Say farewell to fast fashion and hello to shopping secondhand, as Australia’s biggest pre-loved treasure hunt – Garage Sale Trail – returns for two massive weekends this November. We suggest getting a headstart on that spring clean-out to make room for lots of newfound treasures at bargain prices.
This year’s event is going down on November 11-12 and 18-19, with more than 5,000 sales already listed online. From vintage Jenny Kee jumpers to classic Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks, cult vinyl and rare Lego, there are hidden gems for all ages and quirks.
If you’ve only got a few hours to spare, we suggest hitting up the thrifty group sales including Marrickville West Secondhand Wonderland (two-time 'King of the Garage Sale' winners); the North Sydney Demonstration School’s massive car boot sale; or the free no-strings-attached Buy Nothing group sale in Alexandria with furniture, electronics, fashion and more. Be prepared to get your haggle on. Over at the orange-hued Chaotic Social hub in Petersham, the Chaotic Socialite herself (of TikTok fame) will be flogging eye-catching handmade clothes from her wardrobe, alongside a pre-loved clothing fundraiser sale with plus-sized pieces and a burlesque dancer's sparkly hand-me-downs.
The Garage Sale Trail is already a win-win for your pockets and the planet, but some stallholders are going the extra mile by putting their earnings to a good cause. You can shop thousands of designer items from $10 at Dress for Success’s charity pop-up in Summer Hill; or explore the eco-friendly offerings at environmental charity, the Bower Reuse And Repair Centre’s sale in Marrickville, featuring affordable antiques, art and accessories.
Garage Sale Trail started with two Bondi guys, Andrew and Dazz, who decided they would set up a secondhand stall at a local event in the suburb. ‘Don’t dump it. Sell it.’ was their tagline. Fast-forward 13 years, and Garage Sale Trail has become a nationwide festival with more than 300,000 Aussies hitting the trails each year.
In 2022, the Garage Sale Trail extended the life of more than 4 million kilos of belongings at 150,000 garage sales across the country. That’s a lot of treasure that isn't now clogging up landfill or contaminating the environment.
Plan your route by building a trail of sales to visit using the Garage Sale Trail map, here. If you want to turn your stash into cash, you can register for the Garage Sale Trail for free here.
