If you are reasonably fit, walk up the hill from Russell township or, if time or fitness is an issue, drive up Flagstaff Hill and take a short walk from the carpark. The views across the Bay of Islands are stunning. It's worth going twice - once during the day and again as the sun sets. Across the water you can see Waitangi and the Treaty grounds, as well as 360 degree views across the whole bay. A plaque explains the significance of the flagstaff in NZ history and the flagstaff itself contains part of the last flagstaff that was chopped down during the disputes between Maori and the governing English.