Havelock North


Havelock North is a town in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, situated less than 2 km south-east of the city of Hastings. It was a borough for many years until the 1989 reorganisation of local government saw it merged into the new Hastings District, and it is now administered by the Hastings District Council.

Overview

The suburb, known locally as "the village", is situated on the Heretaunga Plains, less than 2 km to the south-east of Hastings. It is surrounded by numerous orchards and vineyards, and its industry is based around its fruit and wine production, and a horticultural research centre. The fertile soils that lie between Havelock North and Hastings has prevented urban sprawl linking them together. Havelock North itself is primarily residential and rural-residential housing, with only a relatively small and compact industrial and commercial centre. As a result, a large majority of its 15,000 residents commute each morning to the nearby cities for work.
Havelock North is generally hilly, and small gullies have been formed by the creeks and streams flowing from higher ground, resulting in a small amount of inaccessible or steep land which is converted into forests, parks or reserves, giving the image of naturally having many bushes and trees. This is due to the town being situated at the base of the prominent landmark Te Mata Peak, a 399-metre outcrop, which according to local Māori legend is the body of the giant Te Mata o Rongokako, and the depression in the land visible behind his head according to the myth is where he tried to bite through the mountain range which filled his stomach turning him to stone.
Both Hastings and Havelock North obtain water from secure confined aquifer systems. The Te Mata aquifer that feeds Havelock North is very similar to Hastings in quality, but has slightly elevated calcium levels. Hastings is situated directly over the Heretaunga Plains aquifer system.

History

Havelock North was founded as a planned Government settlement following the purchase in 1858, from Māori owners, of land previously known as 'Karanema's Reserve'. The original village was laid out in 1860, taking its name from Sir Henry Havelock, who was involved in the suppression of the Indian Uprising, thus keeping with the local habit of naming towns after prominent men from Imperial India. Its founders originally envisaged a larger town for the site, but when the Wellington–Napier rail line went through the area in 1874 it took a direct route some distance from Havelock North, and Hastings became a more logical choice for residents.
In the early 1800s, the local Karamu Stream was part of the much larger Ngaruroro River system. It was termed the "River Plassey", the same name also being applied to a street in the village after the battle of Plassey of 1757 near Calcutta. Early survey plans of Havelock North show ferry landings where boats would sail up and down the river to collect and deliver supplies. This practice was phased out in the 1880s, when a number of large floods diverted the Ngaruroro River to its current course further north away from Havelock North. Later, during the 1931 earthquake, a bridge over the Karamu was completely destroyed.
Like a number of North Island towns, Havelock North has grown larger than its South Island namesake, Havelock, in the Marlborough Sounds.
Havelock North was the centre for Havelock Work, a quasi-religious movement based at a temple of the Stella Matutina magical order, which followed the early twentieth century teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The building housing the temple survives today as Whare Ra.
From 12 to 29 August 2016 the town experienced New Zealand's largest recorded outbreak of waterborne disease. Campylobacter entered the town's water supply after run off from a nearby sheep farm entered the Brookvale boreholes following heavy rain. Of the town's 13,000 residents, 5,500 fell ill, 45 were hospitalised and four died.

Demographics

Stats New Zealand describes Havelock North as a medium urban area which covers. It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.
Image:Havelock North.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Suburban Havelock North
Image:Vineyard Outside Havelock North.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Vineyard on Te Mata Road in summer
Havelock North had a population of 15,003 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 612 people since the 2018 census, and an increase of 1,779 people since the 2013 census. There were 6,930 males, 8,022 females, and 48 people of other genders in 5,979 dwellings. 2.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 48.8 years. There were 2,703 people aged under 15 years, 1,878 aged 15 to 29, 6,255 aged 30 to 64, and 4,167 aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.9% European ; 10.9% Māori; 1.6% Pasifika; 4.4% Asian; 1.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders ; and 2.8% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.0%, Māori by 2.7%, Samoan by 0.4%, and other languages by 9.8%. No language could be spoken by 1.3%. New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 23.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 39.4% Christian, 0.7% Hindu, 0.5% Islam, 0.7% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 0.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 50.9%, and 6.1% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 3,969 people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 6,069 had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 2,268 people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $44,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 2,139 people earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 5,544 full-time, 1,884 part-time, and 210 unemployed.
NameArea
PopulationDensity
DwellingsMedian ageMedian
income
Lucknow0.901,7071,89761235.6 years$35,700
Karanema-St Hill0.952,0072,11390956.8 years$32,800
Havelock North-Central0.4842388122556.5 years$38,500
Brookvale2.012,6405191,04451.2 years$44,100
Iona1.472,5801,75598146.2 years$46,000
Hereworth1.622,9521,8221,16147.5 years$50,500
Te Mata Hills12.711,1018741451.7 years$60,600
Havelock Hills2.991,59353363350.2 years$54,900
New Zealand38.1 years$41,500

Education

Havelock North has eight schools:
  • Havelock North Primary School is a state contributing primary school with students. It opened in 1878 on Te Mata Road where the public library is now. Previously, Havelock School, also called Swithland, opened in 1863.
  • Lucknow School is a state contributing primary school with students. It opened in 1963.
  • Te Mata School is a state contributing primary school with students.
  • Hereworth School is a private full primary school with students. It opened in 1927.
  • Havelock North Intermediate is a state intermediate school with students. It opened in 1974.
  • Havelock North High School is a state secondary school with students. The school opened in 1975.
  • Iona College is a state-integrated Presbyterian girls' secondary school with students. It opened in 1914.
  • Woodford House is a state-integrated Anglican girls' secondary school with students. It was established by Annie Mabel Hodge in 1894. When she retired in 1922, she was succeeded by Dorice Mary Holland.
Hereworth, Iona College and Woodford House are boarding schools. They take a very few local day pupils.
School rolls are as of

Residents

Notable residents have included: