William Bonnici has sold just over five acres of lifestyle land in Yackandandah, Victoria, for $390,000 at auction, with a young first-home buyer delivering a decisive knockout bid that brought his father to tears.
A knockout bid and a father’s tears
William Bonnici has sold just over five acres of lifestyle land in Yackandandah, Victoria, for $390,000 at auction, with a young first-home buyer delivering a decisive knockout bid that brought his father to tears.
The property — Lots 1 and 2 on Myrtleford-Yackandandah Road — offered a rare combination in the tightly-held area: substantial acreage close to town with an existing shed already constructed. William positioned it as an opportunity for someone to build on well-maintained land just outside Yackandandah’s heritage township.
After a five-week campaign, three bidders competed on auction day — one by phone, one online, and one on-site.
The buyer who’d been searching
The on-site bidder was a young man from nearby Myrtleford who’d been looking for some time with his partner. She couldn’t attend, so his father came along for support.
Listing agents Christian Clark and Harley Maclachlan had done careful pre-auction work with all parties, encouraging them to bid strongly and setting the expectation that it was a genuine sale that would be sold on the day. The vendor was keen to get a result and happy it was potentially going to a first-home buyer.
When bidding opened, the young buyer came in with a single knockout bid at $390,000.
“We gave every bidder an opportunity, even pausing the auction to seek further instructions from the vendor,” William said.
The other two bidders didn’t respond. The hammer fell.
“I think one of the most moving times was the pat on the back from the bidder’s father,” William said.
“When we spoke to them, they were local people from nearby town of Myrtleford who had been looking for some time. This was the perfect home for them, and it was great to see his father brought to tears.”
What drew local buyers
Yackandandah sits approximately 30 kilometres from Wodonga and Albury, offering a heritage township setting with cafés, shops and community facilities surrounded by farmland and bushland.
The area attracts buyers seeking lifestyle properties with space, similar to demand patterns seen in other regional Victorian towns within commuting distance of larger centres such as Beechworth and the Indigo Valley wine region.
During inspections, local buyers consistently commented on the location — close to town yet offering more than five acres.
“Predominantly the location being so close to town, yet offering in excess of five acres,” William said.
The campaign drew interest primarily from locals in an area where properties rarely change hands.
Strategic network coverage
William’s approach involved casting the net wide using both his Albury-Wodonga and Beechworth offices, which effectively bookend Yackandandah.
“We were dealing with clients not only from our office in Albury-Wodonga, but also from our office in Beechworth as well,” he said.
That two-office strategy ensured the property reached buyers across the surrounding region, turning local interest into competitive tension on auction day.
William reports strong ongoing demand in Yackandandah for both land and dwellings, whether lifestyle properties or residential homes.
For vendors considering selling lifestyle land in the area, the lesson is clear: strategic network coverage combined with clear pre-auction communication can turn tightly-held market conditions into competitive results — and sometimes, into moments families remember.
About the Agent
William Bonnici is Director of First National Real Estate Bonnici & Associates and a Licensed Real Estate Agent and Auctioneer in Victoria and NSW. Selling real estate across the Albury-Wodonga region since 2005, he brings extensive industry experience alongside a background in national sales and marketing leadership. William is known for building strong teams, clear client communication and a service-focused approach across residential sales and property management. Visit William’s website for more information or call William on 0408565633.