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Story: South Canterbury region

Mesopotamia Station

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Mesopotamia Station

Between 1860 and 1864 the English writer Samuel Butler owned Mesopotamia station at the headwaters of the Rangitātā River. His experiences provided the setting for the opening chapters of his famous novel Erewhon (which almost spells ‘nowhere’ backwards). The beginning of the story captures the isolation of high-country farming life, and the resilience it requires.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: A-196-015

by William Packe

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

John Wilson, South Canterbury region – Sport, culture, society and leisure, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/11423/mesopotamia-station (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by John Wilson, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 February 2017.