Oamaru, with a population of about 12,700, is the centre of
the Waitaki district with 20,223 residents which stretches
from just south of Palmerston to the Waitaki River and inland
to Lake Ohau.
Oamaru is renowned for its historic whitestone buildings made
from locally-quarried limestone and is known as the
"Victorian town''.
The Waitaki district and Oamaru offers something for
everyone, with rural townships from its coast to the high
country, including holiday towns at Otematata, Omarama and
Kakanui. Main tourist attractions include the district's
historic buildings, the Waitaki River hydro dams and lakes,
the
Oamaru blue penguin colony, Moeraki Boulders, world-renowned
gliding at Omarama and ski-ing at the Ohau snow field. All
activities are covered.
Top three things to do:
Visit Oamaru's Victorian town and its Victorian heritage
festival in November
The Moeraki boulders
Spend summer in the Waitaki Valley for its camping, boating
and fishing.
Key contacts:
Waitaki District Council 03 433 0300.
I-site Information Centre 03 434 1656 for visitor-activities
information.
Oamaru police: 03 433 1400.
Doctors: Emergency doctor 03 434 9444.
Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust: 03 434 5385 (information on
heritage activities).
North Otago Museum and Archives: 03 434 1652.
Forrester Art Gallery: 03 434 1653.
Waitaki Aquatic Centre: 434 9940.
Otago Daily Times Oamaru office: 03 434 8635, Fax 03 434
8637, email oamaru@odt.co.nz .
DAVID BRUCE
Otago Daily Times - North Otago Bureau Chief
Work: 03 434 8635
Cellphone: 027 542 2325.
P.O. Box 116, OAMARU 9400.
