Havelock North

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 (Hastings or Napier) 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 23.12 km2. It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.

Havelock North had a population of 15,003 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 612 people (4.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 1,779 people (13.5%) 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 (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 2,703 people (18.0%) aged under 15 years, 1,878 (12.5%) aged 15 to 29, 6,255 (41.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 4,167 (27.8%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.9% European (Pākehā); 10.9% Māori; 1.6% Pasifika; 4.4% Asian; 1.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); 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% (e.g. too young to talk). 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 (32.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 6,069 (49.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 2,268 (18.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $44,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 2,139 people (17.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 5,544 (45.1%) full-time, 1,884 (15.3%) part-time, and 210 (1.7%) unemployed.

Education

Havelock North has eight schools:

• Havelock North Primary School is a state contributing primary (Year 1–6) 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 (Year 1–6) school with students. It opened in 1963.
• Te Mata School is a state contributing primary (Year 1–6) school with students.
• Hereworth School is a private full primary (Year 1–8) school with students. It opened in 1927.
• Havelock North Intermediate is a state intermediate (Year 7–8) school with students. It opened in 1974.
• Havelock North High School is a state secondary (Year 9–13) school with students. The school opened in 1975.
• Iona College is a state-integrated Presbyterian girls' secondary school (Year 7–13) with students. It opened in 1914.
• Woodford House is a state-integrated Anglican girls' secondary (Year 7–13) 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:

• Mac Cooper (1910–1989), agriculturalist and author
• Alan Duff (born 1950), novelist
• Dr Robert William Felkin (1853–1926), medical missionary, ceremonial magician, author on Uganda and Central Africa, explorer, and early anthropologist
• Neil Gaiman (born 1960), author
• Virginia Heath (born 1959), film director and academic
• Amy Hodgson(1888–1983), botanist
• Alfred Meebold (1863–1952), botanist, writer, and anthroposopher (died at Havelock North)
• Amanda Palmer (born 1976), musician
• Jarrod Smith (born 1984), footballer
• Ashley Stichbury (1971–2002), racing driver
• Herbert Sutcliffe (1878–1971), health advocate
• Ihaia West (born 1992), rugby union player

Climate

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References

References

1. (21 May 2023). "New signs for Heretaunga/Hastings use both Māori and English". Te Ao Māori News.
2. [http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/11466/te-mata-peak Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal. 'Papatūānuku – the land – Stories of people and land', Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 8-Jul-13]
3. "sleeping giant".
4. [http://www.hbrc.govt.nz/HBRC-Documents/HBRC%20Document%20Library/HPGWExecSummary_WEB.PDF Heretaunga Plains Groundwater Study, Exec Summary]
5. [http://www.hbrc.govt.nz/HBRC-Documents/HBRC%20Document%20Library/HPGW_web.pdf Heretaunga Plains Groundwater Study. link. (13 December 2014)
6. (25 September 2017). "The Economic Costs of the Havelock North August 2016 Waterborne Disease Outbreak". Ministry of Health.
7. "Coat of Arms". [[Hastings District Council]].
8. "Coat of Arms - Havelock North Borough Council". Hastings District Libraries.
9. "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service".
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11. "Infoshare; Group: Population Estimates – DPE; Table: Estimated Resident Population for Urban Areas, at 30 June (1991+) (Annual-Jun)". [[Statistics New Zealand]].
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19. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer.
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21. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer.
22. "School History". Havelock North School.
23. "Hereworth School". Hereworth School.
24. "Havelock North High School - Home". Havelock North High School.
25. "Our Story". Iona College.
26. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. "Hodge, Annie Mabel".
27. Varnham, Mary. ''Beyond Blue Hills: One Hundred Years of Woodford House'', 1994
28. Sowman-Lund, Stewart. (2020-08-31). "Amanda Palmer isn’t going anywhere".