Oamaru Area Guide
The former port town of Oamaru, with its beautifully preserved white neoclassical limestone buildings and coastal penguin colonies, lies 85 kilometres south of Timaru on state highway 1.
The town, the main centre for North Otago, boasts one of New Zealand's best-preserved 19th century streetscapes, with the Oamaru Stone buildings ranging in style from Gothic revival to neoclassical Italianate and Venetian palazzo. To best explore the town, wander the historic precinct armed with the Historic Oamaru pamphlet from the Visitor Centre at 1 Thames Street. Just north of the Visitor Centre, the Forrester Gallery is housed in a spectacular neo-classical building fronted by impressive Corinthian columns, while further along is the classically-proportioned Courthouse, and the Athenaeum building, which is now home to the North Otago Museum.
You can explore the historic harbour area from onboard Oamaru's Historic Steam Train, which does a two-kilometre trip from Itchen Street on Sundays and public holidays, join a walking tour from the Visitor Centre, or just simply wander among the area's cafes, art galleries and antique shops. The harbour is recognised as a site of national significance by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, and still has its original Victorian curved wooden wharf. Visit the Woolstore Complex at 1 Tyne Street, which has a cafe, and an upstairs market on Sundays, or stop at the restored Criterion Hotel for a beer or two.
The Victorian heritage of Oamaru comes alive each November during the heritage celebrations, when locals don Victorian costume for activities ranging from penny-farthing cycle races to a Victorian fete and Grand Ball.
One of New Zealand's most notable writers, Janet Frame, spent her early school years in Oamaru, and the town appears in some of her novels under the name Waimaru. You can explore her background here on the Janet Frame Trail.
For a stroll among the greenery, visit the Oamaru Public Gardens on Severn Street, which date from 1876. The highlights include a pretty red Japanese bridge and a delightful 100-year-old Victorian summerhouse.
Oamaru has the lovely distinction of having both yellow-eyed and blue penguin colonies within walking distance of its town centre. About 15 minutes walk southeast of the town centre along Waterfront Road is the Blue Penguin Colony. The fenced-off nesting site has a visitor centre, with an infra-red monitor in one of the nesting boxes, and a viewing grandstand. A good time to visit is during the breeding season from June to December. The larger yellow-eyed penguins nest at Bushy Beach and come ashore in late afternoon or early evening.