Two months after Kiwi superstar director Taika Waititi splashed out on a $10.5 million waterfront pad in Point Chevalier, he and his wife, Rita Ora, have returned to New Zealand. 

Taking to Instagram yesterday, the For You singer shared snaps from their trip to Aotearoa showing the pair spending time at Piwakawaka Point Estate — an exclusive, luxury villa on a private peninsula on Lake Wānaka. 

Featuring snaps of Ora in a pool, taking a walk around the estate’s private trails and taking a dip in Lake Wānaka, the star captioned her post: “I can’t begin to explain the weekend I have had. Thank you for these memories Piwakawaka Point.” 

Taika Waititi and Rita Ora have been spending time at Piwakawaka Point Estate on Lake Wānaka. Photo / Rita Ora 

A source told the Herald the couple were also spotted shopping in nearby Central Otago tourist destination Arrowtown. 

Waititi and Ora are yet to reveal why they are back in the country, however, it could be for a well-deserved holiday and to spend time with the director’s two daughters.  

Waititi shares Te Hinekāhu, 11, and Matewa Kiritapu, 8, with ex-wife film producer Chelsea Winstanley. The girls reside in New Zealand, while Waititi’s mum is understood to live in Wellington. 

Elsewhere, famed actor and long-time friend of Waititi, Hunt for the Wilderpeople’s Sam Neill, owns the Two Paddocks vineyard in Gibbston, Central Otago, near where the couple have been spotted holidaying. So a visit could well be on the cards. 

Neill is battling a rare form of blood cancer — non-Hodgkin angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma — and recently revealed his frustrations as the gruelling impact of his treatment meant he wasn’t well enough to work on the vineyard as much as he wanted to.   

The A-listers may also be back to spend time at their multimillion-dollar home in a prominent Auckland suburb. 

Taika Waititi and daughters Matewa Kiritapu and Te Hinekahu. Photo / Getty Images 

Industry sources told the Herald in October that Waititi had been searching for a high-end property in the city, but he wasn’t interested in typical “blue-chip” suburbs such as Remuera or Herne Bay.  

In November it was confirmed the award-winning director splashed out on his luxury home in July and the sale set a price record for the suburb.  

Last year the high-profile couple were spotted at a stylish party in the UK with friends on Christmas Eve, before they celebrated the festive day. 

The couple celebrated Christmas Eve in the UK last year. Photo / Supplied 

Taking to Instagram, the couple’s friend and UK radio DJ Nick Grimshaw posted a couple of snaps with the loved-up pair and other friends as they came together to celebrate Christmas. 

Captioning the post: “Tis the season! Merry Christmas everyone!” Ora, 32, can be seen in the second picture wearing a festive red jacket and holding up a present against the tinsel-covered Christmas tree, while the third image showed the group of six friends — including Waititi — posing together. 

Lillie Rohan is an Auckland-based reporter covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined the Herald in 2020. She specialises in all things relationships and dating, Kiwi celebs we can’t help but love, and TV shows you simply cannot miss out on.