A group of locals in Bream Bay, Northland, New Zealand, broke a world record on Saturday while raising awareness about the dangers of sand mining.
At Ruakākā Beach, 485 people gathered to build sandcastles at the same time, surpassing the previous record of 396 set in Belgium in 2019.
The sandcastles were mostly themed around ocean life, with turtles, dolphins, and mermaids taking shape in the sand. There were also fairy gardens, a Māori pā, and even a sculpture of a pair of Crocs shoes.
The event was organised by the Bream Bay Guardians, a community group protesting a plan by McCallum Brothers, an Auckland company, to mine 8 million cubic metres of sand from the nearby sea over 35 years. The company has applied for fast-track approval, which the group strongly opposes.
Mary Sinclair, a member of the group, said the record-breaking event was not just a protest but a way to connect with young people and share ideas about protecting beaches, oceans, and sand dunes.
She explained that Bream Bay is a “closed sand system,” meaning if sand is removed from the sea, it will not naturally be replaced. This could lead to erosion of local beaches as they try to refill the sea floor.
Local hapū member Josephine Te Pirihi wrote a waiata for the occasion called Waiho Ngā Whare Onepū—which means “Leave Our Sandcastles Alone.” She warned that sand mining would harm sea life, birds, and the wider environment.
Sinclair said Saturday’s record would not be formally recognised because of the high cost of bringing Guinness World Records officials to New Zealand to verify it.
