What if owning an entire town cost less than buying a house or an apartment in some of the major metropolises? In Queensland, Australia, a remote settlement is seeking a fresh start and waiting for its future owner. Behind this unusual listing lies a village that is almost deserted yet equipped with surprisingly complete infrastructure. An unconventional opportunity that could also allow its buyer to instantly boost the number of residents.
An Entire Town for 400,000 Australian Dollars
Tucked away in Queensland’s Outback, more than 800 kilometers west of Brisbane, the small community of Cooladdi is officially up for sale. The price is set at 400,000 Australian dollars, roughly equivalent to 240,000 euros. A sum that includes far more than land: the purchaser would also take over a four-bedroom roadhouse, a motel, a grocery store, a pub, and a four-star restaurant.
Cooladdi holds a rare distinction: with only two residents, it is considered Australia’s smallest town. The two current residents, Carol Yarrow and Jo Cornel, had bought the Foxtrap Roadhouse in 2023 with the aim of reviving the community for three years. As their project nears its end, Carol Yarrow now plans to retire while Jo Cornel wishes to relocate.
The number of inhabitants could, however, shift very quickly depending on who buys the town. Becky Jeisman, a Charleville Real Estate agent handling the sale, explains that “there are currently only two people living in Cooladdi. The population is calculated based on the number of people who own the Foxtrap”. She adds: “It’s the whole town, and if a group of four people buys it, then the population will double”.
A Prosperous Past and an Unconventional Lifestyle
Purchasing Cooladdi isn’t merely about acquiring several buildings. The future owners would also bear responsibility for a large part of the village’s essential services. They would serve as the postman, pub manager, shopkeeper, motel receptionist, and cook. Carol Yarrow sums up this versatility to The Guardian: “Restoration and the pub probably form the core of the work; we also handle mail delivery as part of the postal service”.
Despite this load, she looks back on the experience with fond memories. “I’ve always found that the best thing about it is the local community… the residents who live within roughly 70 kilometers and pass by the property”, she told the British outlet. This small town wasn’t always nearly deserted, though. At its peak, Cooladdi counted 270 residents. The town boasted a school, a butcher shop, a police station, and flourished thanks to the railway. But when the railway line was extended to Quilpie in 1917, its decline began.
“The lifestyle is relaxed”
The closure of passenger train services in 1967, combined with the decline of sheep farming, accelerated residents’ departures and the gradual disappearance of shops and public services. Today, despite this turbulent history, Cooladdi continues to welcome travelers thanks to its location on a busy Outback road that links several towns, notably Charleville, about an hour’s drive away and home to around 3,000 inhabitants.
Former residents remain attached to the place as well. Carol Yarrow tells The Guardian that “since the residents left—many settled in Charleville and the surrounding area—people who grew up here come back to visit the places they once knew”. And she concludes: “We see many travellers and wonderful locals passing through. It’s an exceptional community. The lifestyle is relaxed. All around us, there are only mulga trees.”
