SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Revenues:
Total before interest income	$ 12,937,000	$ 13,581,000
Interest income	93,000	46,000
Total revenues	13,030,000	13,627,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	1,203,000	1,607,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	155,000	1,154,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	5,847,000	542,000
Equity in income (loss) of affiliates:
Equity in income of affiliates	2,276,000	2,624,000
General and administrative expenses	(6,976,000)	(6,701,000)
Interest expense	(6,000)	(97,000)
Interest income	93,000	46,000
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	1,234,000	(3,586,000)
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	1,275,000	1,940,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	33,020,000	31,568,000
Land investment
Equity in income (loss) of affiliates:
Equity in income of affiliates	2,276,000	2,624,000
Intersegment elimination
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Operating Segments | Oil and natural gas
Revenues:
Total before interest income	4,383,000	3,177,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	848,000	1,236,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	0	1,154,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	507,000	(2,355,000)
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	1,037,000	1,872,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	5,910,000	6,323,000
Operating Segments | Land investment
Revenues:
Total before interest income	4,503,000	2,255,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	155,000	0
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	4,348,000	2,255,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	3,247,000	4,744,000
Operating Segments | Contract drilling
Revenues:
Total before interest income	3,938,000	2,233,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	270,000	251,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	437,000	(116,000)
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	229,000	66,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	1,543,000	1,438,000
Operating Segments | Residential real estate
Revenues:
Total before interest income	0	5,700,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	0	190,000
Corporate and Other
Revenues:
Total before interest income	113,000	216,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	85,000	120,000
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	9,000	2,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	1,626,000	3,132,000
Corporate and Other | Cash and cash equivalents
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	16,281,000	15,550,000
Corporate and Other | Certificates of Deposit [Member]
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	4,413,000	0
Corporate and Other | Restricted cash
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	0	381,000
Other operating (loss) profit | Corporate and Other
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	28,000	96,000
Gain on sale of assets | Corporate and Other
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	$ 527,000	$ 472,000