The home of Paddy Moriarty, who went missing in December 2017 in the then-eleven people township of Larrimah in the Northern Territory, has sold for $32,000 in a road-side auction.
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The disappearance of Paddy, together with his dog Kellie, has long been a true Territory mystery, and sparked international interest when it was turned into the hit Netflix show 'Last Stop Larrimah' .
Held by the public trustee for years, now Paddy's home - known as "Paddy's Place" - at 37 Stuart Highway, was snapped up via phone bid by a South Australian couple who want to "make the most of the southern winter" in the Territory.
Seven registered bidders took part in the auction, with 50 people gathering at the home that has long been at the centre of a murder mystery that has enthralled the world.
London locals Jamie Harris and his partner Georgina Thomson-Moore were among those who had travelled to Larrimah - nearly 500km south of Darwin - to "have a look".
"We just wanted to see Larrimah and the house," Ms Thomson-Moore said in the lead-up to the auction. "We watched the show on Netflix when it first came out and re-watched it last night. It's weird seeing the houses and the people here now in real life. But we're not going to bid on the house."
Despite also coming mainly "for a look and to see what's inside the house", Katherine man David Reed - who arrived in Larrimah in style in his white limousine - took up a short but unsuccessful bidding war with the now new owners, driving the prize up to $32,000.
"I'd never stopped in Larrimah until after Paddy disappeared," the former Katherine snake catcher said. "I was intrigued by the murder mystery."
Prior to the auction, Mr Reed said he would be prepared to fork out $30,000 for the abandoned home, which he would hope to "preserve" and showcase as a "piece of Larrimah history".
"The right person needs to buy it. We can't have another world war in Larrimah," he said, referring to ongoing feuds within the tiny community.
Auctioneer and selling agent Daniel Harris from Darwin said he had received "more than 200 calls" about the property, with many callers just wanting to hear about the disappearance of Paddy rather than actually wanting to purchase the home.
"We've had enquiries from all over the world from people who are simply fascinated by the story," he said.
Mr Harris said while the auction result represented the market value, he had expected the house to sell for less.
Local man Karl Roth, who starred in the Netflix show and attended the auction, said he was hoping the new owners would redevelop the block of land.
"As long as they're not a**holes, they are welcome here," he said.
Locals Barry "Cookie" Burke and Lenny Hodson shared the sentiment, saying the new buyers were welcome in town, "as long as they buy us a carton of beer".
The house was sold 'as is', frozen in time on December 16, 2017, when Paddy Moriarty left to go to the local pub for his last drink.
The pub, as well as the house of Moriarty's neighbour Fran Hodgett, are now set to be sold in an auction in the "very near future", according to the real estate agent.
For a while, Ms Hodgett was linked to Paddy's disappearance, due to a a decade-long feud between the pair.
Police considered her and her gardener as possible suspects, searching her home, garden and even her septic tank.
"They found nothing because there is nothing to find," she said publicly in 2018.
"I want to stop the rumours. They (police) say they have nothing on me, I'm in the clear."
Annie Hesse
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
