West Melton - A History of the District to 1971

This is a second-hand copy of the book.

Condition: This is a used book in good condition. The dustjacket has creasing, rubbing and small tears - see photos.

Publisher: West Melton School Centennial Committee
Year: 1971(?)
Format: Hardback with dustjacket
Pages: 88
Condition: Used (Good)

West Melton is a town in the Selwyn District, in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is located 24 kilometres (15 mi) west of Christchurch and is part of the Christchurch metropolitan area. The town has a population of 2,450 (June 2023), making it the 123rd-largest urban area in New Zealand, the 16th-largest in Canterbury and fifth-largest in the Selwyn District (behind Darfield and before Leeston).

West Melton was first settled in the 1870s, where it has long been associated with horse racing (trotting), cropping, and sheep farming. Recently, it has become associated with wine growing and deer farming. In 1881, Alfred Saunders arrived in West Melton, where he bought a farm that he referred to as a "bleak and wild looking property".