US buyer wins slice of Northland

The Blue Heron Holiday Park on Whangarei Harbour. Picture / Northern Advocate

The former wife of Hollywood actor Dean Stockwell has received permission from the Overseas Investment Commission to buy three slices of Whangarei land, including a prime harbourside property.

Joy Ann Stockwell, 55, who was married to the actor for 23 years, had three applications before the commission.

She applied to buy the Blue Heron Holiday Park and its beachfront at Tamaterau, on Whangarei Harbour, for $1.687 million, commission documents show.

The Blue Heron is in two titles totalling 8169sq m, both with riparian rights. It juts out into the harbour 14km from Whangarei city.

Ms Stockwell, an eco-friendly property developer, real estate investor, interior designer and environmentalist, has also bought a 100ha property at nearby Waikaraka, in two titles, for $826,000.

And she bought a 2.9ha property between Riverside Dr and Punga Grove Ave, Whangarei, also in two titles, for $582,000.

The commission said it was satisfied Ms Stockwell had business experience and acumen relevant to the investments, and was demonstrating her financial commitment.

Ms Stockwell proposed to upgrade the Blue Heron by renovating and restoring the holiday park to attract more tourists and offer improved amenities to the local community, the commission said.

These plans included building new cabins and a seaside cafe.

Ms Stockwell plans to initially lease out the Waikaraka property for grazing, before subdividing it into 16 lifestyle blocks of 6ha each. She intends to live on the Riverside Dr property.

The commission said Ms Stockwell was demonstrating a commitment to New Zealand through intending to apply for residency.

* Dean Stockwell has appeared in dozens of Hollywood movies, including Blue Velvet, Airforce One, The Rainmaker, Rites of Passage, Married to the Mob and Paris, Texas.

But he is probably best-known as the hologram Al in the television programme Quantum Leap.

- NZPA