^^^ Mate you should try house prices in Sydney on for size!

In NSW you have to register before an auction, but I bet that doesn't stop the rorting of dummy bidders... the ones to watch out for are the folks still bidding at the end who don't have someone from the real estate in their ear.
One auctioneer (who was a kiter) once told me that the way to get the best result at an auction as a seller was:
- Work out your minimum sell price and stick to it
- Tell the real estate exactly what that number is
- At the start of the auction, the first bid should be your vendor bid at this amount, which allows the auctioneer to declare the property on the market
- Profit!!!!

I think he may have also said the way to get the best result at an auction as a buyer was make sure no-one else interested in buying turns up...