This morning started with a ferry ride to Russell . The town’s original street plan and names from 1843 are still intact and feature some of New Zealand’s oldest and most significant historic buildings. Russell Kororareka was developed initially as a shore station for shipping. The European population grew, with a mixture of deserting seamen, runaway convicts, and grog sellers, as well as settlers and traders. The township gained a reputation as a lawless and rowdy port and the unflattering nickname “Hell Hole of the Pacific”. Many of the buildings seen in Russell township now are dated back to these times.Read more