Here's a summary:
Australian user @
the_tic_begins was able to purchase the PAL version of the tape for $100. Several people offered to start a GoFundMe page to cover the costs, but he (she?) declined, saying that they wanted the physical tape for their collection anyway. They have a transfer shop just up the road that will be able to digitize the tape, which can then be burned to DVDs, uploaded, etc. Given shipping times to AU, expect a several week gap before anything happens.
User @
paul_guyet has spoken with David Carson about the tapes, and Carson has indicated that he's not really interested in having the tapes back. So despite the fact that there's still a different version available on ebay, there's not much of a point in pooling together to buy that one and return it to him.