SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Revenues:
Total before interest income	$ 13,241,000	$ 17,479,000
Interest income	46,000	54,000
Total revenues	13,287,000	17,533,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	1,607,000	3,364,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	1,154,000	316,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	202,000	10,209,000
Equity in income (loss) of affiliates:
Equity in income of affiliates	2,624,000	1,580,000
General and administrative expenses	(6,361,000)	(8,551,000)
Interest expense	(97,000)	(315,000)
Interest income	46,000	54,000
(Loss) earnings before income taxes	(3,586,000)	2,977,000
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	1,940,000	3,715,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	31,568,000	41,553,000
Land investment
Equity in income (loss) of affiliates:
Equity in income of affiliates	2,624,000	1,580,000
Intersegment elimination
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Operating Segments | Oil and natural gas
Revenues:
Total before interest income	3,177,000	9,008,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	1,236,000	2,987,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	1,154,000	0
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	(2,355,000)	(366,000)
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	1,872,000	3,512,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	6,323,000	7,298,000
Operating Segments | Land investment
Revenues:
Total before interest income	1,915,000	3,244,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	1,915,000	3,244,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	4,744,000	7,480,000
Operating Segments | Contract drilling
Revenues:
Total before interest income	2,233,000	4,886,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	251,000	272,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	(116,000)	922,000
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	66,000	124,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	1,438,000	2,338,000
Operating Segments | Residential real estate
Revenues:
Total before interest income	5,700,000	0
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	0	316,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	190,000	(316,000)
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	0	5,132,000
Corporate and Other
Revenues:
Total before interest income	216,000	341,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	120,000	105,000
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	2,000	79,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	3,132,000	3,257,000
Corporate and Other | Cash and cash equivalents
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	15,550,000	8,471,000
Corporate and Other | Restricted cash
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	381,000	7,577,000
Other operating (loss) profit | Corporate and Other
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	96,000	236,000
Gain on sale of assets | Corporate and Other
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	$ 472,000	$ 6,489,000