Russell is a charming town located in New Zealand’s picturesque Bay of Islands and is one of the earliest European settlements in New Zealand. This destination is jam-packed with historical sites, including the Catholic Mission ‘Pompallier’, New Zealand’s oldest surviving Roman Catholic building, and the Christ Church, the walls of which still exhibit bullet holes from the Maori Wars. In the whaling days, this calm haven was dubbed the ‘hellhole of the Pacific’ due to it’s wild and lawless inhabitants consisting of mainly drunken sailors and debaucherous whalers. While the town is still a favoured spot for boaties seeking refuge in its sheltered waters, today’s Russell is a world away from its former self, filled with excellent restaurants, superb galleries and quaint boutiques lining the now tranquil waterfront.
