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The trans-Tasman battle for auctioneering supremacy is back 💥
Some of the best real estate auctioneers from across New Zealand and Australia are preparing to go head-to-head as the prestigious:
🏆 Australasian Auctioneering Championships (AUSTROS)
returns in 2026.
The high-profile event will be held in:
📍 Melbourne, Victoria
from:
📅 May 19–21, 2026
and promises to showcase the very best in auctioneering skill, pressure performance, and real estate strategy.
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🌍 WHAT IS AUSTROS?
AUSTROS is regarded as one of the premier auctioneering competitions in Australasia 👇
The event is co-hosted by:
- Real Estate Institute of Australia
- Real Estate Institute of Victoria
- Real Estate Institute of New Zealand
It will run alongside the:
🏆 2026 National Awards for Excellence
bringing together many of the property industry’s top performers.
🎯 MORE THAN JUST CALLING BIDS
Modern auctioneering has evolved far beyond simply yelling numbers 👀
According to REIA president:
Jacob Caine
today’s elite auctioneers require:
✔ Market insight
✔ Negotiation skills
✔ Strategic thinking
✔ Crowd control
✔ Buyer psychology
✔ Trust-building under pressure
💬 “Auctioneering today is about far more than calling bids,” Caine said.
🇳🇿 NEW ZEALAND AUCTIONEERS TAKING ON AUSTRALIA
New Zealand will once again be strongly represented in the established competition 👇
🇳🇿 NZ Established Competitors:
- 🎤 Mark McGoldrick – Harcourts
- 🎤 Travers Smyth – Bayleys
- 🎤 Shane Cortese – Harcourts
- 🎤 Dan Pengelly – Harcourts Holmwood
The competition will pit them against some of Australia’s most recognised auctioneers.
🏆 BIG NAMES FROM AUSTRALIA ALSO COMPETING
The Australian field includes auctioneers from major agencies and specialist auction companies including:
- Frank Walmsley – Auction Advantage
- Nic Salter-Harding – LJ Hooker Dickson
- Emanuel Comino – McGrath Estate Agents
- Joe Horton – Nelson Alexander
- Anthony DeMarco – ADM Auctions
- Jordan Curd – Place Graceville
- Yianni Mooney – Yianni Mooney Property
and several other top performers from across Australia.
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🌱 NEXT GENERATION OF AUCTION TALENT ALSO FEATURED
The event also places major emphasis on developing future talent through the:
🏆 Australasian Novice Auctioneering Championships
This category gives emerging auctioneers exposure and experience on a major industry stage.
🇳🇿 NZ NOVICE REPRESENTATIVES
New Zealand’s novice competitors include:
- 🎤 Sharni Bichan – Refined Real Estate
- 🎤 Will Tremain – Tremains Real Estate
🏡 WHY AUCTIONS REMAIN IMPORTANT IN REAL ESTATE
Auction campaigns continue to play a major role across many Australasian property markets.
Supporters argue auctions help create:
✔ Transparency
✔ Competition
✔ Urgency
✔ Faster campaigns
✔ Premium price potential
In markets like Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, and Christchurch, auctions remain a dominant method of sale for many properties.
👀 THE PRESSURE OF LIVE AUCTIONEERING
Unlike standard sales negotiations, auctioneering places agents under intense live pressure 👇
Auctioneers must simultaneously:
🎤 Engage crowds
🎤 Manage legal process
🎤 Read buyer psychology
🎤 Negotiate in real time
🎤 Maintain momentum
🎤 Handle high-pressure vendor expectations
The best auctioneers often become major personalities within the property industry.
🇳🇿 NZ AUCTION CULTURE CONTINUES TO GROW
New Zealand’s auction sector has grown significantly over the past decade, particularly through major brands including:
- Harcourts
- Ray White
- Bayleys
- Barfoot & Thompson
Auctioneering competitions like AUSTROS are now viewed as elite industry showcases.
🔥 THE BOTTOM LINE
The 2026 Australasian Auctioneering Championships are shaping up as a major showcase of the best real estate auction talent across Australia and New Zealand.
💥 Elite auctioneers
💥 Rising young talent
💥 High-pressure competition
💥 International industry exposure
And with Kiwi auctioneers taking on Australia’s best once again…
🎤 The trans-Tasman property rivalry is officially on.