Wieambilla Ambush Property Where Police Officers Died Listed for Sale
The remote Queensland property where two police officers were ambushed and killed in a horrific shooting incident has been officially listed for sale. The two-bedroom home on Wains Road in Wieambilla, approximately 300 kilometres west of Brisbane, was the scene of a deadly siege on December 12, 2022, that claimed six lives.
Tragic History of the Property
Constables Rachel McCrow, aged 29, and Matthew Arnold, aged 26, were among the victims fatally shot at the property. The officers had attended the location on behalf of New South Wales Police to conduct a welfare check when they were ambushed by conspiracy theorists Nathaniel, Gareth, and Stacey Train.
Good Samaritan neighbour Alan Dare was also shot dead after he arrived to investigate the commotion. The Train trio were subsequently killed by police during an hours-long siege that followed the initial attacks.
Executor Lists Property for Sale
Aidan Train, the son of Nathaniel and Stacey Train, who now serves as the executor of his mother's estate, listed the 43-hectare property for sale on several real estate websites this week. The listing describes the block as having a "dwelling and history" and notes the property is in a dilapidated condition.
"Price is for property as is," the listing explicitly states. "Open to offers. Being sold as part of executor responsibilities for a deceased estate. Hoping for a quick sale to someone who will be respectful of the property, considering its history."
Offers from $190,000 will be considered for the remote property, which comes with a composting toilet and has no grid connection or water mains. Council rates cost $504.47 every six months.
Previous Negotiations with Police Union
The listing follows recent negotiations to sell the property to the Queensland Police Union, which had previously considered demolishing the structure to build a new retreat or training centre. Aidan Train stated he hopes for a quick sale after ongoing negotiations with the QPU stalled, noting he hadn't heard anything since October.
"It's time for the property to be sold," Mr Train told The Guardian. "It's part of my responsibilities as the executive of the estate. And it's been long enough and something needs to happen with that property."
Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior expressed surprise at the public listing, stating: "It is surprising to learn that Mr Train has placed the property on the open market, as the QPU has been negotiating in good faith."
"The QPU is currently undertaking appropriate due diligence in considering the option to purchase the Wains Rd property," Mr Prior added in a statement to Daily Mail. "This includes fiduciary considerations relating to expenditure of member funds for both the purchase and the ongoing property maintenance."
Property Condition and Listing Details
The online advertisement originally featured never-before-seen photos from inside the property, but these have been taken down to avoid causing further distress to the victims' families. Mr Train had initially wanted to include a condolence message on the listing but omitted it for the same reason.
The removed photos reportedly showed various rooms in dilapidated conditions that appeared untouched since the deadly massacre. Images depicted:
- Clothing and belongings strewn over floors
- A copy of 'Shooter' magazine among the debris
- Piles of VCRs on a coffee table in the lounge room
- A sink filled with dirty dishes in the kitchen
- Clothes piled up in bedrooms
- What appeared to be a possible trap door on the enclosed verandah
Property Background and Value
The home previously belonged to Gareth and Stacey Train, who purchased the property for $95,000 in 2015. The current $190,000 price tag sits around the median value of house sales in the area, despite the property's tragic history and dilapidated condition.
In November, State Coroner Terry Ryan handed down the findings of his inquest more than a year after wrapping up hearings. He ruled that the deadly ambush was not an act of religious terrorism and that the Trains acted "defensively within their delusional framework to defend themselves and their property from what they regarded was an evil advance on them."
The property listing represents a significant development in the aftermath of one of Queensland's most tragic police incidents, as the executor seeks to fulfil his responsibilities while being mindful of the property's painful history.
