Waitaki
Waitaki stretches from the glacier-fed Waitaki River in the north to just south of the goldmining town of Palmerston and inland up the Waitaki Valley to Ohau and Omarama, near the spectacular Southern Alps. The district encompasses mountain views, sparkling lakes, rolling farmland, lava formations and fossils, native wildlife, salmon and trout fishing, Maori artefacts and grand Victorian architecture. Oamaru is the district’s main centre. It is renowned for its attractive townscape, intact Victorian precinct and harbour, neoclassical stone buildings and the most accessible contact with penguins anywhere in the country.
Oamaru has the largest collection of protected heritage buildings in New Zealand. They were designed by the finest architects of their time and crafted from local limestone – Oamaru Stone. In the historic precinct, heritage enthusiasts have preserved and reinhabited them in Victorian style. The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony is only a short walk from the centre of town and offers grandstand seating where visitors get a close look at the birds every night of the year. Further along the coast, the strange Moeraki Boulders are huge, perfectly round boulders scattered across a sandy beach.
Don't Miss
- Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony
- Moeraki Boulders in Waitaki
Main Centres
- Oamaru – Known for white stone architecture and penguins
Getting There
- By Air
- Dunedin Airport, 30 min from city, offers domestic and trans-Tasman flights
- By Road
- 1 hour, 30 minutes from Oamaru to Dunedin
- Several coach companies provide regular services to the region
Further Information
Oamaru i-SITE Information Centre
Thames Street, Oamaru
phone +64 3 434 1656
www.tourismwaitaki.co.nz