Top Attractions in Marlborough Sounds Ward

Marlborough Sounds Ward Essentials

The Marlborough Sounds Ward encompasses a complex network of ancient sunken river valleys and rugged islands. This selection features Ship Cove, where Captain Cook anchored in the 1770s, and the historic Treaty of Waitangi signing site at Port Underwood. Natural highlights include the bioluminescent glow worm trails at Whites Bay and the crystal-clear Emerald Pools. In Havelock, the region's culinary identity is showcased through its famous Greenshell mussels and local heritage museum.

Stephens Island Light

An iron lighthouse built in 1894 on the northernmost point of the Marlborough Sounds. The surrounding island is a strictly managed wildlife sanctuary home to the rare Hamilton's frog and a significant tuatara population.

Captain Cook's Monument

Located at Ship Cove (Meretoto), this stone memorial marks the site where Captain James Cook spent over 100 days across five visits between 1770 and 1777 to restock and repair his ships.

Port Underwood Lookout

A high-altitude vantage point providing panoramic views of the sheltered harbor and Cook Strait. Information panels detail the area's history as a former whaling station and site of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi signing.

The Mussel Pot

A landmark restaurant in Havelock specializing in locally harvested Greenshell mussels. The menu features various preparations of the shellfish, reflecting the town's status as the world's mussel capital.

Treaty of Waitangi signing 1840

The historic site at Horahora-kakahu Island where nine Southern Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi on June 17, 1840, marking the only signing location in the South Island.

Glow Worms

A natural colony of bioluminescent larvae located along the walking tracks near Whites Bay. These organisms are visible after dark along the damp embankments of the forest.

Havelock Heritage Museum

Housed in a former church, this museum documents the region’s timber milling, gold mining, and maritime history. It also features exhibits on Nobel Prize winner Ernest Rutherford, who attended school in Havelock.

Whites Bay Campsite

A Department of Conservation campsite situated behind a sheltered sandy beach. It offers access to swimming, surfing, and the Pukatea Walk, which passes through native forest and historic cable station ruins.

Emerald Pools

Deep, green-tinted swimming holes formed by the Pelorus River. They are accessible via a flat walking track through podocarp forest, including ancient beech and kahikatea trees.

Te Horea

A secluded beach on the eastern coast of D'Urville Island (Rangitoto Ki Te Tonga). The area holds cultural significance for local iwi and offers views across the Current Basin.