More than $100,000 has been raised to try and save a South Island beach from being sold privately.
Awaroa Inlet, a seven-hectare beach in Abel Tasman National Park is selling for $2 million, a price Christchurch resident Duane Major believes is affordable.
Mr Major has set up Givealittle page proposing the public buy the beach in order to ensure it will never become private.
If every New Zealander donated 50c the beach would be guaranteed to be available for everyone, he says.
He says the idea to crowdfund the beach was inspired by some "lively Christmas Day banter" with his brother-in-law and a dream to share an "absolute gem" with the whole country.
"We rang DOC and they said they had been interested in it, but market price was out of their ballpark," the Givealittle page says. "We will give it to DOC, or a suitable trust. The bottom line for this project is that this beautiful piece of NZ is off the market permanently for all to enjoy."
So far 2387 backers have donated $166,079 to the cause, which has 19 days left to raise the $2 million.
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