About Dr Melva

 Melva was born in New Plymouth, Taranaki and grew up on her father's farm at Te Wera.  Living within a large family on a farm meant everyone contributed with the workload and children learnt at an early age to milk cows by hand, churn butter, and hoe thistles among many other farm related tasks.  Running free in the wild open spaces and being close to nature Melva grew to love birds and animals at an early age.  She became fascinated with trees and plants and well remembers the school vegetable garden projects during the 1940's and 1950's.

During war and post-war years it was normal and necessary for people to grow their own vegetables; some people were fortunate enough to have an orchard with plenty of fruit in season and others did not.  In the country there was a great deal of sharing among members of the community and visits to neighbouring orchards were a fun time to pick and eat as much fruit as possible.  Boxes of fruit were taken home and preserved for the months ahead when no fresh fruit was available.  Melva says - "our parents ensured there was always enough home grown produce to feed a rather large family of seven children. Among my father's many skills was butchering so he always kept a steady supply of mutton and pork available for my mother to prepare for family dinners. There was always plenty of home cooking and we never went hungry"

After country children completed their primary schooling they were generally sent to boarding school - for Melva her parents chose New Plymouth Girls High School - quite a scary experience for her to go from a small country school to a very large high school!  After three years and reaching the legal school leaving age of fifteen Melva was taken home to work and be useful in her mother's Milk Bar business in Te Kuiti. This process was a reflection of the times when it was considered a waste of money educating a girl because her role in life (and parental expectation) was to marry, become a good wife, and produce children!

 Melva left home at 17 years of age to enter the nursing profession.  This was her calling and she loved every minute or the training and hard work attached to nursing in a hospital that was always short staffed (Taumarunui).  After working in a variety of nursing situations in both New Zealand and Australia, and achieving her midwifery qualification, she eventually married and raised four children.

During her years at home with a husband and children Melva began distance education studies for her first degree through Massey University (which took 18 years to complete!).  During this time she also studied distance modules in the field of Naturopathy and nature cures with several different Colleges. Gaining qualifications in natural therapies led to a venture whereby she set up the first distance education school for Naturopathy in New Zealand (Naturopathic College of New Zealand) in 1978.  Thus began her role as a pioneer in the area of Natural Therapies education and clinical practice that was to last many, many years.

Throughout the years Melva continued with her university studies at Massey University in New Zealand - gaining a BA (Nursing Studies), a MEdAdmin (Education), and MPhil (Religious Studies).  Finally she gained a Doctorate in Education (EDD) from Monash University, Australia.

For almost thirty years Melva was involved in both clinical practice and the training of Naturopaths.  She was a key person on many committees set up by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to set standards for Natural and Traditional Therapies in New Zealand.  Melva was appointed by the Minister of Health, as a member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee for Complementary and Alternative Health (MACCAH).  She also pioneered the first government recognised (NZQA) Osteopathic course in New Zealand which she taught for ten years.

Melva is a life member of the Natural Therapies Assn, the Reflexology Assn., and the International Society for Osteopathic Practice and retains an interest in these professions. The New Zealand Health Industry awarded Melva (1999) a Life Time Achievement Award for 'Pioneering Development and Education of Osteopathic Training in New Zealand'.

For three years Melva lived in a seaside village at Kaimaumau and continued helping people through a Wellness Clinic in  Kaitaia.  2015 saw her back in New Plymouth teaching a one year distance education Diploma in Craniosacral Visceral Therapy course.  She also started a Wellness Centre; currently her daughter Phillippa practices massage and offers various modes of natural healing from Vogeltown Wellness Center in Lynton Street.

 2016 began a new chapter in Melva's life - she joined like minded people as a settler in a pioneering project.  This enthusiastic group of people began developing an eco-village using permacuture principles to become self-sufficient... and much more... (Kotare Village).  Unfortunately during 2016/17 the then trustees mismanaged the project and development came to a standstill, Melva went to Wairoa to live and the eco-village is at present on hold.

For the past 2 and a half years Melva has lived in Wairoa and continued her business as well as developing the section with permaculture principles and become involved in the local community. In 2019 her book Wellness A Way of Life, was published by Balboa Press and has since been picked up by two other publishing houses.

Melva says: "Although we live in an environment that is not always conducive to health and wellness we can help ourselves in many ways to remain well and 'alive' so that we enjoy life to the full."   

Currently, 36 Queen Street is a place where people come and go for whatever reason - they are able to enjoy a quiet place, the old villa and gardens.  Melva's vision is to eventually have a retreat/healing/energy center where people can come, stay, retreat, and tour Kotare Village to see not only urban permaculture in Wairoa but visit a developing eco-village.  Also, to experience a spiritual connection to the land as well, immersed with nature - earth, sun, water and air.

Watch this space for developments!