Entire town with its own hotel and post office for sale for price of a flat

A complete town with a population of just two residents has been put up for sale after its inhabitants decided to move. Nestled deep within the outback of the Australian state of Queensland lies Cooladdi, whose name is believed to derive from the Indigenous word for ‘black duck’.

Once a thriving railway hub, the town previously boasted a population of up to 270 people.

According to reports, the town’s numbers began dwindling due to the decline of the local sheep industry train services to the area ceasing, resulting in the dramatic drop in residents.

The settlement, located 500 miles from the city of Brisbane, is now on the market for just $400,000 (£209,920). Included in the sale is the Foxtrap Roadhouse, the keys to the town and a four-bedroom house.

To put this into perspective, £200k in the UK might only stretch to a one-bedroom flat outside London, reports the Mirror.

In Australia, the nearest sizeable town to Cooladdi, the 3,000-strong Charleville, carries an average house price of around $210,000 (£110,208).

The asking price for the entire town pales in comparison to the average cost of a flat in Sydney, which currently stands at around $935,000 (£490,688).

Despite its modest size, Cooladdi boasts its own post office and postcode of 4479.

Current residents Jo Cornel and Carol Yarrow have called Cooladdi home since February 2023, but have opted to return to Brisbane, with Jo wishing to be nearer to family and Carol approaching retirement.

Speaking to ABC regarding the situation, Carol said: “I’ve just turned 70 and finding I’m getting a bit old for it. Let’s hope somebody else can get in and do the same thing.”

Despite the pair being miles from the nearest inhabitants, they insist there remains a thriving community of locals who travel approximately 70km (43.496 miles) to reach Cooladdi.

Carol told the Guardian: “The food and the pub are probably one of the main jobs; we also do the mail runs as part of the post office. I’ve always found the best thing is the local community … the people within around 70km who come through the property.”

The sale of Cooladdi is currently being handled by local estate agents Charleville Real Estate and Becky Jeisman, who emphasised how the town, despite its modest size, would provide a “great change of pace” for prospective buyers, and that should four people purchase it, the population would instantly double.