Rugby: Jonah Lomu's former Wellington 'castle' up for sale

Name: Sky Sport News: March 3
Uploaded: 2020-03-03T18:28:19+13:00
Duration: 1579 s
Description: The Sky team go live to the Warriors' NRL season launch to speak with coach Stephen Kearney about injury woes ahead of the season, as well as covering off the latest cricket news from the Black Caps and White Ferns.

NZ Herald

3 Mar, 2020 01:23 AM3 mins to read

The Sky team go live to the Warriors' NRL season launch to speak with coach Stephen Kearney about injury woes ahead of the season, as well as covering off the latest cricket news from the Black Caps and White Ferns.

Jonah Lomu's iconic former mansion is up for sale for the first time in 16 years.

The hilltop house, overlooking the Wellington Harbour, has long been a landmark to onlookers and neighbours in the suburb of Maupuia and gained extra noteriety when the former All Blacks superstar bought it for $1.05 million in 2000 when he joined the Hurricanes Super Rugby side.

When news of the grand purchase made local newspapers, police had to be called to help with crowd control after thousands of fans turned up outside the orange complex hoping for a glimpse of the star at home.

Former fellow Hurricane and All Black Ma'a Nonu described the house as "Jonah's castle" when reminiscing of his time with the Wellington-based club to NZPA in 2009.

"He used to live in Maupuia (in Wellington), the big orange house on the hill. That was Jonah's castle.

"I just lived down the road in Miramar and he used to pick me up for training. I was pretty lucky...He had a few nice cars too."

Jonah Lomu's former clifftop mansion in Maupuia, Wellington. Photo / Bayleys

In 2001, the house gained even more prestige when the National Business Review listed it amongst the country's best and most beautiful in a Top House survey.

While Lomu is understood to have sold the house for $1.15 million in 2003, it was then-valued at $1.5 million but went for the bargain price during what was a down-turn in the property market.

If Lomu had held on to his 'castle' until today, he'd be looking at a huge profit with the property now valued at $2.43 million - a price quite likely to be toppled as offers for tender are received until March 18.

Listed by Bayleys Wellington, the house is described as having "incomparable privacy, panoramic water views and extraordinary single-level living".

The mansion boasts four double-bedrooms, two double-garages, three bathrooms, an expansive kitchen and a terrace that wraps around its harbour-facing living areas.

The view from the cliff-side terrace. Photo / Bayleys

Lomu collected 63 caps for the All Blacks, scoring 37 tries, and was widely-regarded as the first true global superstar of the newly-professionalised sport of rugby union. Lomu passed away in 2015 due to complications from the kidney disorder nephrotic syndrome.