Russell

The hell hole that became a village

In the 1830s, the settlement of Kororareka — now called Russell — was described by the colonial chaplain Henry Williams as the “hell hole of the Pacific.” The description was not unfair. Before any formal governance was established in New Zealand, Kororareka was a harbour where whalers restocked, traders dealt in flax and timber, and escaped convicts from Australian penal colonies drank themselves into trouble. Prostitution, drunkenness, and violence were sufficiently widespread that the missionary settlements at nearby Paihia and Kerikeri regarded the place with horror.

Today, Russell is one of the most pleasant small villages in New Zealand. The irony is complete.

The transformation came with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in February 1840, the establishment of Wellington as the formal capital, and the eventual pacification of the Northland conflicts of the 1840s. The town that had been the first rough urban settlement in New Zealand became a backwater, preserved in its Victorian-era state simply because nothing grew there fast enough to replace the old buildings.

The result is a compact waterfront village with New Zealand’s oldest church (Christ Church, 1836), the Pompallier Mission and Printery (1842), a small museum, three or four excellent restaurants, and a population that has deliberately kept the scale small. There are no traffic lights. There are no chain stores. The ferry from Paihia takes 10 minutes.

What to do in Russell

Christ Church: New Zealand’s oldest surviving church, built 1836 in Kororareka. The bullet holes in the exterior walls date from the attack of 1845, when Hone Heke (a Bay of Islands Maori chief who had signed the Treaty of Waitangi) cut down the flagstaff at the signal station and attacked the settlement in protest at British sovereignty. The church itself survived, though the settlement was ransacked. Free entry; open daily.

Pompallier Mission and Printery: The French Catholic Mission established in 1842 by Bishop Pompallier, who arrived to establish a printing operation that produced religious texts in te reo Maori. The building — rammed earth construction, restored — contains the original printery and tannery equipment. Guided tours available. Entry NZD 12 / USD 7 / EUR 6.50; guided tour NZD 15 / USD 9 / EUR 8.

Russell Museum: A small but well-curated local museum with a 1:5 scale model of Cook’s Endeavour and a strong collection of colonial-era photographs. NZD 8 / USD 4.80 / EUR 4.40.

Flagstaff Hill (Maiki): A 30-minute walk from the village to the hill above the town, where Hone Heke’s flagstaff stood and was cut down four times between 1844 and 1845. The view over the bay from the hilltop is the best in Russell. Free.

Waterfront walk: The main waterfront of Russell is entirely pedestrian — no through-traffic. The walk from the ferry terminal north to Long Beach (a small sandy beach 20 minutes walk) and south past the Russell Boathouse is the quintessential Russell afternoon.

Bay of Islands cruises from Russell: All the main Bay of Islands cruise operators also pick up and drop off at Russell wharf. The Paihia/Russell: Hole in the Rock, Dolphins and Island Cruise departs from both Paihia and Russell; NZD 120–155 / USD 72–93 / EUR 66–85. The full-day Full-Day Bay of Islands Cruise from Paihia also collects from Russell. See the Bay of Islands guide for the full range of cruise options.

Swimming at Long Beach: The beach north of the village is safe, sheltered, and rarely crowded. Good for a swim in summer.

The passenger ferry from Paihia

The passenger ferry between Paihia and Russell runs approximately every 20 minutes throughout the day (times vary seasonally; check the operators on the Paihia waterfront). Journey time 10 minutes; fare NZD 12–15 / USD 7–9 / EUR 6.50–8.25 return. Cash or card accepted.

The car ferry (Opua–Okiato) crosses 2 km south of Paihia and Russell respectively, allowing vehicles to reach Russell by road. Car ferry operates approximately every 10 minutes from 6:50am to 9:50pm. Fee NZD 14 / USD 8 / EUR 7.50 per car.

Most visitors to Russell use the passenger ferry from Paihia and walk the village without a car — this is the recommended approach.

