Havelock

Havelock is a gateway to sea-kayaking in the Pelorus and connected sounds.

This township provides access for boaties to Mahau, Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds as well as Tennyson Inlet. A centre for the green-lipped mussel industry, it also offers sea fishing and angling in the Pelorus and Rai Rivers for the amateur fisher. Havelock owes its existence to the discovery of gold at Wakamarina in 1864. When the gold ran out, the town turned to the profitable timber industry. The museum in the former St John’s Church has exhibits of local history and honours Lord Rutherford who had part of his primary schooling in Havelock.

Another illustrious scientist educated here was Dr William Pickering, who made his mark in space exploration.

Once on the water you can see seals, sea birds and dolphins. Independent or full guided rentals are available, including overnight trips. Alternatively you can go fishing, hunting or trekking.

Havelock's 350 boat marina is the base for New Zealand's greenshell mussel industry and for recreational launches and yachts. You may like to try the mussels in a Havelock restaurant or take a cruise and visit a mussel farm.

Pelorus Mail boat leaves at 0930 every day and is a great way to see the whole inlet. If you want to do the crazy version, Pelorus Hobbit Run does a kayak tour which follows the route the Dwarves took in Barrels in the famed movie. Another great way to look around is by mountainbike, a local firm can shuttle you to one end or the other.

Founded in 1860, the historic township of Havelock, between Nelson and Blenheim, is nestled at the entrance to the Pelorus and Keneperu Sounds, where it services the booming marine industry. Tiny though it may be, Havelock proudly boasts two of New Zealand’s greatest internationally renowned scientists. Both Ernest Rutherford, the creator of modern atomic physics and Nobel Prize recipient, and William Pickering, who led the team behind the first spacecraft sent to the moon, which in turn led to the first-manned moon-landing, both lived in Havelock as boys, attending Havelock Primary school. The Pickering-Rutherford memorial on the main highway was opened in Havelock in 2003 by Bill Pickering.

It features eight display panels and two sound stations, outlining the lives of both men. Also on the same reserve are a monument commemorating the shipwreck of the schooner Ronga, and the Returned Services memorial. Across the road is the entrance to the Havelock Marina, recently significantly extended and enhanced. The Havelock Marine Park is a seven hectare reclamation alongside the marina and supports a diverse range of marine industries from marine servicing and boat building to aquaculture and tourism activities.

Whether you want to get out and enjoy the scenic sounds by water, go fishing or diving, or learn first-hand about the booming Greenshell Mussel industry, you’ll find what you need to do it in Havelock. For landlubbers, the beauty of the sounds can be enjoyed by a leisurely drive along Queen Charlotte Drive, which links Havelock with Picton. Within Havelock itself, there’s plenty to do and see. Visit the town’s museum, browse in antique shops and galleries, and relax with a cup of coffee in one of the cafes.

You can finish your day with a meal of Greenshell mussels at the famous Mussel Boys Restaurant, identifiable by the row of All-Black attired mussels cavorting on the restaurant’s roof.

SMALL GROUP HALF DAY MAILBOAT CRUISE FROM HAVELOCK