Change of title for Awaroa beach into trust occurred in downtown Auckland this afternoon.

A pristine beach returned to the public's hands by the generosity of thousands of people has officially been paid for.

It's a huge milestone for the Awaroa beach campaign team, who on Thursday at 4pm pushed the button to transfer the publicly raised money over to the current owner of the beach.

But it's far from the end of the journey, as the team now work to transfer the beach from a temporary trust to the Department of Conservation.

KIRK HARGREAVES/Stuff.co.nz Awaroa beach campaigner Duane Major gives thanks to everyone who helped buy the beach.

"It's been a really amazing journey," said Adam Gard'ner, one of the two Christchurch brothers-in-law who kick-started the campaign.

READ MORE:

* A short history of New Zealand's mission to buy a beach

* How New Zealanders came to own Abel Tasman's Awaroa Inlet beach

* Buy this beach: Abel Tasman's Awaroa Inlet Beach sale confirmed

* Awaroa Inlet beach crowdfunding campaign a perfect storm, not a sea change

* Givealittle beach donors put money where their mouths are

* Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust helped Awaroa beach bid get over the line

"So many people have helped us out...we're deeply grateful."

MARTIN DE RUYTER/FAIRFAX NZ Awaroa Inlet will soon be in public hands after funds for the beach were officially transferred.

The seven-hectare lot at the Awaroa Inlet in Abel Tasman was purchased via a crowdfunding campaign which was launched in January.

Gard'ner and brother-in-law Duane Major rallied the people of New Zealand and managed to raise a total of $2.26m through the Givealittle site.

While the campaign's tender was accepted on February 24, the money actually changed hands on Thursday in Auckland.

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/FAIRFAX NZ Duane Major, left, and Adam Gard'ner at a party at Sumner beach to celebrate the purchase of an Awaroa Inlet property.

A beaming Major and Gard'ner said they were overwhelmed to have finally reached the point of paying for the beach.

They wanted to thank everyone who had contributed, iwi and the Government - but especially those who had helped with the campaign, which they said had become bigger than anyone had imagined.

There is still a lot of work to do to plan for the future of the land and how it will be used and accessed.

Adele Redmond/Stuff.co.nz An impromptu gathering at the newly-purchased Awaroa Beach in the Abel Tasman has taken place.

The 800 metres of pristine coastline will eventually become part of the National Park and overseen by the Department of Conservation.

But in the meantime it has passed into the hands of a trust in Major and Gard'ner's names.

Despite being the new - if temporary - owners of the beach, there were no plans for an exclusive holiday. "No more than anyone else," Major said.

Adele Redmond A slice of Awaroa beach - now in public hands.

Bell Gully real estate department head Andrew Petersen, who helped Major and Gard'ner secure the sale, said the process had been one-of-a-kind.

"One unique factor was the 40,000 people contributing, I think we felt a bit of pressure as we were in the public eye and thought 'don't get this one wrong'."

There had been several times when the team believed they had lost out, but last-minute solutions had always been found or appeared, he said.

SUPPLIED The section of beach that will soon belong to the public.

NATIONAL PARK INCORPORATION

The trust will exist for as long as it takes to gift the Awaroa Beach Property as a National Park - though it is not known exactly how long it will take to do this.

ALDEN WILLIAMS/FAIRFAX NZ The beach could be incorporated into the National Park as early as May.

Major previously said the consultation process could be over and the land in public hands as early as May, but it could be months from now.

Major has promised that when this day does come, there will be a celebration and ceremonial signing over of the beach to New Zealand.

Issues including what to do with the buildings, potential usage charges and preservation of wildlife had to be considered before documents were drawn up and the land was passed into the Department of Conservation's hands.

Major said he hoped the public stayed involved in this process and DOC carried through with its promise to preserve the land for future generations.