Some 70km northwest of Whangarei, idyllically situated on a sheltered site on the Bay of Islands, is the old whaling station of Russell (pop. 1100). The best way to reach it is by ferry from Opua or Paihia; by car it can be reached on a roundabout route via Whakapara.
The settlement, originally called Kororareka, was of importance in the early 19th C. as a whaling station and trading post, where honest traders as well as more doubtful characters did business with the Maoris. In 1840 the treaty recognizing British sovereignty was signed at Waitangi, on the opposite side of the inlet, and Governor Hobson acquired land in nearby Okiato on which to establish the seat of government.
But Russell did not remain long the capital, which was soon transferred to Auckland.
The name of the place was changed from Kororareka to Russell in honor of Lord John Russell, then British colonial secretary and later prime minister. In 1841 the government buildings in Russell were destroyed by fire. The change of name probably also reflected the inhabitants' desire to throw off the bad reputation of Kororareka. With the transfer of the seat of government to Auckland the Bay of Islands area declined in population and in importance.
Christ Church (1836) is New Zealand's oldest surviving church. Unlike other churches in the Bay of Islands, it was built as a place of worship for the settlers rather than as a mission church. It was renovated in 1871.
Round the church are many gravestones of whalers, seamen, Maoris and early settlers.
Pompallier House (1841-2) was not, as might be supposed, the residence of Bishop Pompallier, who founded the first Roman Catholic mission station here in 1838, but housed the mission's printing press. The house was originally less elegant; it was only after the mission moved to Auckland that the new owners substantially altered it and added the veranda and chimney. Now protected as a national monument, it is furnished in period style and still contains the old printing press.
Address: Pompallier House, The Strand, Box 140, Russell, Northland , New Zealand
At the end of the beach, adjoining Pompallier House, is the house known simply as The Bungalow. It was built in 1853 for a British businessman, James R Clendon, who was also the American honorary consul. His daughter ran a school here.
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Harbor Front
