Greytown, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Greytown
Hūpēnui (Māori)
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Main street in Greytown
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| Region | Wellington Region |
| Territorial authority | South Wairarapa District |
| Ward | Greytown Ward |
| Community | Greytown Community |
| Founded | 1854 |
| Named for | Sir George Grey |
| Electorates |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 5.07 km2 (1.96 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 2,800 |
| • Density | 552/km2 (1,430/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Postcode(s) |
5712
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| Area code(s) | 06 |
Greytown (Māori: Hūpēnui) is a charming rural town in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand. It's located in the lower North Island, about 80 km northeast of Wellington. In 2013, its population was 2,202 people. Greytown is known for its beauty and was even named New Zealand's Most Beautiful Small Town in 2017 for towns with fewer than 5,000 residents.
Contents
History and Culture
How Greytown Began
Greytown was first settled on March 27, 1854. It was part of a plan called the Small Farms Association Settlement Scheme. The town was named after Governor Sir George Grey. He helped arrange for the land to be bought from the local Māori. Greytown became a borough (a type of town with its own local government) in 1878. Later, in 1989, it became a ward of the South Wairarapa District Council.
Greytown was also the place where New Zealand's first Arbor Day was celebrated. This happened on July 3, 1890. Arbor Day is a special day for planting trees. The Greytown Beautification Society works hard to keep this tradition alive. They care for the town's many beautiful trees, and there's even a special list to help protect them.
Pāpāwai Marae and Māori Parliament
East of Greytown, you'll find Pāpāwai Marae. A marae is a special meeting place for Māori people. It includes a meeting house, called a wharenui, and an open space in front. Pāpāwai Marae is connected to several hapū (sub-tribes) of the Ngāti Kahungunu and Rangitāne tribes.
The meeting house at Pāpāwai Marae is named Hikurangi and was built in 1888. It's unique because the carved figures of ancestors inside face inwards. In the late 1800s, this wharenui was very important for Te Kotahitanga. This was a movement for a Māori parliament. Meetings were held at Pāpāwai in the 1890s. A Māori-language newspaper, Huia Tangata Kotahi, even reported on these sessions.
A large building was built at Pāpāwai to host the parliament in 1897 and 1898. During these meetings, the parliament decided to stop the sale of Māori land. Important leaders like Governor General Lord Ranfurly and Premier Richard Seddon visited. After the 1910s, Pāpāwai fell into disrepair. But in the 1960s, work began to fix the carved figures. By the late 1980s, the marae was fully restored and is now used by the community.
The Māori name for Greytown is Hūpēnui. This name means "the big snot," which is better understood as "the fluid that comes out of your nose at a tangi or funeral." This refers to the emotional tears and mucus during a traditional Māori funeral.
People of Greytown
Greytown covers about 5.07 square kilometers. In 2018, its estimated population was 2,466 people. This means there were about 486 people living in each square kilometer.
Population Changes
The number of people living in Greytown has grown over the years:
- In 2006, there were 2,103 people.
- In 2013, there were 2,238 people.
- In 2018, there were 2,466 people.
This shows an increase of 228 people (10.2%) between 2013 and 2018.
Who Lives in Greytown?
In 2018, there were 1,044 households in Greytown. There were 1,176 males and 1,287 females. The average age was 51.5 years. About 17.4% of the people were under 15 years old.
Most people in Greytown (93.6%) are of European/Pākehā background. About 9.1% are Māori. Smaller groups include Pasifika (1.9%) and Asian (2.3%). Some people identify with more than one ethnic group. About 18.2% of the people were born outside New Zealand.
When it comes to religion, about 51.5% of people said they had no religion. About 38.1% were Christian. A small number had Māori religious beliefs (0.6%), were Hindu (0.2%), or Buddhist (0.4%).
Economy and Tourism
Visiting Greytown
Greytown is a popular place for weekend trips and holidays. Its main street is famous for its unique shops, antique stores, and cafés. The town's official camping ground, next to the soldiers' memorial park, is a favorite spot during long weekends.
You can also swim for free at the Greytown Memorial Park. This park honors the soldiers from Greytown who died in both World Wars. In 1922, 117 lime trees were planted in the park to remember the 117 soldiers who died in World War I.
