Sights in Russell
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Pompallier
Pompallier is a rammed-earth building constructed in 1842 to house the Roman Catholic mission’s printing press, which printed a staggering 40,000 books in Maori. In the 1870s it was converted into a private home but it has been restored to its original state, complete with tannery and printing workshop. On the excellent guided tour you get to play with the tools and learn how to ‘skive off’ and become a ‘dab hand’. It’s the last remaining building of the Catholic mission in the Western Pacific.
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Haratu
Run by the local marae society, the recently opened Haratu brings authentic Maori art and craft to the Russell waterfront, most of which is available for purchase. There are also audiovisual displays and information boards.
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Maiki
Overlooking Russell is Maiki, where Hone Heke chopped down the flagpole four times. You can drive up but the view justifies a climb. Take the track west from the boat ramp along the beach at low tide, or up Wellington St otherwise.
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Russell Museum
The small but modern Russell Museum has a well-presented Maori section, a large 1:5-scale model of Captain Cook’s Endeavour and a 10-minute video on the town’s history.
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Lookout
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Christ Church
Russell lays claim to some of NZ’s oldest buildings, including Christ Church (1836), the country’s oldest church. Charles Darwin made a donation towards the cost of its construction. It’s scarred with musket and cannonball holes from the 1845 battle. The biggest memorial in the graveyard commemorates Tamati Waka Nene, a powerful Ngapuhi chief from the Hokianga who sided against Hone Heke in the Northland War.
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