Government Auctions by State & Territory in Australia (2026): Where to Find Surplus

Each Australian state and territory sells its government vehicles and surplus through its own contracted auctioneer. Pickles holds the government fleet contracts in Victoria (VicFleet, Tuesday sales at Sunshine North), Western Australia (Bibra Lake), South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory; Manheim sells Queensland's QFleet vehicles at Eagle Farm and, since July 2022, NSW agency-owned vehicles. Police property goes through a different auctioneer in each state (Grays in WA, Allbids in NSW and for the AFP, Lloyds in Queensland, Breen in Victoria). On 23 September 2026 our Australian feed held 1,379 vehicles from named government and fleet vendors, led by Victoria (414), NSW (316), WA (255) and Queensland (161).

Because most surplus is collection-only, location matters: a great deal in Perth isn't much use if you're in Brisbane and can't arrange transport. Always factor the yard's location into your true cost.

New South Wales (NSW)

NSW is a large market by volume. Since 1 July 2022, NSW Government agencies have sold their owned vehicles through Manheim under a whole-of-government disposal contract (Pickles held it before). Councils such as The Hills Shire, Mid-Coast and Cumberland sell works vehicles and plant through Pickles and other auctioneers, and Australian Frontline Machinery sells ex-ADF equipment from Thurgoona near Albury. Browse the NSW hub.

• Main auctioneers: Manheim (NSW Government vehicles), Pickles, Grays, Allbids.
• Typical lots: Fleet cars and utes, council trucks, IT, office equipment.
• Transfer/rego: Through Service NSW within 14 days. No pink slip is needed to transfer a current NSW registration; an unregistered vehicle needs a blue slip inspection. Stamp duty applies.

Victoria (VIC)

Victoria's VicFleet runs the state government fleet and disposes of all its lease vehicles by public auction through Pickles, the whole-of-government contract holder, with weekly Tuesday sales at Sunshine North in Melbourne's west. Vehicles typically come off a 36-month lease. Victoria had the most government and fleet vehicles in our feed on 23 September 2026. Browse the Victoria hub.

• Main auctioneers: Pickles (VicFleet), Grays, Manheim.
• Typical lots: Fleet sedans/wagons/SUVs, council plant, general surplus.
• Transfer/rego: Through VicRoads / Service Victoria; a Roadworthy Certificate (RWC) is needed to register an unregistered vehicle, plus stamp duty.

Queensland (QLD)

Queensland's government fleet, QFleet, sells its vehicles by public auction through Manheim at Eagle Farm in Brisbane. Queensland Police property is sold through Lloyds Auctions. Browse the Queensland hub.

• Main auctioneers: Manheim (QFleet), Pickles, Grays.
• Typical lots: Fleet vehicles, utes, regional council plant, industrial equipment.
• Transfer/rego: Through Queensland TMR; a Safety Certificate is required to register, plus transfer duty.

Western Australia (WA)

WA's State Fleet sells vehicles at the end of their lease through contracted auction houses, with Pickles' Bibra Lake yard running a weekly Tuesday sale. WA Police uncollected and forfeited goods are sold through Grays, with collection from Jandakot. Distances are large, so collection logistics matter most here. Browse the WA hub.

• Main auctioneers: Pickles (State Fleet), Grays (including WA Police), plus regional WA houses.
• Typical lots: Fleet vehicles, mining-adjacent and regional plant, council equipment.
• Transfer/rego: Notify the Department of Transport within 14 days and pay vehicle licence duty. An inspection is needed if the licence has been expired for more than 15 days or the vehicle is from interstate.

South Australia (SA)

The SA Government Financing Authority's fleet disposal contract is with Pickles (extended to August 2027). SA Police vehicles also appear on Pickles. Browse the SA hub.

• Main auctioneers: Pickles (government fleet), Grays.
• Typical lots: Fleet cars and utes, council plant, office and IT surplus.
• Transfer/rego: Transfer and pay stamp duty within 14 days. No roadworthy is needed to transfer a registered vehicle in a private sale.

