Hart fortress worth $22m

Graeme Hart's clifftop mansion. Photo / Martin Sykes

New Zealand's wealthiest man lives in a sprawling $22 million clifftop Glendowie castle-like fortress which has gone up in value by $2 million.

Graeme Hart, estimated to have a $5.5 billion fortune, has a bird's eye view of the surroundings from his mansion fronted by Greek pillars.

He and wife Robyn bought the Riddell Rd property in 1993 for $930,000 and have transformed it into one of New Zealand's most valuable properties over several years.

When Hart is not in Australia, he enjoys the main house, which has a number of wings, guest quarters, a separate summer house, sleepout, pool, tennis court and spa.

QV values the 2ha property at $22 million. It was previously listed at $20 million. The land is worth $15.5 million, with $6.5 million for the house, overlooking Tamaki Estuary.

The house is best viewed from either Karaka Park Place or Waitara Rd but is somewhat hidden down a long, shared driveway.

Neighbours tell of huge garden features such as faux mini-Greek temples. A pool-side building is flanked by archways and columns beneath towering palm trees.

Down on Auckland's waterfront, the former tow-truck driver keeps the 58m vessel Ulysses, estimated to be worth more than $100 million. It has seven staterooms for 14 guests. Fully crewed, it employs nine people.

Riddell Rd is renowned as Millionaires' Way, home to many rich businesspeople and allowing a degree of privacy while offering a relaxed lifestyle beside the water. Many residents enjoy their own bays. Although the public is not barred from getting to these beaches, high tides and sprawling lawns are the biggest deterrents.

The Harts also have a Waiheke Island property, as does Hanover co-owner Mark Hotchin, who is building a $30 million house in Paritai Drive, Orakei, while living in Parnell.

Hotchin's 1950s Bridgewater Rd house has a pool and tennis court, enormous old trees and stands on more than 1000sq m. Prime Minister John Key's stately Parnell house is nearby, sporting ornate Italian-style gardens, a high front wall, well-clipped hedges and a peaceful water feature.

His tree-lined, no-exit street is quiet and once included the popular White Heron Hotel, now demolished to make way for a large group of upmarket townhouses.

Sir Michael Fay, worth an estimated $750 million, let the media peek into his island property in November when the a rocket was launched from his Mercury Island, Coromandel, home. His hideaway appears hobbit-like and was designed by a Scandinavian architect.

Multimillionaire Auckland builder, developer and property expert Ted Manson's modern-style, multi-level house in St Heliers has been on the market for months without any buyers.