Best Australian Government Auction Sites: Allbids, Pickles, Grays & Manheim Compared (2026)

There's no single national government auction website in Australia. Instead, government bodies appoint a handful of licensed commercial auctioneers, and the inventory is spread across them and across the states. The fastest way to search the whole market is GovAuctions, which aggregates government surplus listings into one feed. But to understand each platform on its own, here's a complete breakdown of the major Australian government auction sites in 2026.

Quick Comparison

Buyer's premium rates change by platform, category, and lot — always read the lot's terms before bidding. Most Australian platforms quote the buyer's premium GST-inclusive.

1. Allbids (allbids.com.au) — Best for Canberra & Commonwealth Surplus

Allbids is a Canberra-based online auction house that has become the go-to platform for ACT and Commonwealth government surplus, including Australian Federal Police (AFP) and police seized-property auctions, alongside a large stream of general goods.

What you'll find: Ex-government vehicles, office fit-outs and furniture, IT and electronics, plus police and confiscated goods — electronics, jewellery, tools, bikes.

Buyer's premium: A percentage of the winning bid, applied to all auctions and varying by lot depending on handling costs. The premium is GST-inclusive; where a lot is sold GST-inclusive, the premium is calculated on the GST-inclusive sale price.

• Strong, steady stream of Commonwealth, AFP, and ACT government lots
• Police and seized-goods category you won't easily find elsewhere
• Straightforward online bidding

• Heaviest inventory is Canberra/ACT-centric (collection logistics if you're interstate)
• Premium varies lot to lot, so read each lot's terms

2. Pickles (pickles.com.au) — Best for Ex-Government Cars

Pickles is Australia's largest auctioneer of ex-government cars and the engine room of state fleet disposal. NSW consolidated its StateFleet vehicle disposals through Pickles, and Victoria's VicFleet runs its weekly used-government-vehicle auctions through Pickles (Tuesdays, with inspection at the Sunshine facility in Melbourne's west).

What you'll find: Low-kilometre ex-government sedans, hatchbacks, wagons, 4WDs, utes, vans, light trucks, and buses — often 18–24 months old — plus salvage, industrial assets, and general goods.

Buyer's premium: A percentage of the purchase price, announced before the auction and varying by category. Fees are GST-inclusive.

• Biggest selection of ex-government and fleet vehicles in Australia
• State fleet vehicles are well-maintained and cycled out young
• Yards and inspection days in most states

• Premium and fees add to the hammer price
• Vehicles are collection-only; you arrange transport interstate

3. Grays (grays.com) — Best for Industrial, IT & Mixed Surplus

Grays (formerly GraysOnline) is one of Australia's largest online auction marketplaces and a major channel for government and corporate surplus across industrial plant, IT, electronics, and general goods.

What you'll find: Government and corporate surplus — machinery, tools, IT and electronics, office equipment, vehicles, and a wide tail of general goods (right down to wine).

Buyer's premium: Varies by sale category and may be GST-inclusive or GST-exclusive. On a GST-exclusive sale you pay GST on the buyer's premium. Always check the lot's sale terms.

• Huge, varied catalogue beyond just vehicles
• Strong for industrial, plant, and IT government surplus
• Mature online platform with national coverage

• GST treatment varies by category — easy to miscalculate your true cost
• Quality and descriptions vary across the long tail of lots

4. Manheim (manheim.com.au) — Best for Fleet Vehicles, Trucks & Machinery

Manheim is a vehicle, truck, and machinery auction specialist that runs weekly car auctions across Australia and handles a large slice of government-council vehicle disposal — including Queensland's QFleet vehicles.

What you'll find: Ex-government and council passenger vehicles, trucks, machinery, and motorcycles, with major yards in NSW (Moorebank, Beresfield, Wagga Wagga) and other states.

Buyer's premium: A percentage fee that varies by category; check the lot terms.

• Specialist in vehicles, trucks, and heavy machinery
• Runs QFleet (QLD) and government-council vehicle sales
• Frequent, predictable weekly auction schedule

• Focused on vehicles/plant; less general-goods variety
• Collection-only; transport is the buyer's responsibility

The State Fleet Disposal Programs

Behind the auctioneers sit the government fleet programs that supply the vehicles. Knowing these helps you understand where the cars actually come from:

• **NSW — StateFleet.** NSW consolidated surplus vehicle disposal through Pickles, generating significant annual savings by removing surplus vehicles from the fleet.
• **VIC — VicFleet.** Operates the Victorian Government fleet and disposes of used vehicles via Pickles, with weekly Tuesday auctions and inspection at Sunshine (Melbourne).
• **QLD — QFleet.** Queensland Government fleet vehicles sold through Manheim.
• **WA, SA, TAS, ACT, NT.** Each runs its own fleet and disposes via appointed auctioneers (commonly Pickles, Grays, or local houses). ACT and Commonwealth surplus frequently appears on Allbids.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Australian government auction site?

It depends what you want. For ex-government cars, Pickles has the largest selection and runs state fleet disposals. For Canberra/Commonwealth and police seized goods, Allbids is strongest. For industrial, IT, and mixed surplus, Grays is the broadest. For QLD fleet and trucks/machinery, Manheim. To search all of them at once, GovAuctions aggregates government surplus into one feed.

Is there a site that searches all Australian government auctions?

There's no official national site. GovAuctions aggregates government surplus listings from across the major Australian platforms into one searchable interface with filtering and email alerts, so you don't have to monitor Allbids, Pickles, Grays, and Manheim separately.

How much is the buyer's premium on Australian auction sites?

It varies by platform, category, and lot, and is generally quoted GST-inclusive. Allbids, Pickles, Grays, and Manheim each set their own rates, and some categories differ from others. Always read the lot's terms and factor the premium (and GST) into your maximum bid.

Which platform sells ex-government cars in Australia?

Pickles is the largest, handling NSW StateFleet and VicFleet disposals. Manheim handles QLD's QFleet and many government-council vehicles. Allbids and Grays also list ex-government vehicles. Fleet cars are typically low-kilometre and 18–24 months old.

Are these Australian auction platforms trustworthy?

Yes. Allbids, Pickles, Grays, and Manheim are established, licensed Australian auctioneers acting for government and corporate sellers. The listings are genuine surplus. As with any auction, goods are sold as-is, so inspect when possible and read each lot's terms.

The Bottom Line

Australia's government surplus is spread across four main auctioneers and eight jurisdictions, with no single front door. If you're chasing a specific ex-government car, start with Pickles or Manheim; for Commonwealth and seized goods, Allbids; for industrial and IT, Grays. To avoid checking all of them by hand, use GovAuctions to search the whole Australian market from one place and set alerts for the lots you want.