Russell, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Russell
Kororāreka
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Town
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Russell
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Northland Region |
| District | Far North District |
| Ward | Bay of Islands-Whangaroa |
| Community | Bay of Islands-Whangaroa |
| Subdivision | Russell-Ōpua |
| Settled | Early 19th century |
| Named for | John Russell, Secretary of State for the Colonies |
| Electorates |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 3.28 km2 (1.27 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 790 |
| • Density | 240.9/km2 (624/sq mi) |
| Postcode |
0202
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Russell, also known by its Māori name Kororāreka, is a town in the Bay of Islands. It is located in New Zealand's far north. This town was the first permanent European settlement and seaport in New Zealand.
Contents
History of Russell
Early European Settlement
In the early 1800s, European and American ships started visiting New Zealand. The Māori quickly saw that trading with these visitors, called tauiwi, could be very helpful. The Bay of Islands was a safe place for ships to anchor. It also had a large Māori population. To attract ships, Māori began to supply food and timber. In return, Māori wanted respect, firearms, alcohol, and other European goods.
Kororāreka's Reputation
The town of Kororāreka grew because of this trade. However, it soon gained a very bad reputation. It became known as a place without laws. People even called it the "Hell Hole of the Pacific." This was despite its Māori name, Kororāreka, meaning "How sweet is the penguin." (Korora means blue penguin and reka means sweet). European laws had no power here. Māori laws were also rarely followed within the town. In March 1830, fighting broke out on the beach at Kororāreka. This fight between different Māori groups became known as the Girls’ War.
Treaty of Waitangi Beginnings
On January 30, 1840, Governor Hobson read his official statements at Christ Church. These statements were the start of the Treaty of Waitangi. Many settlers and the Māori chief, Moka Te Kainga-mataa, were there. A document confirming these events was signed by about forty witnesses. Moka was the only Māori person to sign it at this time. The main Treaty signing events then moved to Waitangi the following week.
Capital City Changes
By 1840, Kororāreka was an important trading hub. It was a key port for whaling and sealing ships. When New Zealand became a colony that year, Governor Hobson did not want Kororāreka as his capital. This was because of its bad reputation. Instead, he bought land at Okiato, about five kilometers south. He renamed it Russell, honoring Lord John Russell. Lord Russell was the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
However, Governor Hobson soon realized Okiato was not the best choice. Auckland was then chosen as the new capital not long after.
Renaming of Kororāreka
Kororāreka was part of the Port of Russell. After Russell (Okiato) became almost empty, Kororāreka gradually became known as Russell too. In January 1844, Governor Robert FitzRoy officially made Kororāreka part of the township of Russell. Today, the name Russell only refers to Kororāreka. The former capital is now called Okiato or Old Russell.
Flagstaff War and Its Impact
In 1845, the Flagstaff War began. This war started because the British flagstaff on Flagstaff Hill above the town was repeatedly cut down. During the Battle of Kororāreka, the Māori chief Hōne Heke attacked the town. He used clever tactics to draw away the British defenders. The flagstaff was cut down for the fourth time. The people living in Russell fled onto British ships. These ships then fired cannons at the town, destroying most of the houses. Hōne Heke told his warriors not to harm Christ Church or the Pompallier Mission.
Pompallier Mission House
In 1841–42, Jean Baptiste Pompallier set up a Roman Catholic mission in Russell. This mission had a printing press. It was used to print religious books in the Māori language. His building, known as Pompallier Mission, is still cared for by Heritage New Zealand today.
Russell's Population
Russell covers an area of 3.28 square kilometers. As of 2023, it has an estimated population of about 798 people. This means there are about 243 people per square kilometer.
The population of Russell has grown over the years:
- 2006: 786 people
- 2013: 702 people
- 2018: 762 people
- 2023: 798 people
In the 2023 census, there were 384 males, 408 females, and 3 people of other genders. The average age was 61.0 years. About 7.1% of the people were under 15 years old.
Most people in Russell are of European background (84.6%). About 21.8% identify as Māori. English is spoken by 98.5% of the people. About 33.1% of the people were born outside New Zealand.
Many homes in Russell are holiday homes or places for tourists to stay.
Marae in Russell
The local Kororāreka Marae is a traditional meeting place. It belongs to Te Kapotai, which is a hapū (a smaller group or clan) of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe).
Climate in Russell
Russell has a mild subtropical climate. This means it has warm temperatures and usually gets a good amount of rain.
| Climate data for Russell (15m, temperature + sunshine data 1991-2020, rainfall data 1981-2010) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.0 (77.0) |
25.2 (77.4) |
23.6 (74.5) |
21.3 (70.3) |
18.9 (66.0) |
16.6 (61.9) |
16.0 (60.8) |
16.4 (61.5) |
17.7 (63.9) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.1 (70.0) |
23.3 (73.9) |
20.4 (68.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 19.6 (67.3) |
19.9 (67.8) |
18.4 (65.1) |
16.2 (61.2) |
14.2 (57.6) |
12.1 (53.8) |
11.3 (52.3) |
11.7 (53.1) |
12.9 (55.2) |
14.3 (57.7) |
16.0 (60.8) |
18.0 (64.4) |
15.4 (59.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14.2 (57.6) |
14.6 (58.3) |
13.2 (55.8) |
11.1 (52.0) |
9.5 (49.1) |
7.6 (45.7) |
6.6 (43.9) |
7.0 (44.6) |
8.1 (46.6) |
9.3 (48.7) |
10.9 (51.6) |
12.7 (54.9) |
10.4 (50.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 91.4 (3.60) |
86.7 (3.41) |
115.7 (4.56) |
117.3 (4.62) |
130.1 (5.12) |
144.1 (5.67) |
172.0 (6.77) |
146.1 (5.75) |
120.9 (4.76) |
96.5 (3.80) |
88.8 (3.50) |
90.4 (3.56) |
1,400 (55.12) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 235.0 | 201.7 | 168.2 | 164.3 | 153.2 | 131.8 | 141.2 | 152.3 | 170.4 | 197.7 | 206.3 | 264.8 | 2,186.9 |
Russell's Economy and Attractions
Today, Russell is mostly a place with many cafés, gift shops, and B&Bs.
The Pompallier Mission is a historic building. It was once a printery, tannery, and storehouse for early Roman Catholic missionaries. It is the oldest surviving industrial building in New Zealand. The town's Christ Church is also very old. It is the country's oldest surviving Anglican church.
The area around Russell has many expensive holiday homes. It also has New Zealand's most expensive rental accommodation, called the Eagles Nest. The famous photographer Laurence Aberhart lives here.
A car ferry crosses the Bay of Islands between Okiato and Opua. This ferry is the main way for tourists to get to Russell. You can also drive to Russell by land, but it is a much longer trip. The ferry route is only 2.3 kilometers, while the land route is 43.5 kilometers.
Education in Russell
Russell School is a school for children in years 1 to 8 (ages 5-13). It opened in 1892. As of 2023, it has about 100 students.
Notable People from Russell
- Lucy Takiora Lord (1842–1893), a guide and interpreter.
