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Touring New Zealand by Car
December 2000, February, March 2001
Russell Bay of Islands

Kororareka was renamed Russell in 1844. Over the years the town went through many transitions  from Maori settlement to victualling stop for whaling ships, one time capital of New Zealand, mining town, and sports fishing centre.

Today it is a quiet tourist attraction with a small museum, Christchurch the oldest church in New Zealand, Flagstaff Hill and the Pompallier house.

 NZ Russell View
Russell is a picturesque little town. Several small ferries carry foot passengers between Paihia and Russell for NZ$4 each way or there is a car ferry from Opua. We visited several times, crossing the bay by ferry from Paihia, by dinghy from Opua (a very wet return trip), and driving 30 km along a narrow, twisty, gravel road.
Waitangi National Reserve and the town of Kerikeri, are two of the other very important historical sites in the Bay of Islands.
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