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Okiato, Russell, New Zealand
Long before Captain Cook's visit in 1769, Russell was an established settlement of various Maori tribes. From the early 1800s, South Sea whalers found Kororareka ideal as a provisioning port. The town grew in response, gaining a reputation as a lawless and bawdy port, and earning the nickname "Hell-hole of the Pacific". The image has changed but Russell is still a provisioning base for pleasure craft cruising the Bay of Islands and the South Pacific.
The town continued to expand and country's first Capital was established at Okiato (formerly Old Russell) This was later moved to Auckland. Kororareka and the Bay of Islands began to decline economically as a result. This was hastened by the sacking of the town in 1845 by the forces of Hone Heke and Kawiti, two powerful Maori chiefs.
Following the sacking, Kororareka, now renamed Russell, was gradually rebuilt finding its main source of income in the provisioning and refitting of whaling ships. Later manganese mining, fish canning and coal brought quiet prosperity to the area. |
* Blue Circle Denotes House
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From the early 1900s Russell became known as a quiet historic town. Other attractions that brought visitors were the annual regatta and the development of big gamefishing, promoted with enthusiasm by the American writer, Zane Grey author of "Anglers El Dorado" Today, tourism, fishing, oyster farming and cottage industries provide much of the employment for its population of 1200 people.
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