The crowdfunding campaign to buy a beach in Abel Tasman National Park and gift it to the public has hit its $2 million target.
The seven-hectare private beach in the Awaroa Inlet near Abel Tasman National Park is up for sale, with a campaign to buy it for the New Zealand public launched on Givealittle over two weeks ago.
More than 33,000 people donated to the campaign, with the $2 million target being reached today at 6.35pm.
The person selling the beach, developer Michael Spackman, and business partner Michael Garnham, are involved in a legal battle with the Bank of New Zealand over alleged unpaid loans, it emerged today.
Mr Spackman bought the beach for in 2008 for $1.92m.
Earlier this week an offer by businessman Gareth Morgan to pay any shortfall for the purchase of the beach, on condition that his family could use the property, was turned down.
Mr Morgan said he would want to continue the arrangement that sees the current owner allowing the public access to everything except the buildings before eventually "handing the whole lot over".
He later described the crowdfunding attempt as a "nice, innocent but naive campaign that will lose".