Where to stay in Russell

Staying in Russell rather than Paihia gives a noticeably different experience: quieter evenings, a genuine village atmosphere, and the early morning light on the water before the ferries bring day-trippers from Paihia.

Duke of Marlborough Hotel: New Zealand’s oldest licensed hotel (licence granted 1840, though the current building dates from 1934). Waterfront rooms with veranda access; genuinely atmospheric mid-range. NZD 200–340 / USD 120–204 / EUR 110–187.

Pensions and B&Bs: Russell has several excellent small guesthouses; Arcadia Lodge and Orongo Bay Homestead are consistently recommended. NZD 180–280 / USD 108–168 / EUR 99–154.

Russell Holiday Park: At Long Beach, 15 minutes walk from the village. Good for campervan and tent travellers. Power sites NZD 42–60 / USD 25–36 / EUR 23–33.

What to eat and drink

Duke of Marlborough: The restaurant at the Duke hotel is the best in Russell; good seafood and New Zealand lamb; views over the bay. Mains NZD 32–50 / USD 19–30 / EUR 17–28.

The Green Restaurant: Farm-to-table focus, good for lunch. Mains NZD 22–34 / USD 13–20 / EUR 12–19.

Hone’s Garden: Cafe and bar on the waterfront; good coffee and light meals. NZD 12–22 / USD 7–13 / EUR 6.50–12.

Bay of Islands Coffee Company: The best morning coffee in the village, from a small operation near the ferry landing.

Skip / worth it / splurge

• Skip: Russell as a standalone destination without spending time in the Bay of Islands more broadly — it works best as part of a bay-wide exploration
• Worth it: A full afternoon and evening in Russell (ferry NZD 12–15 return / USD 7–9 / EUR 6.50–8.25) — the contrast with Paihia’s relative bustle is instructive
• Worth it: Pompallier Mission guided tour (NZD 15 / USD 9 / EUR 8) — the history of French Catholic mission printing in colonial New Zealand is genuinely surprising
• Splurge: Overnight at the Duke of Marlborough (NZD 200–340 / USD 120–204 / EUR 110–187) — New Zealand’s oldest licence, veranda views over the bay, and the village to yourself in the morning

How to fit Russell into your itinerary

Russell appears naturally as part of any Bay of Islands itinerary. The standard structure is: base in Paihia (2 nights) with a half-day to Russell by passenger ferry. Most Bay of Islands cruise operators collect from Russell wharf as well, allowing you to do a Hole in the Rock cruise that returns to Russell and then ferry back to Paihia.

For those who prefer a quieter base, staying in Russell rather than Paihia and ferrying to Paihia for activities is entirely workable.

The Bay of Islands guide covers the full range of activities in the wider bay area. The Waitangi guide covers the Treaty Grounds, 5 minutes from Paihia, which completes the historical picture for the region.

Frequently asked questions about Russell

Why was Russell called the “hell hole of the Pacific”?

The missionary Henry Williams’s description referred to the pre-1840 settlement of Kororareka (the Maori name Russell has reverted to in some contexts). Without government or law enforcement, the harbour became a resupply port for whalers and traders operating beyond colonial law. Alcohol, escaped convicts from New South Wales, and a transient population of European men with few social constraints produced conditions that the established missionaries found genuinely shocking.

Is Russell worth visiting without a car?

Easily. The passenger ferry from Paihia takes 10 minutes and arrives directly at the Russell waterfront. All the key historic sites (Christ Church, Pompallier Mission, the museum, the flagstaff hill) are within walking distance. A car is only needed if you want to explore the peninsula roads beyond the village.

How does Russell relate to New Zealand’s first capital?

Technically, Russell was the first European settlement of any size in New Zealand, but it was never formally the capital. Wellington was established as the capital after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. However, before formal governance, Kororareka/Russell was the de facto centre of European activity in New Zealand — the closest thing to an administrative centre in the 1830s.