The Richwhite family bach for sale on the shores of Lake Taupō. Photo / TradeMe
The wealthy Richwhite family are selling their traditional family bach at Waihāhā on Lake Taupō, with photos showing a rustic-style home surrounded by bush on the shore of the lake looking towards the volcanic plateau.
“Accessible primarily by boat or helicopter”, says advertising from Bayley’s local agent Alison Whittle of the property, which is called Tihoi. It is owned by a company directed by three Richwhite family members.
Whittle says the “charming fisherman’s cottage” is one of the sole freehold places on the water and in the desirable Western Bays area.
A YouTube video titled The paradise that time forgot has drone footage of the place, but is yet to be widely viewed.
Advertising says the 1.21ha rural property has a cottage with three bedrooms, one bathroom and a “cosy” living area.
The boatshed and bach are both dark timber with joinery outlined in white and an orange roof, flanked by hydrangeas.
Metal tracks laid on timber across the lawn enable boats to be easily moved from the boatshed to the lake.
A general licence to fish is framed on the wall and was issued to one of the Richwhites. Other photographic family memorabilia show large catches of trout from the lake, and the YouTube video shows a fly fisherman wading out.
A CoreLogic report says the Waihaha Rd property has an 180sq m dwelling built in 1955, and a total capital value of $1.1 million: $810,000 land and $345,000 building.
A company named David Lloyd Properties (Taupō) owns the property, according to the title. David Mckellar Richwhite, of Herne Bay, Roger Mckellar Richwhite, of Point Wells, and sister Rosslyn Caughey, of Parnell, are directors.
The company was incorporated in 1987.
A well-known merchant banker of the 1980s era, David Richwhite hailed from a wealthy Remuera family. His sister, Rosslyn, is married to Simon Caughey, chairman of department store Smith & Caughey’s. Grandfather Cleave MacKellar Richmond White changed the family name to Richwhite by deed poll, apparently because he was sick of being confused with other Whites. The family wealth came from the Waikato coal business.
Family company David Lloyd Group sold cement, transport and concrete interests to Brierley Investments and W. Stevenson & Sons in 1990, the Herald reported in 2004.
David Richwhite, formerly of merchant banker Fay Richwhite, is the father of Expedition Earth’s Topher Richwhite, 36, who has appeared in Ricardo Simich’s Spy column in the Herald of Sunday.
Topher and his wife, Bridget Thackwray, recently started a local tourism business, Faraway Entertainment. They were married at Great Mercury Island, which is owned by David Richwhite and Sir Michael Fay.
In 2018, David Richwhite appeared on the NBR Rich List with an estimated $950m of assets.
It noted he had not been active for many years in this country, having moved to Europe.
“He lives with his family in London,” that listing six years ago said.
He had not shown any signs of activity lately, but the legacy of his and Sir Michael Fay’s business activity of the 1980s remains relevant.
Fay and Richwhite share ownership of Ahuahu Great Mercury Island, which they bought in 1978.
On the Taupō listing, Bayley’s agent Whittle did not want to talk about the sale but referred inquiries to a person she said had an association with the vendors, who she also did not want to discuss.
That person did not return calls despite repeated attempts to make contact.
Tenders for the Lake Taupō property must be in by April 4.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 24 years, has won many awards, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.