It's a bit of a drive (30km) and a short steep walk down to the beach, but worth the effort. There's not a lot of beach when the tide is high so time your visit accordingly.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Long Beach

7.81 MILES

About 1.5km behind Russell (an easy walk or cycle) is this placid, child-friendly beach. Turn left (facing the sea) to visit Donkey Bay, a small cove that…

2. Tapeka Point

8.23 MILES

North of Russell, on the other side of Maiki hill, Tapeka Rd heads down to a sandy beach in the shadow of a craggy headland. A pā once stood at the top of…

3. Christ Church

8.34 MILES

English naturalist Charles Darwin made a donation towards the cost of building this, the country’s oldest surviving church (1836). The graveyard's biggest…

4. Flagstaff Hill

8.38 MILES

Overlooking Russell, this is the hill where Hōne Heke chopped down the British flagpole four times. You can drive up, but the epic view over Russell and…

5. Russell Museum

8.4 MILES

This small museum has a well-presented Māori section, a large 1:5 scale model of Captain Cook’s Endeavour, a 10-minute video on the town’s history and an…

6. Pompallier Mission

8.46 MILES

Built in 1842 to house the Catholic mission’s printing press, this rammed-earth building is the mission's last remaining building in the western Pacific,…

7. Omata Estate

8.77 MILES

With a growing reputation for red wines – especially its old-growth syrah – Omata Estate is one of Northland's finest wineries. To complement the tastings…

8. St Paul’s Anglican Church

10.39 MILES

The characterful St Paul's was constructed of Kawakawa stone in 1925, and stands on the site of the original mission church, a simple raupo (bulrush) hut…