Aussie tip worker's rare find after spotting mysterious box in piles of rubbish - and it's very valuable
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli shared a photo of heavy machinery operator Tim and the collection of four war medals he found at Gatton landfill, in the state's southeast, last week.
'This story was too good not to share,' the premier wrote online.
'We're pleased to report council has already returned the medals to their rightful owner, Crisafulli continued.
'You're a legend, Tim!'
Tim, who was only referred to by his first name, found the medals when he noticed an odd-looking box as he was working on shifting rubbish.
His curiosity peaked and he opened it, discovering the medals, which have since been identified as the Australian Service Medal, Defence Force Service Medal, Gulf War Medal and Australian Defence Medal.
Collectors will often pay upwards of $100 for each war medal.
Dozens of commenters were glad to hear the medals were returned to the owner's family.
'Thank goodness someone saw them and now going to get back to the family,' one wrote.
'How lucky that Tim spotted those! Fantastic to hear they are back to their owner,' another said.
Others shared unconfirmed theories on how the medals ended up at the dump.
'I suspect the dear man put them away safely and has passed away. The family then went in to clean up and had no idea they were in the box,' one person wrote.
Several other commenters had a helpful tip for others, should they find medals.
They suggested they contact their local RSL or the Australian War Memorial, with both organisations able to take care of abandoned medals and track their owners.
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Dear Vanessa, I'm feeling sick with worry and don't know who else to turn to. My husband and I are both in our late 50s. We've worked hard all our lives and were hoping to retire by 70 - not extravagantly, just comfortably. Our eldest daughter is getting married next year. We adore her and want her to have a lovely day, but a few months ago my husband told her fiancé's family that we would pay for the entire wedding. He did it to look generous - especially because the groom's parents are very well-off and traditional. Now he says he can't back down without losing face. The problem is the wedding has ballooned to nearly $60,000 thanks to a huge venue, band, flowers, the lot. My husband insists we'll 'make it work' but I know we can't afford it without dipping into our mortgage offset or even our retirement savings. We still have some debt and we're not rich by any stretch. I've tried talking to my husband but he just gets defensive and says he won't 'look cheap' or let the other side think we can't provide. Our daughter is so excited and I feel terrible bringing it up with her - but I'm so angry that we're risking our future to keep up appearances. Should I push him harder? Should we tell our daughter she needs to scale back? Or should I just bite my tongue and find a way to pay - even if it means we work longer? I feel so stuck. Worried Mum, NSW. First of all, I really feel for you. This is exactly the kind of family conflict about money that can quietly undermine the retirement you've spent decades building. A wedding is meant to be a joyful celebration - not a $60,000 drain that chips away at your future security. But this is about more than one big day - it's pride, old-fashioned expectations and the fear of embarrassment when money truths come out. My first piece of advice is to move this out of emotion and into facts. Sit down with your husband and map out exactly what paying for this wedding means for your plan to retire by 70. For example, if you have $500,000 in retirement savings at around 58 and plan to retire by 70, spending $60,000 now could mean losing more than $110,000 by the time you reach retirement just from the lost growth alone. Most people forget the real cost isn't just what you spend today - it's what that money could have grown into for your future. To see this clearly, run a quick scenario using the free Moneysmart Retirement Planner - you'll find it here. Plug in your real numbers - your current balance, contributions and target retirement age - then run it again with $60,000 less. That difference is your real cost of 'keeping up appearances'. Once you both see the impact in black and white, you can plan a gentle but honest chat with your daughter. Tell her you love her and want her day to be beautiful, but you can't risk your own security to impress anyone. It's one of the best lessons you can pass on: big milestones should never come at the cost of your long-term wellbeing. If your husband still can't face it, I strongly recommend bringing in a neutral third party - a financial adviser or coach - to show him the numbers without blame or conflict. Sometimes that's all it takes to break through pride. If you'd like help finding the right adviser to guide you through this, you can start here. You've both worked too hard to spend your later years worried about money. Be brave enough to have this tough conversation now - your future self will thank you for it.
