Community & Business
15 October, 2026
Shire joins the garage sale trail
AFTER 16 years of turning driveways into treasure troves, Australia’s biggest festival of second-hand stuff is throwing one final double weekend event, and Mareeba Shire Council is calling on local residents to make it the biggest hunt yet.
Over two big weekends on 7-8 and 14-15 November, households, schools, comm-unity groups and local businesses across Mareeba Shire will join thousands of Australians for the final national Garage Sale Trail before the iconic sustainability initiative closes its roller doors for good.
Since it launched in 2010, Garage Sale Trail has grown into a massive national movement boasting 134,000 garage sales, four million cumulative participants and over 7.2 million items saved from landfill.
Along the way, the program has generated $52 million for local households and community groups.
Mareeba Mayor Angela Toppin said participating in this final year was a fantastic way for local residents to clear out clutter, make or save some extra cash and celebrate community spirit one last time.
“We are thrilled to bring the Garage Sale Trail to Mareeba Shire for the very first time in 2026,” she said.
“As household budgets tighten, giving our residents a practical, fun way to make extra cash while reducing waste is a huge win.
“The Trail has achieved incredible things across the country over the last 16 years, and we want Mareeba Shire Council to be a big part of its final, record-breaking chapter.”
Garage Sale Trail Director Barbara Gill described 2026 as the ultimate celebration of how far second-hand selling and shopping has come.
“We’re thinking of 2026 as a victory lap,” she said.
“We started Garage Sale Trail because reuse was a no-brainer; a win for your wallet, a win for community connection and a win for the planet.
“Sixteen years on, that’s still very true and thankfully it has become mainstream with the second-hand economy now thriving.”
How to get involved:
Host a sale: Registration is free. Sellers receive tips, promotional materials and more to help make their sale a success.
Shop the Trail: An interactive national map is available at www.garagesaletrail.com.au/sales allowing bargain hunters to plot their trail across the Mareeba Shire.
Last year, more than 330,000 Australians participated in the annual event, with the average seller making $761.
To register a sale or search for local events on the trail, visit https://www.garagesaletrail.com.au/mareeba
