A stately 1930s manor that has been the backdrop for several Bridgerton–themed balls and an iconic annual cherry blossom festival has hit the market for sale.
The property at 125 Matangi Road, in Matangi on the outskirts of Hamilton, has been a labour of love for owner Paul Oulton who spent 28 years developing the paddocks into an inviting parkland with cherry trees, bluebell woods, ponds and waterfalls.
Oulton, who is originally from the UK, planted about 170 cherry trees that border a 150m long driveway as well as being strategically placed around the 2ha grounds.
The cherry trees became such an impressive sight in spring that Oulton and his wife, Ann Cao, opened up the gates of their property and hosted the inaugural NZ Cherry Blossom Festival in 2017.
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While the cherry trees were the initial drawcard, the couple had more recently planted 15,000 bluebells to create bluebell woods, which according to Cao, had become “the new star”.
Over the years the festival, which was held during September and October, evolved with up to 10,000 people from around the country and overseas attending the event. A total of six festivals have been held.
The couple chose different themes for the events, including one centred around the hit Netflix show Bridgerton, a steamy romance set in Georgian England.
The Bridgerton theme was such a hit that a Bridgerton summer ball was held at the manor in March last year and months later a Bridgerton spring ball ran as part of the cherry blossom festival. Visitors dressed up in regency costumes for the event and dance lessons were provided onsite before they did it more formally to the sound of a classical quartet.
Along with running the cherry festival, they Airbnb some of the four-ensuite bedrooms in the aptly named English Cherry Tree Manor, which attracted older and overseas guests.
Thousands of people flock to the NZ Cherry Blossom Festival which has been held six times since 2017. Photo / Supplied
Some of the bedrooms have been rented out on Airbnb. Photo / Supplied
Bridgerton's love stories have been a hit with audiences the world over. Photo / Supplied
While a dome-shaped glamping tent was also available to stay in and attracted a younger local crowd. The nightly rate was $325 for weekends during summer.
The couple had even more ambitious plans in the pipeline to tap into the hordes of tourists travelling to Hobbiton in Matamata and have a resource consent to build two underhill units that look like hobbit holes for accommodation.
To support their vision for the property to become a year-round tourist attraction, they also had council approval for a large 5m dragon sculpture and church.
Oulton said Hobbiton was only a 35-minute drive away and was often sold out so they believed the English Cherry Tree Manor could become an overflow attraction.
“It’s not the film set, but it’s got a lot of similar elements and a lot more beautiful in many ways. The dry stonewalls and all the flowers and everything.”
Glamping has been popular with younger guests and has provided another income stream. Photo / Supplied
Some of the younger cherry trees have been planted in a cross formation that can only be noticed from above. Photo / Supplied
However, the couple said they had been “forced” to abandon their plans and now have to sell to pay off a high-interest loan as a result of a hefty legal bill. The debt was accrued when the couple took a defamation case against media company Stuff and one of its reporters.
“It’s over $10,000 a month so it’s a bit of a struggle to pay that and we don’t want to keep on struggling and be under that pressure,” Oulton said.
The couple was unsure of their next move, but was considering relocating to Australia.
Barfoot & Thompson listing agent Alex Zhang said it was a unique property that would suit both people looking for a family home or investors wanting to grow the business.
While he had seen lifestyle properties, this was unique because it had a variety of trees, flowers and even a small river running through it.
"Different seasons have different views," he said. "This looks amazing."
- 125 Matangi Road, in Tamahere, Waikato, goes to auction on June 13
