Mega effort with megaphone over four decades
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AFTER auctioneering at 43 successive Allora Community Auctions, Stuart Bond is retiring his spot behind the megaphone.
The principal of Stuart Bond Real Estate and Auctioneers will continue to run his own business but said "it was time to give someone else a go at Allora”.
Mr Bond was not called on to help out at the first auction 44 years ago as Allora trio Jim Leeson, Keith Masters and Barry Geitz were the auctioneers.
"The inaugural auction was called a white elephant auction,” he said.
From the second auction until Sunday, Mr Bond has been a volunteer auctioneer.
"In the old days, we sold a lot of machinery, caravans and trucks,” he said.
"We haven't had the big-ticket items in recent years.
"We sold $300,000 of items at the Allora Auction in its heyday.
"Online has affected this type of auction.”
There have been up to 3000 lots but numbers on Sunday were down to 1600 with action by two groups of auctioneers, not three.
He said the greatest thing about the Allora Community Auction was nobody got paid.
"All the work is voluntary at the auction,” he said.
Allora Show Society president Mark Pillar paid tribute to Mr Bond for his 43 years of community service.
"All money made at the auction is distributed to organisations within 30km of Allora,” he said.
