Tapawera is a small town in the Tasman District of New Zealand's South Island. It is located southwest of Nelson and southeast of Motueka. It is situated on the Motueka Valley Highway (formerly ) by the banks of the Motueka River. History Tapawera began its life when the Nelson Section railway edged down the Motueka Valley at the opening of the 20th century. Before the railway construction in the area the Ferry Inn at the ford crossing of the Motueka River was the only building in the vicinity. The railway construction camp was situated there for several years and was named Maniaroa after a nearby farming property. As the railway advanced down the valley growth came with it. A butchery and bakery were followed by a grocery store, and in 1902 the Upper Motueka Valley School was relocated to Maniaroa using a traction engine. The name Tapawera came with the opening of a Post Office in 1905 and the railway station in 1906. Tapawera was soon acting as a centre for the surrounding area, supplanting Upper Motueka Valley as the largest settlement beyond Spooners. Upper Motueka Valley lost not only its pre-eminence but its name when it was renamed Mararewa after the station. Economy Generally agriculture has surrounded Tapawera but berry growing has been notable up the Tadmor Valley. Hop growing has been a feature of the Rakau area towards Tadmor for about a century and has boomed in recent years nearer Tapawera itself so that there are hop farms along the Motueka Valley Highway between the township and Kohatu, from the township heading towards Motueka, and up the Tapawera-Baton Road. Demographics Tapawera Tapawera, comprising the SA1 statistical areas of 7022688, 7022689 and 7022690, covers . It had a population of 330 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 18 people (5.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 6 people (1.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 120 households. There were 171 males and 162 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.06 males per female, with 75 people (22.7%) aged under 15 years, 63 (19.1%) aged 15 to 29, 144 (43.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 60 (18.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 91.8% European/Pākehā, 17.3% Māori, 0.9% Pacific peoples, 1.8% Asian, and 1.8% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). Although some people objected to giving