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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.
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, Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal. 'Papatūānuku – the land – Stories of people and land', Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 8-Jul-13 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. Heretaunga Plains Groundwater Study, Exec Summary Heretaunga Plains Groundwater Study, Volume 1
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.
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 LGBTQ. 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.
| +Individual statistical areas |
| $35,700 |
| $32,800 |
| $38,500 |
| $44,100 |
| $46,000 |
| $50,500 |
| $60,600 |
| $54,900 |
Hereworth, Iona College and Woodford House are boarding schools. They take a very few local day pupils.Varnham, Mary. Beyond Blue Hills: One Hundred Years of Woodford House, 1994
School rolls are as of
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