Grovetown, New Zealand

Grovetown is a small town in Marlborough, New Zealand. State Highway 1 runs past the settlement to the west, and the Wairau River flows past to the northeast. Spring Creek is about 2.5 km to the north, and Blenheim is about 3.5 km to the south.^[3][4] To the east is Grovetown Lagoon, an oxbow loop of the Wairau River.^[5] The settlement had a usual resident population of 357 at the 2018 New Zealand census.^[6]

Grovetown
Coordinates: 41°28′52″S 173°58′5″E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Marlborough
Ward	Wairau-Awatere General Ward Marlborough Māori Ward
Electorates	Kaikōura Te Tai Tonga (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Marlborough District Council
• Marlborough District Mayor	Nadine Taylor
• Kaikōura MP	Stuart Smith
• Te Tai Tonga MP	Tākuta Ferris
Area [1]
• Total	2.89 km2 (1.12 sq mi)
Population  (June 2024)[2]
• Total	400
• Density	140/km2 (360/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	7202

Tua Mātene Marae is located in Grovetown. It is a marae (meeting ground) of Rangitāne o Wairau and includes Te Huataki wharenui (meeting house).^[7][8]

Demographics

Grovetown is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 2.89 km² (1.12 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 400 as of June 2024,^[2] with a population density of 138 people per km². Grovetown is part of the Spring Creek-Grovetown statistical area.^[9]

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	297	—
2013	300	+0.14%
2018	357	+3.54%
Source: [10]

Grovetown had a population of 357 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 57 people (19.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 60 people (20.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 135 households, comprising 177 males and 177 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female, with 69 people (19.3%) aged under 15 years, 48 (13.4%) aged 15 to 29, 183 (51.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 57 (16.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 92.4% European/Pākehā, 13.4% Māori, 0.8% Pasifika, 2.5% Asian, and 0.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 60.5% had no religion, 28.6% were Christian, 0.8% were Buddhist and 3.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 39 (13.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 63 (21.9%) people had no formal qualifications. 45 people (15.6%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 156 (54.2%) people were employed full-time, 39 (13.5%) were part-time, and 12 (4.2%) were unemployed.^[10]

Education

Grovetown School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1-6) school with a roll of 66 students (as of July 2025).^[11][12] The school was established in 1866.^[13]