Americans helped build booze-ban 'sand-sanctuary' to avoid NYE liquor ban

Revellers drink on a man-made sand island in the Tairua estuary on New Year's Eve. Photo / Facebook

Three Americans were in on the plan to create the "sand-sanctuary" that allowed a group to knock back a few cold ones despite a strict liquor ban in Coromandel.

In a post to the Tairua ChitChat! Facebook page, photos show the group surrounded by boats, a kayaker and a paddle-boarder.

The group reportedly claimed they were "in international waters" and not subject to the drinking ban.

Time spoke to the organiser of the inventive drinking party, Leon Hayward, who revealed three Americans had been in on the fun.

"We thought it would be a good laugh and the drinking ban would be a grey area if we were on our own island.

They built the platform using black sand and sea shells. Hayward said it took six hours to complete, and was finished with wooden planks to help distribute the drinkers' weight.

The alcohol ban for the area was brought in after local residents sought to make their communities safer during the festive break.