Discover Russell - Mini Town Tour

This 1 hour Discover Russell Tour is for all the history lovers out there, as this town carries a rich heritage and great cultural significance in New Zealand. As the Bay of Islands’ sheltered waters offered safe anchorage, it became an attractive to many. Russell, the first permanent European settlement and seaport in the country, became a lawless trading hub in the 1830s; Russell, or the “Hell Hole of the Pacific,” was not only frequented by whalers, seafarers and merchants, but also by adventurers, deserters and escaped convicts from Australia. But Russell has come a long way since then. It is not a quaint and peaceful township, which now focuses on bringing some of New Zealand’s early history to light.

On this tour, you learn of this history as you visit several of Russell’s historical sites. Visit the iconic Flagstaff Hill, where Maori protested against the government by cutting down its signal flagstaff four times—actions that led to war. You also explore some of the area’s historical buildings, including one of New Zealand’s oldest church locations, Christs Church and Pompallier Mission House; this is where Bishop Jean Baptiste François Pompallier established the headquarters of what was known as the Catholic mission to Western Oceania at Kororāreka in 1839. Choose the tour time that fits with your holiday schedule and get your hour’s dose of history!