The famous Oscars goodie bags given to Hollywood A-listers always contain some pretty bonkers gifts… But the 2023 goodie bag might have the most insane gift of all: a plot of land in Australia.
Most people would consider just getting an invite to the Oscars to be the gift of a lifetime – let alone winning or being in the running for the most coveted award in cinema. But all Oscar nominees also receive a very lavish goodie bag, the contents of which are always a source of speculation and controversy.
The goodie bags, which are an unofficial gift created and distributed by Los Angeles-based marketing company Distinctive Assets, have contained all sorts of bizarre things over the years – from five-figure liposuction treatments to bottles of olive oil with gold flakes in them – but the 2023 goodie bag has raised the stakes.
Why? According to Forbes, one of the gifts in the 2023 Oscars goodie bag is a literal piece of Australia. Now, that sounds pretty ridiculous, but it’s actually not quite as insane as it sounds.
It’s actually a charitable exercise done by an organisation called Pieces of Australia. It’s similar to what Highland Titles do – you know, the British company that sells small plots of land in Scotland that let you claim a ‘Lordship’ or ‘Ladyship’ title (indeed, a Highland Titles gift was in the 2022 Oscars goodie bag).
Essentially, you buy a square meter of private land in Queensland, with the money going towards conservation efforts in Australia. It’s an education and awareness exercise. You don’t technically own that land – it’s symbolic.
Pieces of Australia have a number of different packages for sale on their website, which range from $80 to $600, depending on how much land you buy (and whether or not you want a plush toy koala with your purchase).
Compared to some of the outrageous gifts in the 2023 Oscars goodie bag – like a $229 “mental health orb” that claims to help regulate stress, a 3-day trip to a converted lighthouse off the coast of Italy or a bottle of edible massage oil – it’s actually rather worthy.
It should be pointed out at this point that calling them “goodie bags” is a bit misleading, as they often require multiple suitcases to deliver all the presents… Besides, how can you put a literal piece of Australia in a goodie bag anyway?