My Account
The derelict Waiwera Pools and campground are once again being offered for sale.
The resort closed in February 2018 with promises of a major redevelopment into a wellness spa, which never eventuated.
Now the current owners Urban Partners are seeking expressions of interest from a joint venture partner or a purchaser.
The site is recognised as a regional tourist attraction under the Auckland Unitary Plan and has zoning allowing for business, residential development, health and wellness, tourism, hospitality and visitor accommodation. Project director Doug Osborne says Urban Partners has always had high ambitions and the best of intentions for the freehold location.
“Now that the main issues behind the protracted delays have been resolved, we are marketing the site to those interested in partnering, developing or buying this world-class wellness destination,” Osborne says.
“We expect the site to be of real interest to specialist operators from around the globe.
“While we have long understood the potential of the site, Covid and the associated border closures have added further delays to our goal of finding a partner who can see the wellness opportunity of the site and work with us to develop the coastal haven to its potential.”
Waiwera’s thermal waters have a reputation for their therapeutic and curative powers dating back to pre-European times. The area was home to New Zealand’s first spa and purpose-built tourist facility, which later included a hotel, bath houses and, more recently, a hot water resort first constructed in 1970.
Osborne says the marketing campaign will target those best in class in the wellness, tourism and leisure and recreation and residential category.
The Waiwera complex is being marketed by Colliers.
Timeline
Pre-1840 – The area was widely populated by Maori, with several iwi contesting the bay for its prime fishing and therapeutic waters.
1840 – Waiwera became recognised as the First Spa.
1844 – Robert Graham, a Scottish immigrant, returned to Waiwera where he purchased land along the foreshore from the Maori chief, Te Hemara.
1850 – The first bathing facilities are built.
1870 – Waiwera and the Hot Spring Hotel were recognised as the first purpose-built tourist facility in New Zealand. 1905 – A 400m long wharf is built.
1939 – The Hot Springs Hotel is destroyed by fire.
1943 – The new 42-bed South Pacific Hotel was built to replace the Hot Springs Hotel.
1953 – The wharf is demolished.
1970 – The thermal resort activity was first commenced as Hartley Hot Pools.
1980 – Thermal Resorts bought by John St Clair Brown followed by water bottling operations.
2007 – The thermal resort and water bottling are sold on a leasehold basis to Mikhail Khimich, with Waiwera Properties Limited (WPL) acquiring the freehold of the resort site (subject to perpetual lease).
2009-2014 – WPL acquires the hotel site and campground site.
2018 – WPL acquires total control of the site following Khimich default.
2022 – Urban Partners seeks expressions of interest for all three sites.
