was built in 1880. Methven Post Office The Methven Post Office reopened as an Irish bar and restaurant in 2015. The original bank safe and other historical items still remain in the building. Irrigation canal The Rangitata Diversion Race or RDR is a combined irrigation and power generation scheme that diverts water from the Rangitata River to irrigate over 100,000hectares of farmland in mid-Canterbury. The main canal is 67km long, and passes to the west and north of Methven township. The RDR project was the first major river diversion in New Zealand, and the largest irrigation scheme in the country. Construction began in 1937, paused for World War 2 and was completed in 1945. In popular culture Methven also served as a base to cast and crew for the filming of Edoras (located further inland at Mt Sunday), for The Lord of the Rings. The cast and crew of the movie Z for Zachariah stayed in Methven in February and March 2014 while shooting scenes at Washpen Falls near Windwhistle. After a party at the Blue Pub in Methven, Hollywood actor Chris Pine was caught drink-driving by police. During the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown in New Zealand, Lynda from the Topp Twins and her wife Donna played music from the back of their truck on the way to the supermarket to bring some fun into peoples lives in Methven. Mountain Thunder motorcycle races The Mountain Thunder motorcycle street race was an annual event held in Methven on Easter Saturday for eight years until 2017. Motorcyclists raced on a tight one-kilometre road circuit around the town centre. Speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour were reached. Competitors came from across New Zealand to compete at this event. The 2017 event was marred by a fatality in one of the races, and the organisers announced later that year that the 2017 event would be the last. Clubs A variety of sporting and other clubs and organisations have existed in Methven. These include: Sports clubs Methven Rugby Football Club (established 1896) Methven Lawn Tennis Association (established 1896) Methven Outdoor Bowling Club (established 1918) Methven Cricket Club (established 1920) Methven Ladies Hockey Club (established 1920) Methven Golf Club (established 1924) Methven Gun Club (established 1927) Methven Trotting Club (established 1927) Methven Miniature Rifle Club (established 1927) Methven Amateur Swimming Club (established 1934) Methven Caledonian Society Netball Club (established 1936) Methven Croquet Club (established 1939)