[3] The North Island Main Trunk Railway passed over government owned land, which was subdivided and later became Bunnythorpe.

The Glaxo company became a major pharmaceutical manufacturer and after a series of mergers it became part of the United Kingdom's GlaxoSmithKline in 2000.

It shortly afterwards became a major switching point, with transmission lines extending from Bunnythorpe to Napier-Hastings, Whanganui, and Masterton.

Today, the substation is owned by national grid operator Transpower, and continues to be the main switching point for the lower-central North Island.

Bunnythorpe is about midway between the Manawatū region's main city of Palmerston North and its second largest settlement, Feilding.

Bunnythorpe is part of the Manawatu Plains and is on relatively flat land, with few rolling hills in surrounding farming properties.

Children often spend weekends and spare time utilising the open access to the primary school's playgrounds and sporting fields.

The Mangaone Stream bridge off Maple Street on Te Ngaio Road is also popular among the children, with eels and fresh water trout among the catch.

Bunnythorpe is less than 10 minutes' drive from Palmerston North Airport in Milson, where regular flights to Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Christchurch and Nelson are available.

The North Island Main Trunk Railway runs through the centre of Bunnythorpe but trains no longer stop in the village, as the station was closed in 1985.