About Carterton

Stretching from the Tararuas in the west to Flat Point in the east, Carterton District offers plenty of room to stretch and unwind.

Carterton’s history is remembered through the Hurunui-o-Rangi Marae, the last remaining Pa in the district, and its many fine colonial buildings.

Originally know as Three Mile Bush, the village was established to house and support workers building the road between Greytown and Masterton.

In 1857, in recognition of Charles Rooking Carter, settlers chose the name of Carterville for the new village, later changed by the Government to Carterton in 1859.

Carter was seen as a great developer and advocate for the Wairarapa.

Carter’s Reserve, a rare remnant of Wairarapa lowland forest, lies on the former Carter property to the east of the settlement, near Gladstone.

Dairy, wool, beef and lamb were once the mainstay of the economy, with many residents working at the Waingawa freezing works north of the town at the end of Norman Avenue lined with rare oak trees. The freezing works closed in 1991, but traditional farming remains along with new agricultural ventures such as deer, dairy goats and the Manuka Honey industry,

Today the population reflects a large number of people who commute to Wellington on a daily basis for work, choosing to enjoy their leisure time in the country setting offered in the Carterton District. On the drier lands to the east of the town, in the Gladstone and East Taratahi regions, a number of vineyards have been established since the mid 1980’s. Other crops such as olives are also finding favour, particularly with newer residents living on lifestyle blocks.