Busy airports tend to be full of very, very busy people. And very, very busy people sometimes lose focus and leave behind the strangest things, finds Steve Madgwick.
The lost property department at Australia’s busiest airport, Sydney Airport , ends up with hundreds of items each year. They make every attempt to locate the owner but if they reach a dead end the items are auctioned for charity , with the proceeds going to various charities.
Here are 10 items that left Sydney Airport’s lost property team more than a little surprised…
1. Wooden prosthetic leg
A single prosthetic leg was left at the airport many years ago, never to be reclaimed by its owner.
2. Wedding dress
A bride-to-be left a garment bag (with her wedding dress inside) outside while she went to the bathroom – when she returned, both the bag and its contents were gone. Someone mistakenly picked up the bag and drove home with it. Upon opening the bag, and seeing the wedding dress inside, they promptly drove back to the airport and returned the dress – in time for the wedding the next day.
3. $20,000 cash
A young Irish woman misplaced her handbag, which just happened to contain $20,000 cash for her dream holiday. Fortunately, a quarantine officer found the bag and handed it in to lost property – with the money still inside.
4. Dirty nappies
A lost property officer received a nasty surprise when a carry-on bag was handed in. The officer opened the bag to check its contents – as per the usual security protocol – and found a pile of dirty nappies and baby bottles inside.
5. A child
Several years ago, a family had returned from holidays, loaded their car with luggage and set off home. Unfortunately, they had forgotten one important thing: their son. The lost child was taken to lost property where an officer called the family, asking if they had left anything at the airport, to which they replied they hadn’t. Fortunately, they lived near the airport, and the child was quickly reunited with his parents.
6. Celebrity oversight
A celebrity (who shall remain unnamed) left her solid gold bracelet, Hermes scarf, Burberry trench coat, $400 leather belt and glasses at the airport. She was very grateful when they were all safely returned to her.
7. Designer forgetfulness
This year, Sydney Airport has found a wardrobe full of luxury items including brand new Dior baby shoes and designer handbags by Louis Vuitton and Gucci.
From the Kimberley to Cape York, explore Australia’s epic and varied landscapes on curated and all-inclusive, intimate adventures via custom-built all-terrain coaches with Outback Spirit.
From the tip of the Northern Territory to the rugged coast of the country’s southernmost point, Australia is a continent ripe with diverse and distinct adventures that are captivating and inspiring in equal measure. Luckily, so many of them are accessible by car with epic road trips that showcase the journey as much as the destination. With Outback Spirit, the award-winning and eco-certified tour operator from leading experiential tourism group Journey Beyond, the road less travelled – accessible in custom-built all-terrain coaches chaperoned by expert local guides – is the only way to go.
From the dramatic jewels of the Kimberley in Western Australia to the remote stretches of Savannah Way in the country’s far north, Outback Spirit does all the hard work on all-inclusive, small-group tours that pause at an exclusive network of lodges and safari camps – so you can just enjoy the ride.
1. The Kimberley
With an otherworldly ambience that must be experienced to be understood, the Kimberley is a cornucopia of breathtaking cliffs, stunning gorges and exceptional waterways. A highlight of the 13-day Jewels of the Kimberley adventure is the spectacular 18-minute scenic helicopter flight over the Bungle Bungles. You’ll encounter a bounty of new perspectives elsewhere, too, between the astounding cruise through the Attenborough-approved Buccaneer Archipelago, humbling walks beneath ancient rock drawings, and evenings spent in the comfort of Outback Spirit’s exclusive-use, well-appointed Ngauwudu Safari Camp Safari Suites.
Relax in Ngauwudu Safari Camp Safari Suites.
2. Arnhem Land
The Traditional Lands of the Yolngu People reach into your heart and stay there. Outback Spirit’s 13-day Arnhem Land Wetlands & Wildlife tour was conceived in extensive consultation with Traditional Owners to guarantee a true immersion in Country. Explore the world’s largest outdoor rock art gallery; try your luck catching a metre-long barramundi; and discover pristine ecosystems from freshwater swamps to rocky escarpments. Relax each night in comfortable lodges exclusive to Outback Spirit, including the iconic Seven Spirit Bay Resort. Here, sophisticated luxury villas are perched on the bay’s edge overlooking clear, turquoise waters of Coral Bay.
