An Edwardian mansion bought by timber magnate Toshio Nakamoto more than 20 years ago is on the market for sale with expectations that it will break Gisborne’s house price record.
The 8.53-hectare Acton Estate, in Hexton, is a category one heritage-protected property. At its heart is a 740sqm house with eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms.
Nakamoto, who died in Japan in 2020, used the estate as his New Zealand base. His company, Wood One, which is now led by his son Yusho, set up the company’s nearby wood mill.
However, Wood One announced last year it was closing the mill, with the large property now surplus to its requirements.
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Acton Estate is expected to sell for more than $5 million, which would be a record sum for Gisborne (the region’s most expensive property is currently a 2ha lifestyle block property on Hansen Road, in Makauri, which sold for $3.15m in 2022).
Ray White listing agent Alan Thorpe told OneRoof the property was good value for money.
“In all honesty, if this property was somewhere else and it wasn’t so secluded, it would most likely [sell for] a phenomenal price. You would not find better buying in New Zealand.”
Acton Estate was built by Christchurch farmer Henry White in 1907 on a 160ha section and took two years to construct. It changed hands several times and was subdivided in the 1960s down to its current land size.
Acton House underwent a massive $1.4m renovation in 2007. Many of the original features such as the ornate ceilings and wooden paneling were retained. Photo / Supplied
It was transformed into a luxury hotel in 1995 before being sold to Nakamoto and Wood One’s New Zealand subsidiary, Juken NZ, in 2002 for $2m.
Thorpe said it was an iconic property and that locals had been known to drive up the driveway if the gates were open just to have a sneak peek. Those lucky enough to have set foot inside were “gobsmacked”.
“It really does take your breath away when you pull up to the house,” he said.
The park-like gardens feature specimen trees, heirloom orchard plantings, beautiful walkways and a tennis court.
Thorpe told OneRoof he even got married at the estate. His father-in-law had been working as a manager for the company 22 years ago and helped Nakamoto purchase it. He and his wife also lived in the servants quarters for a year in 2010 to help the company fulfill insurance requirements someone was living onsite.
“The funny thing is when I got this listing the guy who was organising it all didn’t know I had lived at the house or anything,” Thorpe said.
A billiard room is one of more than a dozen rooms in the sprawling 740sqm mansion. Photo / Supplied
“On the way [to view the property] I said, ‘Hey did you know I used to live here’.”
Thorpe said about $1.4m had been spent on renovating and re-strengthening the house after it was significantly damaged in the Gisborne earthquake in 2007.
“Everything has been rebuilt to modern-day standards which is great.”
A lot of the original character features have been retained including the breathtaking sweeping staircase, nine fireplaces, leadlight windows, natural timbers, and ornate ceilings.
“The sweeping staircase that winds up from the bottom floor to the middle floor – it’s pretty amazing.”
Thorpe said it was an impressive property that would make a great wedding venue, hotel or appeal to someone interested in heritage properties.
Almost every bedroom had its own living space and there was also a billiard room and gun room which stored the old gun safe.
There is a quaint two-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage on the property. Photo / Supplied
“It’s got a really large field so if you wanted to set up a semi-permanent wedding-style structure, it would be phenomenal.”
There was also a detailed list of 89 pieces of antique furniture that would be sold with the house.
A report in the Wairarapa Times-Age at the time of Nakamoto’s death stated that he spotted the opportunity to harvest New Zealand’s radiata pine after a visit to the country. He then secured management rights to forestry blocks in Gisborne, Wairarapa, and Northland.
A report published RNZ in 2019 listed Wood One’s NZ subsidiary, Juken New Zealand Limited, as owning 12,435 hectares in New Zealand.
- 577 Black Ormond Road, Hexton, is being sold by international tender, closing July 11
