Methven is situated near the base of Mt Hutt, 34 km inland from Ashburton, the Mid Canterbury provincial capital.  The township is 123 km southwest of Christchurch and 20 km south of the Rakaia River. Methven is a rural service township with a large agricultural hinterland, but derives considerable additional tourist and recreation activity through its close proximity to the Mt Hutt Skifield and the Rakaia River.

The population was 1326 in the 2006 Census, and serves a rural population of similar size. There were 456 households and 151 businesses, and 19% of the population was under 15 years old in 2001.

The club has always provided a focus for organized sports in the district and is a vital contributor to the fabric of the Methven community. A   team touch rugby competition is run over the summer, and the Methven Cricket Club and Methven Rotary Club also share use of the clubrooms, run under the combined auspices of the “Methven United Club”.