General News
21 May, 2025
Under the hammer: Dajarra houses could be sold off
Cloncurry Shire Council is selling 22 properties with long-term unpaid rates, including Jimberella's houses in Dajarra.
Cloncurry Shire Council will hold a public auction next month for the houses controlled by the Jimberella Co-Operative Society in Dajarra, after months of stalled discussions with the state government and community leaders.
Twenty-two properties will go under the hammer at the June 11 auction, which will be held in the Kuridala Function Room at the Cloncurry Community Precinct.
The auction will attempt to find a buyer for all residential properties in Clonurry Shire where council rates have not been paid in more than three years.
This includes the 18 residential properties in Dajarra that are controlled by Jimberella, which are currently tenanted. The Jimberella Community Hall will not be affected, a council spokesperson said.
As previously reported, notices of intention to sell were mailed to all affected property owners in mid-January.
The Jimberella properties are in an extreme state of disrepair, with the cooperative unable to find the income to pay for maintenance.
Mayor Greg Campbell said putting properties up for forced auction was “very rare” but council had been left with no option after years of unsuccessful attempts to prompt intervention from various state governments had resulted in rates owed by Jimberella skyrocketing to almost $1 million.
“Whether it is the department of housing taking over the buildings or a cash injection from the state government to get Jimberella back on its feet, council has been trying for years now to get a good outcome for the people that matter – which are the people who live in those Jimberella houses in Dajarra,” he said.
“We are acutely aware that this auction process is probably causing angst for the people in those houses – and that isn’t council’s intention.
“But we have been told this is the only avenue we have left.
“We will go through this process and more than likely we won’t even achieve a sale because under the (Local Government) Act, council can only sell the property if we also recover the rates.
“So if the auction price falls below the market value, which is likely due to the state of disrepair on some of these properties, then council cannot sell the property.
“But then at least council has done everything it possibly can at our disposal to find a solution on our own. Then we can go back to the state government and ask them ‘what else can we do because we have done everything we can to solve this problem?’”
Cr Campbell said the council was currently undertaking more than $1 million in upgrades to the water infrastructure in Dajarra.
“We are investing in the future of Dajarra, but we are doing this knowing that the other levels of government aren’t pulling their weight.”
State Housing Minister Sam O’Connor said he remained optimistic a solution could be found for Dajarra’s housing woes.
“Mayor Campbell and I have had ongoing discussions about housing in Dajarra and we share the same optimism for Dajarra’s potential to thrive,” he said.
“We’re determined to work with local government to deliver outcomes and ensure this community has the infrastructure and housing support necessary to meet their needs.”