Outcry in Licola: Tiny Australian Town Faces Sale Amidst Local Dismay

Tue Feb 03 2026 22:01:35 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The small town of Licola, a beloved getaway in Victoria, is up for sale, leaving its few residents and supporters concerned for its future and the potential loss of community.

Licola, a minuscule village in Victoria, Australia, is on the market for between A$6 million to A$10 million. Locals are alarmed about the potential sale, fearing commercialization and loss of their tightly-knit community. Only five residents remain in the town, including Leanne O'Donnell, who runs the local general store and is now facing eviction amid the sale. Despite community outcry and petitions gathering over 8,000 signatures to save the store and secure O'Donnell's lease, the Lions Club asserts the sale is due to declining finances and sustainability issues.

Outcry in Licola: Tiny Australian Town Faces Sale Amidst Local Dismay

Tucked away in the rugged Victorian bushland lies the tiny outpost of Licola, population: five. Consisting of a couple of weatherboard buildings, a general store, a caravan park, and a petrol station grouped around a modest main street, Licola is one of Australia's smallest towns.

If you have a spare couple of million dollars, you can buy it. The entire village - a three-hour drive from the city of Melbourne - is now up for grabs, much to the shock and ire of tight-knit locals.

Privately owned by a local community club, Licola has long been a guaranteed pit stop for fuel, food, and rest for travelers on their way to the Alpine National Park. It has also hosted outreach programs for young people for over 50 years.

However, the local Lions Club said it couldn't afford to run the town anymore and quietly listed it for sale online late last year. This revelation has raised alarm bells for Licola's passionate residents and nearby communities, who feel they were not adequately consulted about the sale and now fear for the walkable village's future.

'A home away from home'

Nestled beside the banks of the mighty Macalister River in Victoria's high country, Licola was originally a timber mill established in the 1950s. After its closure in 1968, the Lions Club acquired the site and turned it into a camp for disadvantaged youth.

Today, Leanne O'Donnell, who runs the General Store, is the only full-time resident along with her family. O'Donnell purchased the business in 2022 but does not own the buildings, signing a lease she believed would be renewed for a longer term.

It's just an amazing place, O'Donnell noted. I absolutely love this town. If it gets into the hands of a developer and transforms into something that it's not, it will break my heart. Currently, O'Donnell faces eviction as the town is set to be sold, and she has been given a timeline until January 31 to vacate.

In response to the sale, significant backlash has arisen online, with locals expressing their concerns for the fate of the store and the community. An online petition to save the store and renew O'Donnell's lease has garnered over 8,000 signatures.

The Lions Club cites a financial review prompting the sale due to sustainability issues as the main rationale, claiming that all proceeds will go into a new foundation to continue supporting youth camps, although future camps in Licola remain uncertain.

As the situation develops, it remains unclear who will purchase the town and what their intentions may be. Residents and supporters remain hopeful yet anxious for their cherished Licola.