Small town stories: A quiet comeback story on the Wairau Plain

Small-town settlements are the backbone of the Marlborough region, carrying its history, character and quiet charm. In a new series, Small Town Stories, we explore the places and people that give these communities their spirit. First, Amy Russ visits Grovetown Lagoon, a hidden gem on the Wairau Plain where volunteers and locals are quietly restoring a wetland rich in history, wildlife and community.

Just a few minutes north-east of Blenheim, Grovetown Lagoon sits behind its reed-lined edges, easily missed by those driving past. Yet for those who walk its loop track, paddle its calm waters, or volunteer among its plantings, the lagoon has become one of Marlborough’s most compelling examples of what community-led ecological restoration can achieve. Where once a degraded wetland sat, walkers now circle the water's edge, birds lift from the margins, and educational groups learn the rhythms of a living ecosystem.

Beneath that everyday use lies a deeper story shaped by more than two decades of collective community effort. Grovetown Lagoon was formed in 1861, when the Wairau River changed course during a major flood. The flood isolated the meander loop, leaving an oxbow lake now known as the Grovetown Lagoon. Long before European settlement, these wetlands were highly valued by local iwi as mahinga kai – places where food was gathered and relationships with the environment were maintained. Inanga (whitebait), freshwater eel, and patiki (flounder) were once abundant, supported by the interconnected network of waterways and wetlands across the plain.

Te Whānau Hou Grovetown Lagoon volunteer organisation was formed with a vision to restore the Lagoon and enhance the habitat for fish and bird life, and to enable gathering of food and encourage recreational uses. Since then, the area has become popular for walking, biking, picnicking, kayaking, food gathering and birdwatching. Coordinator Justine Johnson says Grovetown is important because it is one of the last remaining large and natural wetlands on the lower Wairau Plain. “The lagoon has such an interesting history, which I do think surprises people. The mana whenua are Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, and Rangitāne. The iwi make up our executive, so are involved in the management of the lagoon today as well as their historic association with the land. There is an urupā located on Otamawaho (Māori Island). Big Bush, which Grovetown was originally named, came from the large stand of kahikatea at the lagoon. The steamers used to come up the river, hence the name Steam Wharf Road and there was a hotel there.”

Since the organisation was established, the lagoon has been transformed from a weed-infested area where people would dump their garden waste into what it is today, but there is still much work to be done. “I think that everyone takes something different away from a visit to the lagoon. I love the birds, the plants, the water, the whole system! I think it is a very special place, because of the history, because of the land formation, and because of the ecosystems. I would like people to leave the lagoon feeling better than when they arrived.”

Shaped by history, cared for by volunteers, and quietly reclaiming its ecological rhythm, the lagoon continues its slow comeback. For those who pause long enough to walk its edges, it offers something increasingly rare – a sense of connection and hope where nature and community are healing together.