Cycling is also popular here. The Woodside Rail Trail is a great place for visitors. This 5 km trail goes through quiet farmland and past native plants and old trees. It offers amazing views of the Tararua Ranges.
Growing Fruit in Greytown
Greytown used to be known as "The fruit bowl of the Wairarapa." Many orchards, like Westhaven and Pinehaven, grew fruit on the west side of town.
The Kidd family came to Greytown in 1906. They were already experienced fruit growers. In 1910, they bought a twenty-acre farm and planted it with soft fruits like blackcurrants and gooseberries, as well as apple trees. They worked hard to improve their orchard and experimented with new apple varieties. Their experiments led to the creation of famous apple types like the Kidd’s Orange Red, Freyburg, and the widely grown Gala apple.
Architecture and Heritage
Greytown is very proud of its history. It claims to have the most complete main street of Victorian architecture in New Zealand. It was also the first planned inland town in the country. The town has used its beautiful old buildings to attract visitors. Many shops have even changed their modern fronts to look more Victorian. The town works hard to keep its buildings well-maintained. In 2016–2017, six important buildings were restored and painted. This helped Greytown win the "most beautiful small town" award.
Cobblestones Museum
Cobblestones Museum is a regional history museum located at 167 Main Street. It has six buildings that are listed as Heritage New Zealand Category 2 buildings. In 2014, the museum opened a new building that shows off the history of Greytown and the Wairarapa region. The museum is working to restore all its listed buildings. It is now ranked as a top attraction in Greytown on Trip Advisor.
The Greytown Heritage Trust helps protect the town's historic buildings. Their main goal is to encourage the preservation of old buildings in and around Greytown. They pay special attention to the Greytown Historic Heritage Precinct. The Greytown Hotel also claims to be one of New Zealand's oldest hotels that is still open.
The White Swan Hotel
One of the beautiful Victorian-style buildings on Main Street is The White Swan Hotel. This building was first built in 1905 as a railway office in Woburn, Lower Hutt. In 2002, it was cut into six pieces and moved over the Remutaka Hill road. It was then put back together and fixed up to become the hotel, restaurant, and bar you see today.
Getting Around Greytown
Greytown is connected to Wellington and Masterton by New Zealand State Highway 2. This road is a scenic mountain route that goes over the Remutaka summit.
In the past, a train line also connected Greytown to Wellington and Masterton. In the 1870s, the government decided the main railway line wouldn't go through Greytown. But local people protested, and a smaller branch line was approved. This line opened on May 14, 1880, from Woodside to Greytown. For a short time, Greytown was the end of the Wairarapa Line. However, once the line extended to Masterton, the Greytown branch became one of the quietest railway lines in the country.
The branch line closed on December 24, 1953. At that time, the money it earned was only a tenth of what it cost to run. Today, Greytown passengers use the Woodside Railway Station on the main Wairarapa Line.
Education in Greytown
Greytown has two main schools:
- Greytown School is a state primary school for students in Year 1 to 8. It has about 250 students. The school was first opened in 1857.
- Kuranui College is a state secondary school for students in Year 9 to 13. It has about 500 students. This college was established in 1960. It replaced the smaller high schools in nearby towns like Carterton, Greytown, Featherston, and Martinborough.
Sports and Activities
Greytown has a rich history in sports. The Greytown Rugby club, started in 1877, is one of the oldest rugby clubs in New Zealand. Several players from the Greytown club have even represented New Zealand in rugby:
- Hart Udy (1884)
- Dan Udy (1901–03)
- Rawi Cundy (1929)
- Clinton Stringfellow (1929)
- Ben Couch (1947–49)
- Marty Berry (1986–93)
Cricket also has a long history in Greytown. On New Year's Day in 1867, Greytown held cricket matches for both men and women. This was the first time women's cricket was known to be played in New Zealand! The Greytown Cricket Club, formed later in 1867, is the second-oldest cricket club in the country. It's even 10 years older than Test cricket itself. The club has been very successful in the Wairarapa competition.
There are more than 30 sports clubs in Greytown. These clubs are part of the Greytown Community Sport and Leisure Society, which is run by volunteers.
If you're interested in flying, the Wellington Gliding Club operates from the Greytown Soaring Centre. This is about 4 km east of Greytown in Papawai.
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See also
In Spanish: Greytown (Nueva Zelanda) para niños
