A woman who survived one of Great Barrier Island’s most harrowing incidents is returning this month to film a documentary about her kidnapping in 2011.
Nortessa Hammond (formerly known as Nortessa Montgomerie) will be on the island on 17–18 September with a production crew, and is inviting locals who were part of the search and rescue or who knew her at the time to take part.
“I’m looking forward to being back on the island after seven years away, but as you can imagine it’s a mix of emotions,” Hammond said in a message to residents.
The producers are seeking community assistance, including a safe spot for a permitted bonfire scene on Wednesday evening. Dinner and drinks will be provided for those helping out.
“This project is very close to my heart,” Hammond said. “If you think you can help, or know someone who might, please let me know.”
The 2011 ordeal
In January 2011, Hammond – then 21 – was kidnapped by her former partner Nathan Boulter while staying with family on the island.
Boulter, who had travelled to Aotea under a false name while on bail for earlier charges, attacked Hammond’s new partner Michael Stewart, leaving him with a fractured skull, before abducting her from the family home.
The attack triggered a major island-wide police search. Over a period of 38 hours Hammond was dragged through bush and farmland, beaten and strangled, and at one point told her younger brother had been killed. She was eventually located and rescued.
In 2012, Boulter was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to nine charges, including kidnapping, wounding with intent and burglary. At sentencing, Justice Paul Heath described the violence as “extreme” and said Boulter’s ability to empathise with his victims could not be assured.
Boulter’s continued offending
Since that conviction, Boulter has remained a danger. Court and Parole Board records show he later received a further prison sentence for stalking and harassment, including calling a woman 300 times in a single day and leaving more than 100 voicemails.
While in custody, he repeatedly told a prison officer he intended to strangle his ex-partner once released. A 2021 Parole Board report raised “serious concerns” about his emotional stability and risk level, with one psychological assessment abandoned due to his threatening behaviour.
At that hearing, Boulter himself admitted he might need to serve his full sentence, acknowledging he had “deep-seated issues” yet to be addressed.
Call for locals to participate
Hammond said the new documentary aims to tell the full story of what happened – and the role of the Great Barrier Island community in the search and rescue.
Anyone who was involved, or who remembers those days, is encouraged to get in touch with her directly ahead of the crew’s arrival.
