The Carterton district is located on the east coast of the North Island, approximately 100 kilometres north of the capital of New Zealand, Wellington, in the province of Wairarapa. Bounded by the Waione River to the south and the Waingawa River to the north and stretching from the Tararua Ranges to the west and to the Pacific Ocean to the east, the district covers an area of 1145 square kilometres. The 2001 census recorded the district population as 6878 people.

The nearest large metropolitan areas are Wellington and Palmerston North, both approximately 1.5 hours drive from Carterton. Transport links are provided by State Highway 2 which passes through the district and by rail service.

Although the Wairarapa Rugby Football Union was not formed until 1886, games had been played in the district  before this date.  The first known game in which a Carterton team took part was played on 5th July 1879, when a team from Carterton played Greytown on Vickerstaff's paddock, now Clifton Avenue. 

1893 saw the Carterton team joint winners with Greytown of the Wairarapa Junior Championship. 

On the 11th  April 1900 a meeting of players and supporters was held and at this meeting E. McKenzie moved "A Saturday Senior Club be formed" and this was carried together with a motion that the new colours would be maroon.  From that day maroon jerseys, black shorts and, and maroon and black stockings have been respected colours on all the Wairarapa playing fields.

There were surprises in store in 1950, for in that year the touring Wairarapa team wrested the Ranfurly Shield off Canterbury by 3 points to 0 - and not only were there eight Carterton players in the team, but the three victorious points came from the boot of an ex-Carterton club player, A. Mahupuka.

During the past years, the Carterton Rugby Football Club has been proud to produce 4 All Blacks, 2 Junior All Black's, 1 NZ Secondary Schools representative and 1 NZ Divisional Team representative from our rugby field.

2006 and 2010 were the recent highlights on the field in winning the Wairarapa Bush Senior Club Championship, while in 2011 both teams were in their respective Wairarapa Bush Championship finals.