THE streets were buzzing on Garage Sale Trail day on Saturday, with bargain hunters trawling through more than 20,000 listed items valued at over $50,000 at about 100 sales across the Hastings.
More than 120 sellers and 130 buyers registered online in the lead-up to the event, with many more hosting sales and heading out to shop on the day. Organisers estimate that around 530 new neighbourly connections were made in garages and on front lawns.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Mayor Peter Besseling said he was proud of the efforts of local residents and thanked all the buyers and sellers who supported the Garage Sale Trail in the Hastings.
“Our community ranked ninth of all the councils involved in NSW, and we were the most successful local government outside of the major metropolitan areas in terms of the number of sales held,” Cr Besseling said.
“This has been a terrific initiative and I encourage everyone to think of clever ways to reuse, recycle and recirculate items within the community rather than sending stuff to the tip all year round.”
After moving to Port Macquarie six months ago, Kellie Draper and her family hosted a sale to clean out their new home and meet the neighbours.
“We’ve met so many lovely local people and really enjoyed the sense of community,” Mrs Draper said. “Part of the proceeds from our sale will go to the Rural Fire Service and any items left over will be donated to the bushfire appeal.”
Kellie’s daughter Amily offered bargain hunters free home-made lemonade and will use some of the cash from the garage sale to build a recycled cubbyhouse, using doors and pallets from the family’s recent renovation of Endota Day Spa.
Sale-holders Rob and Katie Lyttle used the Garage Sale Trail as an opportunity to give all their excess baby and infant gear, toys and clothes a second life.
“A lot of this stuff holds real sentimental value, so it was great to see it going home with expecting parents preparing for their first baby,” Mrs Lyttle said.
“We’ve not only saved space in our house, we’ve saved these things from the tip, and also saved some young parents thousands of dollars on their essential baby items.”
