Rare $500k collection removed from Aussie home after tip from European authorities

An Aussie collector is being asked by authorities to 'please eggs-plain' after they seized items alleged to have been taken from wild bird nests.

Shelves filled with exotic bird eggs. The image was taken in Granton, Tasmania, on July 9.
A collection of 3,404 eggs was seized from a premises in Tasmania. Source: DEECCW

Discovered hidden inside drawers at a Tasmanian property was a fragile collection authorities have valued at between $400,000 and $500,000. It’s 3,404 items are now in the hands of government officials who revealed on Thursday they’d raided the premises just over a week ago.

If you’re thinking the 62-year-old’s prized hoard doesn’t look too dissimilar to eggs you’d find on a supermarket shelf, you're likely wrong. The Department of Environment alleges the collection included eggs from rare and threatened bird species.

The specimens are yet to be tested, and because the investigation is ongoing, a court date hasn't been set.

The collection is believed to have caught the attention of at least one international egg enthusiast in Europe. And it was a raid on his premises in 2023 that led Australian authorities to Granton, a tiny rural town just over 20 minutes drive north of Hobart.

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Earlier, several collections were seized from a number of hobbyists in Europe, totalling a massive 56,000 eggs. It’s understood they included samples from endangered Australian native species.

Over in Australia, the Department will allege the Tasmanian man exchanged wild Australian eggs with goods from at least one European offender.

Related: How eBay knows if you've listed an 'exotic' banned item

A Federal Environment Officer looks at shelves filled with exotic bird eggs. The image was taken in Granton, Tasmania, on July 9.
Authorities will allege the collection included specimens from rare and endangered birds. Source: DCCEEW

The collection kept at the Granton premises is alleged to have included eggs from species facing extinction, including the forty-spotted pardalote which is found only on Bruny Island, the Shy Albatross, the swift parrot, and the fairy prion.

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Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek warned illegal wildlife collections are putting already vulnerable species at risk of extinction. She claimed the federal government had boosted efforts to combat the “terrible trade” both in Australia and overseas.

“My message to these criminals is we will not stop until we shut down this cruel trade,” she said.

“We’re determined to better protect our precious native plants and animals so they can be enjoyed by our kids and grandkids.”

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