Rain the night before made for muddy conditions at the Wave Hill Road clearing sale on Thursday, July 15.
But a little wet weather and clouds overhead couldn’t stop punters from showing up at the Tarriaro property in droves.
There were 161 keen bidders registered on the day, from across the Narrabri Shire and beyond.
Residents from Moree, Collarenebri, Warren, Dubbo, Mudgee, Quirindi, Tamworth, Manilla and Barraba were in attendance, ready to buy up the equipment on offer.
Overall, there were about 250 people present, including friends and family members of those bidding.
The clearing sale was organised by Southwell Land and Water, with Rob Southwell, Alec Macintosh (Cotton Australia) and Guy Gallen (Farmgate Auctions) auctioning off the items.
A variety of pieces were up for grabs, including headers, tippers, trucks, spare parts and more.
The end result was total clearance, with all 107 lots sold in just one hour and 10 minutes.
Items of interest on the day included a 1974 model Toyota Landcruiser tabletop with petrol engine which sold for $7920, and an old Anhydrous Ammonia tank that will be converted into a large meat smoker-barbecue.
The best buy of the day was for a Case IH 1822 Cotton Picker, selling at $110.
“The vendor was very happy with the outcome,” Mr Southwell said.
“And, while it was risky betting against the wet weather, it certainly paid off.”
Mr Southwell said he and the team decided to proceed with the sale, despite the chance of rain, because they were concerned by the possibility of COVID restrictions tightening again and cancelling a future date if they were to postpone.
“For now, we were okay to go ahead with the event because private properties in NSW aren’t required to have a COVID check-in or face masks,” Mr Southwell’s wife, Helen, said.
“Even still, we’ve asked people to keep their distance from one another which is possible with such a large property.”
The entry gate to the sale also had a QR check-in system in place, despite it not being mandatory for this kind of outdoor event.
The Downes were there with their mobile coffee cart, and a small group of dedicated Westpac Rescue Helicopter volunteers ran a barbecue lunch fundraiser.
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