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New Zealand > Marlborough
> Havelock
 Havelock is a small town with a population of around
500 located at the head of the Pelorus Sounds,
where the Pelorus and Kaium Rivers join. Once it
was a thriving town, at the centre of the timber
milling industry. Today, it is known for its
busy small boat harbour and its harvest of
green-shelled mussels, and also for being the gateway
to the beautiful Pelorus Sounds. The town
itself is small – it’s a place to go to get
away from the hustle and bustle of the major
centres. However, it is well-equipped for its
size. It has a supermarket which is open seven
days, a bakery, a chemist, a post office, several
cafes and a range of arts and crafts shops, as well
as a local pub, of course. A Mussel Boys restaurant which
specializes in mussel dishes. It’s on the main road and with giant
mussels playing rugby on the roof, you won’t miss it.
The busy marina is definitely worth a
visit. If you have access to a boat, it has a
launching ramp as well as spaces in which to berth
your vessel. Another attraction you’ll
find in the town is a small museum, located on the
main road. It gives information about the
history of the area. Also on the main road is
Rutherford YHA - a camping ground and hostel, with
reasonable rates. Its point of interest,
however, is that it is a former schoolhouse which was
attended by Ernest Rutherford, who went on to split
the atom.
As well as the Rutherford YHA hostel,
the is a camping ground with tent and caravan sites,
and also cabins in Havelock. If you’d
prefer something a little more luxurious, there are
range of bed and breakfasts and private cottages
available for short-term hire. Inquire at the
Havelock Outdoors Centre on the main street for all
accommodation options.
 Several companies offer sea kayaking
tours departing from Havelock and exploring the
beautiful Pelorus Sounds area. Many other
sea-based activities are on offer, including
chartered tours. The Mussel Farm Cruise takes
you on a half-day cruise to the mussel farms.
Here, you get a guided tour, concluding with a sample
of the mussels which the farm produces.
If you’d prefer land-based
activities, there are plenty of beautiful day walks
departing from Havelock. For a brief walk, head
to Cullen Point, which takes about half an
hour. From here the are excellent views of
Havelock and of the sunset if you time it
right. For a little more of a challenge, try
walking up the Takorika Summit where you’ll find
breath-taking views of the Sounds. This take
you to a height of 721m and should take around 4
hours return. If you have access to a mountain
bike, this track makes for an excellent ride –
challenging uphill and exciting downhill.
Canvastown, 8km west of Havelock, was
the centre of a gold rush in the 1860s. It was
named for the city of tents which emerged when word
about the gold in the nearby river got out. At
the height of the rush, the goldfield was one of the
richest in the country. The rush is of course
well and truly over now. However, gold is still
sometimes found in the river, and nuggets of up to 5g
have reportedly been found. If you want to try
your hand at gold-panning, equipment can be hired
from the nearby Pinedale Motor Camp, which also, as
the name suggests, has camp sites and cabins at
reasonable rates.
Rai Valley is a blink-and-you-miss-it
town on the road from Havelock to Nelson.
Although it is small, if you do happen to pass
through it it’s worth stopping to try one of the
mussel pies offered by the tea-rooms. These are
a local delicacy, and have become somewhat legendary
in the area.
Blenheim
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Marlborough
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Havelock
Accommodation
Driving
Kaikoura
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