The Fight for Paradise: How Surfers Battled Chinese Developers in Fiji

🌊The surfers obtain a 99-year lease on a beachfront property on Malolo Island, Fiji, near the famous surf break Cloudbreak.

🔨Chinese developers from Free Soul enter the neighboring land and start bulldozing the beach, coral reef, and mangroves to build a $100 million casino.

🚜The surfers receive multiple stop-work notices, but Free Soul continues their excavation and ignores Fijian laws.

🛑The Fijian High Court issues a stop-work injunction and orders Free Soul to rectify the damage caused.

⚖️The surfers hire an environmental lawyer and fight back in court against Free Soul's illegal actions.

What did the Chinese developers destroy in Fiji?

—The Chinese developers bulldozed the beach, coral reef, and mangroves to build a casino.

How did the surfers fight back?

—The surfers hired an environmental lawyer and obtained a stop-work injunction from the Fijian High Court.

Did the Fijian government take any action?

—The Fijian government issued multiple stop-work notices to the Chinese developers but were ignored until the surfers took legal action.

What was the outcome of the court battle?

—The court issued a stop-work injunction and ordered the developers to rectify the damage caused.

What is the current status of the land?

—The land is still disputed, and the surfers continue their legal battle to protect their property.

00:00Two Australian surfers obtain a lease on a beachfront property near Cloudbreak, Fiji.

00:42Chinese developers from Free Soul start bulldozing the beach, coral reef, and mangroves to build a casino.

06:49The surfers receive multiple stop-work notices, but Free Soul continues their excavation.

13:32The Fijian High Court issues a stop-work injunction and orders Free Soul to rectify the damage.

13:47The surfers hire an environmental lawyer and fight back in court against Free Soul.