History
Two hundred years of stories to discover.
Walking through Russell in the Bay of Islands today feels like stepping into the past. The town's original street layout and names from 1843 remain preserved, showcasing some of New Zealand's most historic and remarkable buildings.
Christ Church , known as Te Whare Karakia o Kororāreka, is the oldest church still standing in New Zealand, dating back to 1835-6. Construction began in 1835, and the first service, held in both Māori and English, took place on January 3, 1836. Be sure to spot the musket ball holes in the weatherboards, remnants of the 1845 Battle of Kororāreka.
Pompallier Mission 1841. Bishop Pompallier established the Roman Catholic Mission in Kororāreka in 1839. The building there today was built in 1841 and is now restored to its original French Lyonnaise layout as a working printery again.
The Old Customs House 1870 Built from a Gothic design by W.H Clayton, the first Colonial Architect to New Zealand. With the eventual drop-off in shipping the customs house was no longer required and the Police Department agreed to take it over. The huge Moreton Bay fig next to it was planted in the 1870's.
Flagstaff Hill. Above the town on Maiki Hill stands the famous flagstaff, cut down 4 times between 1844 and 1845. It flies New Zealand's original flag twelve days a year. The views from the top are spectacular.
Russell Museum. The treasure house of Russell - Te Whare Taonga o Kororāreka. One of the finest little museums in the country. It chronicles our Māori and European history and holds some noteworthy and unique collections - including a stunning 1/5th scale replica of Cook's ship Endeavour.
Rewa's village Drawings of Kororāreka from the early19th C show a Māori village on the waterfront. This was chief Rewa's kainga. Today it's the site of the Russell Museum and the Kororāreka Marae Society's wharemahi and art gallery named Haratu in honour of Rewa's original whare.
New Zealand's first capital. Kororāreka was considered too unsavoury to be the capital so the capital was established up harbour at Okiato and called Russell. Little remains there now but the site is an historic reserve and has new interpretation signage.
The Gables, built in 1847, stands as one of Russell's oldest surviving structures and is recognized by the Historic Places Trust. Over the years, it has served many purposes, including functioning as a bordello, bakery, store, Salvation Army boys' home, and even a refuge for sailors who had deserted their ships.
