Would you buy a beach for $millions, then give it back? New Zealanders would. And did. Want to visit a place where the generosity of spirit is second nature? We know a place.
In an open place, with open hearts. 39,000 New Zealanders opened their wallets in an ambitious impossible crowdfunding campaign.
Awaroa Beach in New Zealand’s Tasman Bay is a gift from New Zealanders to New Zealanders. When Duane Major and Adam Gard’ner caught wind of the fact the beautiful beach could fall into private ownership, they got together to figure out how to stop it from being snapped up by a single wealthy owner. New Zealand’s nature is best enjoyed when shared. What good would come of privatising this slice of heaven?
UNITY FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Their biggest concern was that access to Awaroa Beach would become restricted through a private sale. So, Major and Gard’ner asked the rest of the country for a little help.
A wave of support for an ambitious crowdfunding campaign followed. New Zealanders were called on to band together and collectively buy the beach to secure its future for all to enjoy. In a major community effort that bought technology to ecology, more than 39,000 New Zealanders jumped on board to help. An impressive $2.3 million dollars was raised in just three weeks.
The final sale was confirmed with a generous helping hand from the New Zealand Government and the Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust.
Then they gave it back.
A GIFT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
The gifting was a bold show of kaitiakitanga – care of people and place.
"A lot of people said it might not have happened in another country. There’s a whole lot of circumstances that conspired together but one of them would be the nature of New Zealanders and the things we love and are prepared to work together on." Says Mayor.
New Zealanders. They see problems and then they say “not a problem”.
If you like generosity of spirit, we know a place.
New Zealand. Together we can do amazing things.
