Sydney Airport will host its annual lost property auction online from Tuesday, October 11 until Thursday, October 20, with all monies raised donated to local charities. There will be four beneficiaries this year – the Conservation Volunteers Australia, the Clontarf Foundation, the Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation and Lifeline Australia – who will share the proceeds equally.
As well as suitcases and clothes, the auction includes jewelry and electronics left by passengers in the airport or on flights and sadly never reclaimed. In 2015, the auction raised AUS$234,000 (US$176,781), with a similar target hoped for this year.
The charities involved support noble causes. Conservation Volunteers Australia oversees local environmental projects near the airport, and the Clontarf Foundation encourages children from Aboriginal communities to develop education and leadership skills. The Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation supports children living in families affected by mental illness, and Lifeline Australia is a suicide and crisis support line.
Kerrie Mather, Sydney Airport managing director and CEO, said, “With more than 40 million passengers a year, many items are left behind at Sydney Airport. Thankfully, many are reunited with their owners, but for those that remain unclaimed we hold an annual charity auction. We’re hoping for another strong year of fundraising in support of these worthy causes.”