Kiwi siblings snap up Dotcom mansion

Saturday, 22 October 2016

The mansion previously leased to Kim Dotcom boasts 12 bedrooms, seven ensuites, a vineyard and tennis court.

Millionaire siblings Anna, Mat and Nick Mowbray have revealed they are the new owners of the famous mansion once home to Kim Dotcom.

The Cambridge trio bought the mansion in Coatesville in Auckland's north-west in June for $32.5 million, they confirmed to NZME.

Nick, left, Anna, third from right, and Mat Mowbray, second from right, are the new owners of the Coatesville mansion previously home to Kim Dotcom.

Sales data showed The Mahoenui Valley Trustee Ltd was the legal owner of the property and directors of the trust refused to comment at the time.

But the Mowbray siblings have now come forward, telling NZME they 'felt there was a responsibility' to inform the public of their intentions with the land.

The four-level mansion has 12 bedrooms and seven ensuites, plus a wine cellar, library, billiards room, present-wrapping room, outdoor pool, hot pool and tennis courts.

The Coatesville Mansion has an elegant tiered waterfall.

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The mansion features an indoor lap pool.

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The mansion spans 2375 square metres and four storeys and boasts 12 bedrooms, seven ensuites, a wine cellar, library and billiards room.

There's no reason for boredom among the kitchen staff with a vast aquarium built into the wall over the kitchen range.

It also has three pools, a tennis court, a separate building for staff and garaging for up to 10 vehicles.

It is set in a 22.6 hectare park with its own lake, boathouse and vineyard.

The mansion has three pools, including an outdoor pool, hot pool, and Olympic length indoor lap pool.

The mansion was previously owned by Chrisco multi-millionaire Richard Bradley and rented by internet mogul Kim Dotcom. The Overseas Investment Office barred Dotcom from purchasing the property as he did not pass the 'good character' test.

The property featured extensively in headlines after a police raid on the property in January 2012.

Kim Dotcom has been locked in lengthy court battles following a police raid on his home.

Dotcom, who launched the file-sharing website Megaupload, has since been involved in a long-running courtroom drama as the United States seeks his extradition to face charges of facing money laundering, racketeering and breach of copyright charges.

Anna Mowbray told NZME that she and her brothers were excited about their new home.

'It's certainly very grand and this went a little against our ethos but we decided to take the plunge anyway,' she said.

'We knew that we would never regret owning a slice of prime real estate in New Zealand and this really is a very special place with its calming aura and impeccable build plus finishings.'

The Mowbrays grew up in Cambridge, went through the private St Peter's School and still have family in the Waikato.

They went into the toy industry off the back of the 'Airaloon', a kitset model hot air balloon that Mat made when he was 11.

They began making the models 'quite literally out of Mum and Dad's garage' before selling them door-to-door around New Zealand, Anna Mowbray said.

In 2005 the trio took the business and manufacturing to Guangzhou, China.

In the United States ZURU toys are sold in stores from Walmart to Toys R Us, and New Zealanders can buy them at the Warehouse.

Anna Mowbray said that the company was expecting a turnover of more than US$100 million (NZ$129m) in 2015.

'The last four years we've increased our turnover by 70 per cent year-on-year, so our company growth is certainly extreme,' Mowbray said.