This tiny Australian town is up for sale - but the locals don't want to leave

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete January 30, 2026 at 08:02 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

The tiny Australian town of Licola, Victoria, with a population of five, is up for sale. The town, privately owned by the local Lions Club, includes a general store, caravan park, and petrol station. The Lions Club, citing financial constraints, quietly listed the town for sale online, shocking residents and surrounding community members. Licola has a history as a timber mill and later a camp for disadvantaged youth. The current residents, including the owner of the General Store, fear the sale will negatively impact the town's future and its role as a community hub. The sale includes the land and buildings, but the residents do not want to leave.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Claire Keenan 30% Alpine National Park 40% Melbourne 50% Macalister River ×250% Victoria ×260% Lions Club ×370% Australia 70% Leanne O'Donnell ×380% Licola ×790%

Keywords

licola 100% town for sale 90% australian town 80% lions club 70% general store 60% local community 60% victoria 60% property sale 50% rural community 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.20

Source Transparency

Source

BBC News - World

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Licola

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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licola town for sale australian town lions club general store local community victoria property sale rural community

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