Walk down a quiet street in Sydney, and you might stumble upon a pile of discarded items destined for the landfill.
But for 30-year-old Leonardo “Leo” Urbano, these piles are treasure troves waiting to be explored.
The Thrill of the Hunt
With his hire car waiting down the street, Leo rifles through the items, selecting a few “treasures” to take home. From a $3000 original artwork to $1600 vacuums, $1700 computers, $2000 iPhones, winning lottery tickets, and over $2000 in cash – Leo pays for his rent with Sydney’s rubbish.
From Trash to Treasure
Leo’s passion for reducing waste and the thrill of uncovering hidden gems has turned into a lucrative side hustle. He’s furnished his entire apartment with items Sydneysiders labelled as garbage. “People really don’t check what they throw out,” Leo says. “I find cash in handbags, inside jacket pockets, and drawers.”
The Best Finds
Leo’s most iconic find is an original artwork by Dapeng Liu, a three-time finalist of Australia’s renowned Archibald Prize, valued at $3000. He’s also found nostalgic items like Pokémon cards, working iPhones, and even US dollars. In fact, he’s found over $2000 in cash, including $1200 in US currency tucked inside a little bag.
Uncovering History
One of Leo’s most memorable finds doesn’t have a dollar value but is a unique historical artefact – a dusty box of letters from the early 1940s with addresses between Germany and England. “They were discussing stuff about the war,” he says. “I was imagining a bit of a spy network.”
The Treasure Hunter’s Community
Leo started an Instagram account, @TheTrashLawyer, to share his trash-to-treasure finds and quickly gained a following of over 10,000 people. He’s made connections with fellow treasure hunters who share tips and swap stories of their own finds.
The Best Suburbs for Treasure Hunting
So, where are the best suburbs to start searching for treasure? Leo claims the better items are often found in the more affluent areas, like Double Bay and Woolwich. “Maybe because if you have a lot of money, a $10,000 desk is not much,” he says.
The Ethics of Treasure Hunting
Leo sticks to rescuing hard goods, wears gloves, and only “dives” in legally allowed places and in the daylight. It isn’t all about the cash; he loves the thrill of uncovering items and preventing waste.