Giant 2000 Olympic rings found in a shed sell on eBay

The giant Olympic rings that were a centrepiece of the 2000 Games, adorning the Sydney Harbour Bridge, have been sold on eBay after being discovered gathering dust in a factory.

The five massive rings, measuring 70 metres by 40 metres and weighing 40 to 50 tonnes, were listed online by Bernard Maas who found them abandoned in a shed on a property he bought in NSW.

They were made by a firm based in Goulburn which owned the factory Mr Maas brought.

Mr Maas said he needed the space and took the opportunity to make some cash, but wasn't sure if he would find a buyer for the rings, which were in 40 different parts and needed several trucks to take them away.

But they attracted spirited bidding, with 17 offers last night, topping out at $21,100.

"It was a really good result," Mr Maas told the ABC.

"A fellow from... Sydney bought them. I got a bit excited because I thought they may have been going back up in Sydney.

"He's not too sure yet what he's going to do with them, but I think they may be heading Queensland's way."

Australia is mulling a bid to host another Olympics in 2028, with Brisbane a possible candidate.