Cust Museum photos

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  Cust Main Street 2008

  View of 2008 Cust Road. It is part of the 'Inland Scenic Route' from Amberley to Winchester, a journey through rural New Zealand.
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  St Davids Presbyterian Church

  St Davids Presbyterian Church, built in 1935, was designed by Cecil Wood and built by Wadey & Efford of Rangiora. Its windows and embellishments are in the Art Deco style of that era. It replaced a wooden church built in 1885. St Davids is the Cust base for the Oxford District Union Parish formed in 1972.
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  Away with the Fairys shop

  This shop was built in 1925 to replace the original blacksmith's workshop which had been built in 1866.
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  Cust Domain

  The Cust Domain was designated a Provincial Reserve from the time surrounding titles were purchased by settlers in the 1860s. It was probably at first a part of the gravel reserve land managed by the Cust Road Board. From that time it has been used for community recreation, sporting and social activities. In 1887 the first cricket wicket was established.
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  Cust Hotel

  Present day Cust Hotel
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  Cust Museum

  This was the office of the Waimakariri-Ashley Water Supply Board that was responsible for the water race system from Browns Rock on the Waimakariri. This Board was constituted in 1894. Its functions were absorbed by the Waimakariri District Council in 1989. The museum was opened in 1990. In 1994 the former Cust Gentlemen's Clubrooms were shifted to the site behind the museum.
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  Cust War Memorial and Howitzer gun

  This War Memorial was unveiled in 1922 to remember those in the district who served in WWI. A German field gun once stood on a concrete pad to the east of the plinth. It was removed and used for scrap metal in WWII. In 1998 the Howitzer gun was mounted on the old gun site. This was formerly the site of the Cust Roads Board office and stables 1864-1912.
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  Welcome to Cust Village

  Cust township was first known as Moeraki Downs, then for a time as Middleton or Middleton-on-the-Cust, being the middle town between Rangiora and Oxford. Later `Cust' was adopted, being the name of the nearby river and the railway station established in 1864. The river had been named after Sir Edward Cust a member of the Canterbury Association.
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  Cust Community Centre and Jack Graham Reserve

  The Community Centre was opened in 1978 after seven years of local fundraising. It is on the site of the former Cust Railway Station 1874-1959. An area of land between the river and the centre was named `The Jack Graham Reserve' as a bequest from his estate was given for a community project and has been used to develop the reserve.
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  Cust Hotel c. 1900

  The Cust Hotel was built by John Messent as an accommodation house. He obtained a licence for it in 1863. It became a favourite `half-way house' for the bullock wagoners carting timber from Harewood Forest at Oxford to Rangiora. Stables were situated behind the hotel. Mr Messent also established saleyards to the east of the hotel, and was the first Postmaster 1864-1868.
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  Cust Main Street 1905

  View of the main road through Cust in 1905. The township was first known as Moeraki Downs, then for a time as Middleton or Middleton-on-the-Cust being the middle town between Oxford and Rangiora. Later `Cust' was adopted, being the name of the nearby river and the railway station.
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  Cust Cemetery oak driveway

  The Cust-West Eyreton Public Cemetery off Earlys Road, was opened in 1880. The oak avenue was planted about the same time. The west cemetery is Anglican, and the east section further up the hill is Methodist and Presbyterian.
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  Cust Community Centre railway gates

  The Cust Community Centre in Mill Road was built on the site of the former Cust Railway Station. The branch line from Rangiora to Oxford operated from 1874-1959.
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  St James Anglican Church built 1865

  The land for the church was donated by Thomas Walker and George Searles. Messrs Bury and Mountfort were asked to provide plans, and John Waller was the builder. In 1870 a wooden belfry was built to contain one of the best-toned bells in Canterbury, donated by Sir Edward Cust. It was replaced by the present brick belfry presented by Robert Chapman in 1882.