Paddy Moriarty’s Larrimah house bought for $32k by South Australian phone bidders

An iconic Larrimah property has been sold to a mysterious South Australian phone bidder in an auction that quadrupled the population of the town. WATCH THE SALE.

Keen punters flocked to Larrimah to attend the auction of Paddy Moriarty’s former home, with one pair turning up to the tiny town in a limousine.

Bidders, townsfolk, and tourists stopped to witness the sale of the missing man’s home, which was bought by a mysterious South Australian couple who bid for the house over the phone.

Interest in the remote Northern Territory town skyrocketed in 2023 when Netflix series Last Stop Larrimah, documenting the disappearance of town larrikin Moriarty and his pet dog, captivated audiences around the world.

The final sale price was $32,000, with auctioneer Daniel Harris putting the house under the metaphorical hammer for the office of the public trustee.

Cookie, from Last Stop Larrimah, made an appearance at the auction.

Mr Harris said there were seven registered bidders, however, when the auction started few put a bid in.

The phone bidder opened with a bid of $25,000, which Katherine pool shop owner Daniel Reed – who showed up to the auction in limo – said put him on the back foot.

“It’s a huge part of NT history … how often do you get to buy a piece of history for $30,000,” Mr Reed said.

“What do you even buy for $30,000 these days – nothing, you can’t get anything.”

The house was sold in ‘as is’ condition and those who turned up were treated to a tour “at their own risk” by agent Michael Vanndergraaf, who unhitched the chain around the gate to the property for the first time in years.

David Reed and his mate rolled into the auction in a limo and almost bought the place for $29,000.

Knowing it was a fixer-upper, Mr Reed said his plan if successful was to restore the property.

“I really wanted to just to maintain it for what it is – like the history, obviously tidy it up, maintain it, but have it as a bit of a stop where people can come have a look, enjoy it and hopefully keep them in Larrimah for an extra half an hour, an hour or something,” he said.

“We had a fun little ideas but obviously keep it very tasteful and not to get on the bad side of some of the locals,” he said.

Mr Reed’s final bid was $29,000, stating that $26,000 would have been his “happy price.”

“We went to $29,000 just for shits and giggles and then after that we wised up,” he said with a laugh, after he reminding himself he was bidding with real money and not “Monopoly money.”

Larrimah resident Cookie – of Last Stop Larrimah fame – also attended the auction, and said he hoped whoever bought the place “makes some money and does alright.”

A crowd on locals, tourists and bidders had gathered to see the auction.

“I’d like to see another roadhouse here actually, a roadhouse that sells a few veggies and stuff like that – you’d be laughing,” he said.

“That’s what we want here.

“They’ve got a lot of work to do though – bloody oath there’s a lot of work to do there.”

The house was overgrown and run-down with most of Paddy’s belongings still inside, but there was evidence that people had entered illegally.

Included in the sale was an old Mazda ute and a caravan, which curious onlookers all perused before the sale.

Kalvin Long and Carly Gasson, originally from Melbourne, found themselves in the right place the right to witness the auction.

Tourists Kalvin Long and Carly Gasson, who had been travelling around Australia since August, found themselves at the right place at the right time to witness auction day.

Mr Long said he considered placing a bid, but when the action started common sense got the better of him

“I didn’t think it was going to go for more than $40,000 to be honest,” Mr Long said.

“For the price it’s all right – compared to Melbourne,” he said.

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Paddy Moriarty?

Patrick ‘Paddy’ Moriarty and his dog Kellie, were last seen leaving the Pink Panther pub at Larrimah on December 16, 2017.

He and his dog were returning home – down the road – travelling on his red quad bike at dusk.

Given the small population of Larrimah at the time – 12 people – Paddy’s disappearance sparked intense national interest.

In 2022, coroner Greg Cavanagh said there was no doubt that Paddy “is dead” and had likely been dead since the night of his disappearance.

“In my opinion, Paddy and his dog were killed in the context of, and likely due, to the ongoing feud that he had wit his nearest neighbours,” Mr Cavanagh said.

Nobody has ever been charged with Paddy’s death.

Is Paddy Moriarty still missing?

Paddy and Kellie’s bodies have never been found.

Is Last Stop Larrimah true?

Last Stop Larrimah is a documentary released in 2023 which follows the residents of Larrimah’s reaction to Paddy’s disappearance and the media coverage that followed.

It contains first-hand interviews with residents, local police and journalists.