SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Revenues:
Total before interest income	$ 24,563,000	$ 34,040,000
Interest income	45,000	22,000
Total revenues	24,608,000	34,062,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Total depletion, depreciation, and amortization	8,542,000	10,990,000
Reduction of carrying value of assets:
Total reduction of carrying value of assets	4,506,000	6,647,000
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating loss	(716,000)	(3,023,000)
General and administrative expenses	(8,911,000)	(8,268,000)
Interest expense	(587,000)	(790,000)
Interest income	45,000	22,000
Loss before income taxes	(10,169,000)	(12,059,000)
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	7,525,000	5,022,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	62,714,000	69,890,000
Intersegment elimination
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Oil and natural gas
Revenues:
Total before interest income	21,376,000	24,610,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Total depletion, depreciation, and amortization	8,034,000	10,367,000
Reduction of carrying value of assets:
Total reduction of carrying value of assets	4,506,000	2,551,000
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating loss	(1,156,000)	1,247,000
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	7,506,000	4,915,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	40,559,000	46,946,000
Land investment
Revenues:
Total before interest income	282,000	482,000
Reduction of carrying value of assets:
Total reduction of carrying value of assets		488,000
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating loss	282,000	(6,000)
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	2,381,000	2,381,000
Contract drilling
Revenues:
Total before interest income	2,338,000	2,340,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Total depletion, depreciation, and amortization	394,000	509,000
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating loss	(295,000)	(1,160,000)
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	17,000	72,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	2,905,000	2,963,000
Residential real estate
Revenues:
Total before interest income		5,975,000
Reduction of carrying value of assets:
Total reduction of carrying value of assets		1,854,000
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating loss		(1,869,000)
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	5,448,000	5,309,000
Other
Revenues:
Total before interest income	567,000	633,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Total depletion, depreciation, and amortization	114,000	114,000
Reduction of carrying value of assets:
Total reduction of carrying value of assets		1,754,000
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating loss	453,000	(1,235,000)
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	2,000	35,000
Other | Cash and cash equivalents
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	7,828,000	8,845,000
Corporate and other
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	$ 3,593,000	$ 3,446,000