Back to Blog

2026 Havelock Mussel Fest

What an amazing turn out for this year's Havelock Mussel Festival with over 3000 people coming out to enjoy the sun, rain, entertainment and food!Once again Marine Farming Association had an amazing set up in the industry tent showcasing some of the work they do and help assist, The Better Beach Project being one of them.With our own little corner we had an array of pictures from previous cleans, sponsorship logo credibility and take away information for people to dive deeper into the history an...

2026 and still going strong

A few years in, the Better Beaches Project has settled into a steady rhythm, and the recent clean ups are a good example of what that looks like in practice.Earlier this month, the MFA team took advantage of a day with unusually settled weather to get into areas that are often too choppy to work safely. Calm conditions gave us access to stretches of coastline that normally sit just out of reach, including rocky sections that definitely gave us a workout.The water clarity on the day was incredibl...

Sponsors Day Out

The Better Beaches Project recently spearheaded a clean-up initiative in the picturesque Marlborough Sounds, engaging a group of its sponsors, including notable firms Gascoigne Wicks Lawyers, TDX, and Sollys. This effort was further bolstered by the participation of high-profile individuals such as Scotty Stevenson, a celebrated cricket commentator, and members of the English film crew from the latest White Ferns cricket series.Darren Clarke, Environmental Mentor for the Better Beaches Project, ...

The Better Beaches Project one year in

Darren Clarke needs little introduction to the local marine farming community of the top of the South. Having grown up in Golden Bay, Darren and his wife Jackie became known through their previous company TNL, Takaka (now Move) which transported shellfish out of the sounds and around the country. Mainly transporting Mussels, and back in the day Scallops, Darren became familiar to many of the local famers and companies.Growing up on and around the water and then emerging himself into the aquacult...