Russell — Passenger Ferry

A 15-minute ferry ride to New Zealand's first European settlement

A 15-minute passenger ferry crosses from Paihia Wharf to Russell, New Zealand's first permanent European settlement and one of the most charming small towns in Northland. Russell was the original capital of colonial New Zealand before Auckland was established, and its colonial character — small wooden buildings, a waterfront lined with boats, a pub that claims to be the oldest in the country — is well preserved.

The main sights in Russell are the Christ Church (1836, bullet holes from Hone Heke's 1845 raid still visible in the walls), Pompallier Mission (a French Catholic printing press and tannery, now a museum), and the Duke of Marlborough Hotel, where you can sit on the waterfront terrace and watch the bay traffic. A day trip combining Waitangi and Russell makes an excellent full day from Paihia.

Ferries run frequently from Paihia Wharf throughout the day; the journey takes about 15 minutes. Cars can cross on the car ferry from Opua, further south.

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A story
Russell was originally called Kororāreka — "How sweet is the penguin!" in Māori, reputedly the words of a wounded chief being comforted on the beach. For much of the early 19th century it was the wildest port in the Pacific: whalers, escaped convicts, and traders passed through. Charles Darwin visited briefly in 1835 and was thoroughly unimpressed.

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