Three Nelson families have appeared on the National Business Review’s annual Rich List.

The Motueka-based Goodman family, with an estimated fortune of $950 million, gained the 10th spot in this year’s list, while the Talleys’ $300 million earned them 33rd place and the Gibbons family earned their 152nd spot with $60 million.

The Nelson families appeared alongside seven Marlborough entries and 157 names in total: 96 men, 5 women, 47 families and 9 pairs/couples.

The Goodman family, Nelson’s wealthiest family ranked in the Rich List, was described as Australia’s largest industrial and commercial property manager.

The family’s latest venture, the sale of its Moorabbin Airport site in Melbourne, further increased its wealth and future plans included increasing funds under management, eying up China, the Rich List said.

They were also rated among Australia’s wealthiest with a fortune estimated at $A770 million and its property company - trading under Goodman Group - was regarded as Australia’s largest industrial and commercial.

The Talleys’ wealth remained at $300 million this year, unchanged from the previous year despite the dispute it encountered with Affco Holdings.

The family are sole owners of Affco, the country’s fourth largest meat processor and exporter, but fish, seafood, vegetables and dairy also form part of their empire which started in 1936 with the seafood division in Motueka.

The Gibbons wealth, driven by Colonial Motor Company, was estimated at $60 million. Originally founded by Hope Gibbons, a decade ago as of last year, two of the founder’s great grandchildren sit on the board of the listed automotive company: chairman Jim Gibbons and his cousin Graeme Gibbons, also chief executive, while the major shareholdings are with individual members of the family who between them hold more than 60 per cent.

No 1 spot was taken by Russian Abramov Alexander, whose $7 billion wealth pipped last year’s rich list top-dog Graeme Hart whose fortune was estimated at $6 billion.

The Russian minerals mogul forked out $15.9 million for a patch of Northland in Helena Bay, north of Whangarei where he was building a property expected to cost up to $40 million, the Rich List said.

The total combined wealth of this year’s rich list continued to climb from the previous year, increasing from $45.2b in 2011 to $57.7b this year.

There are nine billionaires and it is the first time the Rich List included foreign investors, a move it says reflects the globalisation of wealth. Many foreigners, including New Zealand’s number 1 rich lister, Russian Abramov Alexander have earned residency in New Zealand due to the significant money spent, the Rich List said.

- © Fairfax NZ News