Picture this. You are standing in Melrose Wellington. A charming suburb nestled in the hills above Lyall Bay.
Melrose. A name that whispers tales of a bygone era. It all began in 1879. The Melrose Estate went up for auction. Alexander Sutherland had passed away in 1877. His land was sold. Mace and Jackson acquired it. Then a syndicate called Melrose Proprietors took ownership. Access was difficult. Few buyers were interested. This mirrors the experience of James Coutts Crawford’s Seatoun township auction.
The Melrose Borough officially formed in 1888. It was a horseshoe-shaped area. It stretched from Upland Farm to Island Bay. It included what are now Haitaitai and Roseneath. The original name proposed was the Borough of Southend. Rapid growth followed. Kilbirnie Brooklyn and Island Bay boomed. Amalgamation with Wellington City seemed like a good idea. It avoided massive debt for infrastructure projects. Wellington City was already planning an electric tramway system. They bought the private horse tramways in 1902. The first electric line opened in 1904.
Melrose residents voted to join Wellington City Council. This happened in June 1902. The amalgamation was complete by 1903. New tramways water and sewerage systems were promised within three years. Island Bay residents caused delays. They wanted guarantees of a tramway extension.
A building boom occurred in 1907. Melrose and Kilbirnie saw a surge in house construction. By 2013 Melrose had grown to 1215 people. This was within a 34-hectare area. Wellington ward boundaries split Melrose. Part lies in the Motukairangi/Eastern Ward. The other part falls into the Paekawakawa/Southern Ward.
Today Melrose is a vibrant community. The estimated population is 1400. The median age is 35.2 years. About half the residents are aged between 30 and 64 years old. Melrose offers stunning views. The Wellington town belt reserve offers walking and biking. Mount Albert features a reservoir. It also has an off-leash dog area and a mountain biking track. Melrose Park has a football field and a cricket pitch. Truby King House stands as a memorial to Sir Truby King and his wife. Their work with the Plunket Society is legendary. They are buried in a mausoleum on the grounds. Melrose is a lively suburb full of history and charm. It’s a place where the past and present intertwine. A community thriving with diversity and opportunity.