Brisbane City Council’s weirdest lost property items

Most unclaimed lost property from Brisbane City Council’s collection, even weird stuff like singing skeletons, can be donated to charity to help people in need. But what do you do with a python preserved in a cocktail shaker?

Lifestyle and Community Services chair Peter Matic jams a singing skeleton, one of the thousands of items of lost property handed into Brisbane City Council since July. Picture: Steve Pohlner

A SINGING skeleton, an ironing board, a python preserved in a cocktail shaker and hundreds of handbags, wallets and mobile phones all have one thing in common.

They all made their way to Brisbane City Council’s lost property office.

In the past six months 7000 lost property items — including war medals which were returned to a WWII veteran — were handed into the council.

Community, Arts and Lifestyle chair Peter Matic said the council worked with RSL Queensland to reunite them with the veteran.

A brand new garden hose. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Drawers full of forgotten mobiles. Picture: Steve Pohlner

He said another instance where the council had proactively searched for, and found, an owner was after an art student left behind a “significant” portfolio of work on a bus.

“She was so grateful that she sent a thank you card to Brisbane City Council,” he said.

Cr Matic said quirkier items included a Halloween skeleton decoration that played guitar.

“It’s quite large. I don’t know how you would forget that on the bus,” he said.

There was also a Star Wars lightsaber, a mini foosball table, a Frozen II paint-your-own-plaster toy, a kitchen play set and two packets of cling wrap totalling 450m.

Cling wrap. Picture: Steve Pohlner

A musical skeleton. Picture Steve Pohlner

Of the more commonly lost items were 750 bags, 550 wallets and 500 mobile phones.

Cr Matic said there were times where the lost property office was pressed for space, so they started putting stickers inside buses reminding people to take their property.

“We’ve seen a 15 per cent reduction in the amount of lost items,” he said.

Cr Matic said items valued under $100 without sentimental value were kept for one month and sentimental or more expensive items were kept for two months for people to reclaim.

A mini foosball table, handed into Brisbane City Council’s lost property office. Picture: Steve Pohlner

A total of $4800 in unclaimed cash was donated to the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust, new items went to the tip shops with proceeds to the Endeavour Foundation and second-hand items to Lifeline.

More than 150 pairs of unclaimed reading glasses were donated top the Lions Club to help people in third world countries.

About 1000 items have been donated since July, while the python preserved in a cocktail shaker was destroyed.

To try to find a lost item, phone Brisbane City Council on 3403 8888.

A tennis racket. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Drawers full of reading glasses and sunglasses. Picture: Steve Pohlner