Okiato facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Okiato
New Zealand's First Capital
Country	New Zealand
Region	Northland Region
District	Far North District
Ward	Bay of Islands/Whangaroa
Community	Bay of Islands-Whangaroa
Subdivision	Russell-Ōpua
Founded	1840
Electorates	Northland Te Tai Tokerau
Area
• Total	0.33 km2 (0.13 sq mi)
Population  (June 2023)
• Total	210
• Density	636/km2 (1,650/sq mi)
Postcode	0272

Car ferry between Opua and Okiato (with Opua in the distance)

Okiato or Old Russell is a small town in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. It is about 7 kilometers south of the town we now call Russell. Okiato was started in 1840. It was New Zealand's very first national capital city. But it was only the capital for a short time, until 1841. After that, the government moved to Auckland. Today, a car ferry crosses the Bay of Islands here. This ferry connects Okiato with Opua and is the main way to get to Russell.

History of Okiato

An old map of Russell (Okiato)

In the 1830s, a Māori chief named Pomare II lived in this area. He was the leader of the local Ngāti Manu Māori tribe. He sold some land at Okiato to a British businessman, Captain James Reddy Clendon. Captain Clendon moved there in 1832. He set up a trading post with his business partner. Later, in 1838 or 1839, Clendon became the first United States Consul for New Zealand.

After the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in February 1840, Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson needed to choose a capital city. He asked his Surveyor-General, Felton Mathew, to find the best place in the Bay of Islands. Clendon's land at Okiato was a good choice. It had a safe place for ships to anchor. There was also land ready to be divided and sold to new settlers. Other places like Kororāreka (today's Russell), Paihia, and Kerikeri were not chosen for different reasons.

Clendon wanted a lot of money for his land and buildings. He asked for 23,000 pounds for 1.24 square kilometers of land. This included his house, two small cottages, a large store, and other buildings. Governor Hobson eventually bought it for 15,000 pounds. Hobson then changed the name of Okiato to Russell. He did this to honor Lord John Russell, who was an important British leader.

Governor Hobson and his family moved to the new capital in May 1840. Many officials, soldiers, workers, and new immigrants also came to live there. They stayed in permanent buildings, temporary homes, or tents. Mathew drew big plans for a town with many roads. But only one road was ever built. It went from the town hall directly to the town jail.

Just one year later, in 1841, New Zealand became its own separate colony. Governor Hobson decided to move the capital city to Auckland. Most people living in Russell (Okiato) moved to Auckland too. A few officials stayed in the Government House in Russell. But in May 1842, the house and offices burned down. The remaining officials then moved to Kororāreka. This left Russell (Okiato) almost empty.

The area known as Kororāreka was part of the Port of Russell. Over time, people started calling Kororāreka "Russell" as well. In January 1844, Governor Robert FitzRoy officially made Kororāreka part of the township of Russell. So now, the name Russell is used for what was once Kororāreka. And Okiato has gone back to its original name.

Population Information

Okiato is a small rural settlement. It covers about 0.33 square kilometers. In 2018, it had an estimated population of 210 people.

At the 2018 New Zealand census, Okiato had 183 people living there. This was an increase of 15 people since the 2013 census. It was also an increase of 33 people since the 2006 census. There were 84 households in Okiato. The median age of people living there was 59.8 years.

Images for kids

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  New Zealand's First Capital