| Oamaru is located on New Zealand's South
Island. The town is famous for whitestone buildings made of
locally quarried limestone. Located north of Dunedin,
the town features some of the best preserved Victorian buildings
in the country.
NATURAL WORLD
The town has colonies of blue
penguins. The breeding season runs from June to December. The
Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony
is best visited at sunset. More penguin info on the Yellow-eyed
penguin trust.
CULTURAL WORLD
At the turn of the 20th century, Oamaru was one of the most prosperous
cities on the South Island. Nicknamed the 'Whitestone City' for
its eggshell-colored limestone buildings. The port opened for migration
in 1874 with more than 300 ships arrived that year.
The country was a major wool exporter and flocks were huge, but
there was no way to preserve the meat and the country's population
could not consume it all. The Australian
and New Zealand Land Company pioneered refrigeration. The first
shipment of frozen meat left the Oamaru port in 1882.
The Totara Estate is
where New Zealand first shipped frozen meat.
NEARBY
40 kilometers south of town are the Moeraki
Boulders. The Maori named the boulders Te Kaihinaki (food baskets).
(Photos)
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