Luxury Wairarapa lodge bought by NBR Rich Lister Foley

US resident and NBR Rich Lister Bill Foley is buying additional land at Wharekauhau Lodge for $1,850,000.

Seller of the property at Western Lake Rd, Palliser Bay, Featherston, near Wellington, is Chateau Wellington, associated with David Morris, Grant Vinten and Karyn Morris.

The land comprises a large home and landscaped grounds within the Wharekauhau Lodge and Country Estate, already owned by Mr Foley.

The sellers have been operating a boutique luxury accommodation business there.

Mr Foley plans to use it as a residence when he visits New Zealand and, when not in use, as additional luxury accommodation for the lodge operation.

A couple of years ago, Mr Foley paid $11 million for the troubled Te Kairanga winery in Martins Rd, Martinborough.

The Foley Family Wines stable includes Goldwater and Marlborough brands Clifford Bay, Vavasour, Dashwood and Clifford Bay.

Foley Family Wines also owns half the shares in McLeod Vineyard.

Northland purchase

French Polynesian interests have Overseas Investment Office permission to acquire 296ha at 1205 Matauri Bay Rd, Matauri, Northland, for $2,150,000.

The vendors were the Beazley family.

The buyers – Sylvain Laine and family, and Roger Lossing and family, say they will restock the sheep and beef farm and invest “considerable sums” in developing the farm and protecting areas of indigenous vegetation on the land, according to the report from the OIO.

Donaldson Block

Chinese Republic buyers will acquire 256ha at Marlborough called Main Block, and approximately 79ha also at Marlborough, known as the Donaldson Block.

The OIO has complied with instructions of the applicants to keep the price secret – but in due course NBR NZPI will reveal the prices when the sale records are registered.

The buyer is O:TU Investments, owned by Min Jia and Xiumei Lin.

The vendor is Otuwhero Estate Wines (in receivership).

The 200ha operation was placed in receivership in 2010 owing contractors various amounts.

The new owners plan to convert the Donaldson Block to a vineyard and further develop the existing vineyard on the Main Block.

They will continue to produce wine under the existing O:TU label, the OIO report says.

German pension fund buys

Meanwhile, German pension fund NMP Farm Investment GmbH and Oceania Agrar Investitions GmbH will acquire 552ha at 901 Waimiha Rd, Ongarue, for $4.5 million.

“The applicant plans to convert the farm from a mixed dairy heifer grazing, sheep and cattle farm to a farm focused on intensive sheep and beef breeding and finishing and to increase the stock holding capacity through development of the farm,” the OIO says.

The vendors are trustees of the Sorensen Family Trust.

Australian buys at Muriwai

An Australian, Matthew Chapman, is buying 232ha at 223 Constable Rd, Muriwai, Auckland, for $6.25 million.

He wishes to spend “a significant amount of time” in New Zealand and is buying the land as a farm and lifestyle residence, the OIO report says.

The farm is being sold by Parihoa Farms, associated with the Storey family.

Restructuring shakeup

A restructuring shakeup is behind an application by Public Sector Pension Investment Board & Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation Fund, and President and Fellows of Harvard College, President of the Treasury Board of Canada, and Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation (a 2.09% stake).

The vendor is Phemus Corporation and President and Fellows of Harvard College.

The background to the proposed deal involves the sale of shares in KT1 Co and KT2 Co, together with the assumption of debt, to Public Sector Pension Investment Board, Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation Fund and the President and Fellow of Harvard College.

The restructure of ownership of will see KT1 Co and KT2 Co hold a 60% interest in Kaingaroa Timberlands Partnership, with the remaining 40% being held by GNZSF.

“The proposed transaction will increase GNZSF’s overall ownership interest in KTP and will provide it with greater governance and control over KTP,” the OIO says.