Enjoy the views at Seven Spirit Bay Resort.
3. Cape York
Travelling from Cairns to Cape York and back over 13 days, the small-group Cape York Wilderness Adventure tour runs from May to September, with unparalleled access to stunning sacred destinations and vibrant experiences on Thursday, Horn and Friday islands in the Torres Strait. The World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest is a star of the expedition, with the exclusive guided Dreamtime Gorge Walk with a Kuku Yulanji elder taking place beneath lush ferns, with the commanding rumble of Mossman Gorge in the distance.
Join the Dreamtime Gorge Walk. (Image: TEQ)
4. Margaret River
The nine-day Margaret River & Rottnest Discovery highlights fine wine, great food, art, music and local produce at Leeuwin Estate on the vineyard-packed banks of the Margaret River, pausing to explore the ancient underground caves and towering Karri timber forests. Start the journey with a ride on the iconic Indian Pacific and pop to Rottnest Island on the tail-end of the trip, with 10,000 quokkas to befriend and 63 gorgeous beaches to explore before lunch. With bubbles included, of course.
Treat your tastebuds at Leeuwin Estate. (Image: Tourism WA)
5. Savannah Way
On this 15-day Leichhardt’s Savannah Expedition , Outback Spirit’s custom all-terrain Mercedes-Benz coaches cross two states from Cairns to Darwin. After visiting the most northerly camp of the Burke and Wills Expedition of 1860/61 and visiting the see-it-to-believe-it Millaa Millaa Falls (refreshing swim optional!), you’ll indulge in three nights at the million-acre Lorella Springs Station, a sunset dinner cruise on the Gulf of Carpentaria and a dip in warmed thermal pools in the middle of the wilderness.
Dive into Millaa Millaa Falls. (Image: TEQ)
6. Central Australia
The captivating splendour of Uluru is the central focus of the eight-day Red Centre Explorer tour, which includes Alice Springs and Kings Canyon among its stops. Hosted on the sacred lands of the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Anangu, this itinerary is grounded in the landscape, with visits to the critically acclaimed Field of Light installation, a multi-course dinner under the stars at Ayers Rock Resort, and a didgeridoo performance to accompany bush-tucker-packed snacks all within the shadow of the sacred geological site. Awaken early for a sunrise over the pindan plateau, the image of which will remain in your memory for a lifetime to come.
Marvel at the Field of Light installation (Image: Tourism NT/ Lola and Jira/ Uluru Kata-Tjuta NP)
7. Flinders Ranges
The remote South Australian landscape is your playground on the 11-day Outback South Australia tour, which takes in the sights (including Wilpena Pound and beloved Lake Eyre), sounds and flavours of the ‘festival’ state. At Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, cosmos chasers will enjoy a tour of the stars at the accredited onsite astronomical observatory as endangered yellow-footed rock wallabies bounce in the dark. The next day, guests will take to open-air 4WDs with expert guides for the Ridgetop Tour to explore the breathtaking, unique 1600-million-year-old landscape within the Flinders Ranges.
See the impressive Wilpena Pound. (Image: Emile Ristevski)
8. Tasmania
Take in stunning views from Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park (or, afterwards, from the comfort of Cradle Mountain Lodge) on the 12-day curated Tasmanian Wilderness Explorer itinerary. Taste the incredible food on Bruny Island and wander Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park. Traverse the glacial-formed Dove Lake on a 5.7-kilometre hike; soak up sombre history at Port Arthur; and pose with penguins in Penguin before settling in for the night at Outback Spirit’s suite of exclusive partner lodges.
See the spectacular Wineglass Bay. (Image: Chad Dewson)
Find your Outback Spirit with the 2026 season. Book now to receive Earlybird savings up to $2200 per person at outbackspirittours.com.au .