Tasmania (TAS)

Tasmania is a smaller market. Pickles runs a Tasmanian government and other vehicle auction in Hobart (Moonah). Tasmania Police hold lost property for three months before it may be sold. Browse the Tasmania hub.

• Main auctioneers: Grays, Pickles, and local Tasmanian houses.
• Typical lots: Fleet vehicles, council plant, general surplus.
• Transfer/rego: Transfer and pay duty within 14 days; no roadworthy is needed for a transfer within Tasmania.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Allbids, based in Canberra, auctions recovered goods for the Australian Federal Police (which also runs ACT Policing) and sells general and government surplus. Ex-ADF equipment, by contrast, is sold nationally by Australian Frontline Machinery on Pickles. Browse the ACT hub.

• Main auctioneers: Allbids (ACT/Commonwealth/AFP/police), Pickles, Grays.
• Typical lots: Commonwealth fleet, office fit-outs, IT, and seized/confiscated goods.
• Transfer/rego: Transfer in person at Access Canberra within 14 days. Vehicles six or more years old need a roadworthy inspection before transfer.

Northern Territory (NT)

The NT is the smallest market. Surplus NT Government vehicles are sold at fortnightly Pickles auctions in Winnellie (Darwin) and Alice Springs. NT Police can dispose of property 28 days after a public notice. Browse the NT hub.

• Main auctioneers: Pickles, Grays, plus local NT houses.
• Typical lots: Fleet 4WDs and utes (well-suited to NT conditions), council and remote-agency plant.
• Transfer/rego: Through the Motor Vehicle Registry; check the MVR for current inspection and duty rules.

How to Find Lots Across Every State

Manually checking every auctioneer across eight jurisdictions is impractical. GovAuctions searches Pickles, Grays and Allbids in one feed, so you can filter by state, category, and price and set email alerts. Manheim (QLD and NSW government fleet cars), Lloyds and Breen are not included. Related guides: police auctions by state, ex-government utes and fleet cars and PPSR, rego and roadworthy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which state has the most government auctions in Australia?

In our feed on 23 September 2026, Victoria had the most government and fleet vehicles (414), followed by NSW (316), WA (255) and Queensland (161). Victoria's VicFleet sells through Pickles; NSW and Queensland government vehicles sell through Manheim, which we do not index, so those two states are under-counted in our figures.

Where do I find ex-government cars in my state?

Victoria (VicFleet), WA, SA, Tasmania and the NT sell government vehicles through Pickles. Queensland (QFleet) and NSW agency vehicles go through Manheim. Councils use Pickles, Grays, Allbids and Manheim. GovAuctions lets you filter Pickles, Grays and Allbids lots by state in one search.

Do registration and stamp duty rules differ by state?

Yes. Each state and territory has its own road authority (Service NSW, VicRoads, Queensland TMR, WA DoT, Service SA, Service Tasmania, Access Canberra, NT MVR), its own stamp/transfer duty rates, and its own inspection certificate (pink slip, RWC, Safety Certificate, etc.). Budget for these on top of the hammer price, premium, and GST.

Can I buy from a government auction in another state?

Yes. Most platforms let you bid nationally. But most surplus is collection-only, so you'll need to arrange transport from the auctioneer's yard, and you'll register the vehicle in your home state. Factor interstate transport into your true cost before bidding.

Where does Commonwealth (federal) surplus get sold?

It depends on the agency. AFP recovered goods are auctioned through Allbids in Canberra, and ex-ADF equipment is sold by Defence's exclusive contractor, Australian Frontline Machinery, through Pickles. Commonwealth fleet cars go through the normal fleet sales.

How do I monitor every state at once?

Use an aggregator for the platforms it covers. GovAuctions pulls Pickles, Grays and Allbids lots into one feed with state, category, and price filters plus email alerts. Check Manheim separately for Queensland and NSW government cars.