KEY POINTS:
A chunk of coastal land near Piha - Camp Stedfast, which is owned by the Boys' Brigade - is for sale because camping has fallen out of favour.
The 8.1ha site in Glen Esk Rd - about 10 minutes walk from the beach - was bought as a
centennial project for the brigade in Auckland in 1983. The camp has a capital valuation of more than $500,000 but recent sales of west Auckland coastal blocks suggest it could fetch more than $800,000.
Brigade northern trust chairman Ian Bogue said: "It was bought in the days when Boys' Brigade was much stronger than it is now and demand for camping was greater.
"Today's membership of about 1000 is half what it was when we bought the camp.
"The property is no longer required for camping ... almost all our monetary resources are tied up in it and that's why we have decided to sell it. We would like it to go to someone who wants to continue camping but we cannot guarantee that.
"We have the responsibility to get the best price so we are offering it for public tender,"said Mr Bogue.
Selwyn Beeston, who retired after 15 years with the camp, said half of the camp committee of 24 years ago were still on it.
"Boys' Brigade is fading, though there is a new adventure programme for eight to 11-year-olds that is getting popular." Camps open to all children 10 to 13 years were stopped a few years ago because there were too few camp leaders.
The camp was used for wedding ceremonies.
"It's in a peaceful valley where I have counted 20 different species of birds in the bush," says Ray White sales agent Ross Forsythe, who is handling the sale. He swam as a boy in the stream which runs across the property in Glen Esk Rd.
"It was just lovely. It backs on to the Auckland Regional Council reserve, about two-thirds is in nice native bush and there's a big open paddock that's great to run around on."
The communal hall had a big stone fireplace.
Mr Forsythe said camp had put in a new wastewater treatment system and was permitted to have up to 100 people staying there.
But the brigade was advised that planning permission to subdivide was unlikely. Mr Forsythe said the property would be attractive to a syndicate because it had two dwellings - a three-bedroom house and a 70-bed, bunkhouse - "or they could remove some buildings and have a magnificent single house site."
Marketing begins this month and the regional council is seen as a possible buyer.
"We look at any pieces of strategic land adjacent to our parks but we have limited funds," said ARC parks chairman Sandra Coney.
The councils had informal campsites along its network of tracks in the Waitakere Ranges and also a camp at Huia on the Manukau Harbour side of the ranges.
Piha has one public camping ground at Piha Domain.
In November, the Salvation Army's Camp Mahurangi at Snells Beach, 70km north of Auckland, was sold to Neil Construction for $5.6 million. The company has plans for a housing subdivision for the 4ha site.
The Salvation Army said it did not want its resources tied up in large complexes such as the camp.
Melding church and army
The Boys' Brigade, founded in Glasgow in 1883, is the oldest international interdenominational Christian organisation concerned with the positive development of young people. It was established in New Zealand in 1886.
The founder, William Smith, was a Sunday-school teacher and part-time army officer who had an inspiration that if the Sunday school boys were like his army volunteers and did drill (marching) during the week, perhaps they would be better behaved on Sundays. It worked.
The brigade says its aim is to tackle the growing need to develop constructive, resilient, innovative leaders.
Through partnership with churches, it aims to life-coach young people by providing positive Christian role models who "lead fun-filled weekly activities within a balanced programme that is both skills and values based".
The Stedfast Association was created in 1983 to allow former members of the brigade to maintain links with the organisation.