The Wilks water auction made it's return to the Riverina Field Days, but sales were a mixed bag

The Wilks water auction is a staple of the Riverina Field Days, however COVID-19 and other events had put a surprise stop to the visits for the last few years - so

Tom Wilks and his nephew Joe returned to the stage to sell water allocations, as well as auctioning water leases for the first time.

While the two ran the auction deftly and there was interest from the crowd in many of the allocations, a lot didn't quite make it up to what sellers had hoped and were passed in.

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Mr Wilks said he wasn't worried, and that usually they sold a lot in the week following as buyers lingered and thought it over.

"Things are tough, with interest rates especially. Generally, we sell a lot in the following week," he said.

"We're pleased just to be here ... Met a few clients I haven't met before. I was pleased with it."

There was very little interest in 2022/23 water allocations, with supply far exceeding demand after the floods last year. Mr Wilks said he expected it however.

On the water buybacks, he added that he felt the government had 'shot themselves in the foot' with the 12-month tender option.

"They've shot themselves in the foot with a 12-month option. Genuine sellers want to sell their water now, they're not waiting."

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