auctions Work (2026): A Complete Guide
How federal, state, and council surplus reaches auction in Australia. The platforms, the agencies, GST, buyer's premium, and how to find ex-government vehicles, equipment, and gear in AUD.
How to Buy an Ex-Government Vehicle in Australia (2026): Inspection, Costs & Bidding
A practical guide to buying ex-government and fleet cars, utes, and trucks at Australian auctions. What to expect, how to inspect, GST and buyer's premium, rego and transfer, and how to win in AUD.
Military Surplus Auctions in Australia (2026): How Ex-ADF Vehicles and Equipment Are Sold
Ex-ADF vehicles, plant and stores are sold by Australian Frontline Machinery, Defence's exclusive disposal contractor, through online unreserved auctions on Pickles. What gets sold, demilitarisation, registering an ex-military vehicle, and what we list.
Police Auctions in Australia by State (2026): Who Sells Unclaimed and Seized Goods
Every Australian state and territory sells unclaimed and forfeited police property through a contracted auctioneer: Grays for WA Police, Allbids for NSW Police and the AFP in Canberra, Lloyds in Queensland, Breen in Victoria. The rules, the auctioneers and what you can buy, state by state.
PPSR, Rego Transfer and Roadworthy After Buying a Vehicle at Auction in Australia (2026)
What to do after you win a car or ute at an Australian government auction: the $2 PPSR check, the 14-day rego transfer rule, and which states need a roadworthy, safety certificate or inspection, state by state.
Choosing between auction sites? See the head-to-head comparisons, or look up a term in the auction glossary.