Flagstaff Hill

A steep ten-minute climb up Maiki Hill above Russell brings you to the flagstaff — and to the best panorama of the Bay of Islands. The 360-degree view takes in Russell and Paihia across the water, the green domes of the inner islands, and on a clear day Cape Brett to the east.

The current flagstaff is the fifth on this spot. The pole has been a recurring symbol in the politics of the bay since the 1840s, when Hone Heke chopped down four predecessors in quick succession. A small interpretive panel at the summit tells the story. Drive most of the way up Tapeka Road and walk the last stretch, or do the longer climb directly from the Russell waterfront — it is steep but short.

things to do sight
A story
Hone Heke, the Ngapuhi chief who had been the first to sign the Treaty of Waitangi, chopped down the British flagstaff on this hilltop four separate times between 1844 and 1845 as a protest against the loss of land and trade revenue at Russell. Each time the colonial authorities raised it again; the fourth time, in March 1845, Heke also burned the town of Russell to the ground.