Anne Gibson

roperty developer Mark Gunton may have a fortune of $ 400 million- plus, but he still doesn’t own an Auckland house. Prices are too high, he says, and his money i s better used elsewhere.

“I’m not a richlister. I don’t even own a house here. I can’t afford one,” says the businessman, whose wealth is believed to be in the $ 400m-$ 600m range, less debt.

“I don’t own a house in Auckland because I see it as a poor use of capital. I just think I have better places to put it. It’s in my business,” he says.

In Auckland, Gunton lives in a rented apartment. “When I’m not in Auckland, I’m on the farm.”

Station leaseholder, qualified valuer, shopping centre developer, apartment builder, big game hunter — Gunton has many sides to his character.

As the Crown pastoral leaseholder of northern Southland’s historic 13,777- hectare Argyle Station at Waikaia, he runs 50,000 stock units, including 12,500 ewes, 1250 cows and 3500 red deer hinds.

Deer are farmed for venison and velvet, the farm has an Angus stud operation and Gunton breeds “Romdales” — Perendale- Romney cross sheep — with a manager and up to five staff.

“We’ve been there for 15 years,” says Gunton, who commutes to his other job on direct AucklandQueenstown flights, driving the remaining 60km to or from the station.

“The worst part of the trip is getting from here to the airport,” Gunton complains from his offices at Auckland’s Westgate.

Gunton was raised in Glendowie. His father, Albert, was head chemist for Helena Rubinstein in New Zealand and his mother, Joyce, was an accountant. After getting University Entrance, he was unsure of his career choices so his parents encouraged