Russell

Tales of debauchery were probably exaggerated, but British administrators in New South Wales were sufficiently concerned to dispatch a British resident in 1832 to impose law and order. After the Treaty of Waitangi, Russell was the national capital until 1844, when the Maori chief Hone Heke, disgruntled with newly imposed harbor dues and his loss of authority, cut down the flagstaff flying the Union Jack above the town three times before attacking the British garrison. Most of the town burned to the ground in what is known as the Sacking of Kororareka. Hone Heke was finally defeated in 1846, but Russell never recovered its former prominence, and the seat of government was shifted first to Auckland, then to Wellington.

Today Russell is a delightful town of timber houses and big trees that hang low over the seafront, framing the yachts and game-fishing boats in the harbor. The vibe can best be absorbed in a stroll along the Strand, the path along the waterfront. There are several safe swimming beaches, some in secluded bays, as well as the aptly named Long Beach, over the hill from the township.