The locality supports dairy farming in the area,[7] with a dairy and cheese factory established in about 1909.[8]
History
The Valley was one of the last areas explored by Europeans in northern Marlborough. John Tinline discovered it while looking for a route to Nelson in January 1850.[9]
The Rai Valley was densely forested in the 19th century. A township grew up at Carluke, just to the west of Rai Valley locality, around a sawmill built by William Brownlee in 1907. About 100 people worked at the mill, and a light railway connected it to a port on the Pelorus River.[10][11]
Returned servicemen took up many local farms in 1919.[12]
Demographics
Rai Valley is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 27.96 km2 (10.80 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 190 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 7 people per km2. It is part of the larger Marlborough Sounds West statistical area.[13]
Rai Valley had a population of 177 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 30 people (20.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 36 people (25.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 81 households, comprising 84 males and 96 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.88 males per female. The median age was 40.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 45 people (25.4%) aged under 15 years, 21 (11.9%) aged 15 to 29, 75 (42.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (18.6%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 93.2% European/Pākehā, 20.3% Māori, 3.4% Pasifika, and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 67.8% had no religion, 20.3% were Christian and 1.7% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 12 (9.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 42 (31.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $28,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 15 people (11.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 60 (45.5%) people were employed full-time, 21 (15.9%) were part-time, and 3 (2.3%) were unemployed.[14]
Education
Rai Valley Area School is a coeducational composite (years 1–13) school with a decile rating of 6 and a roll of 94.[15]
Climate
Climate data for Rai Valley (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1962–1987)
^Marlborough Historical Society (2005). Click – A Captured Moment – Marlborough's Early Heritage. Blenheim: Marlborough Historical Society. p. 64. ISBN0-473-10475-X.
McIntosh, Alister; Redman, William Edward; Allen, William Raymond, eds. (1940). Marlborough: A Provincial History. Blenheim: Marlborough Provincial Historical Committee.
