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 once stood at the top of the hill. Follow the pathway for views stretching to the far northern reaches of the Bay of Islands.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Flagstaff Hill

0.88 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…

2. Long Beach

1.24 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…

3. Russell Museum

1.44 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…

4. Christ Church

1.45 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…

5. Pompallier Mission

1.54 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,…

6. Waitangi Treaty Grounds

2.8 MILES

Occupying a headland draped in lawns and bush, this is NZ's most significant historic site. Here, on 6 February 1840, after much discussion, the first 43…

7. Williams House & Gardens

3.15 MILES

The historic buildings and gardens of Paihia's First Mission Station include a restored stone store, and now house a community library and a community…

8. St Paul’s Anglican Church

3.22 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…