This Victorian port town on New Zealand's South Island has the country's best-preserved collection of limestone buildings and a growing colony of blue penguins.
Oamaru, a coastal town in New Zealand's South Island, has 1800s limestone buildings lining its streets, where you'll find craft breweries and art galleries. Watch little blue penguins waddle ashore at sunset, visit the eccentric Steampunk HQ museum in an old grain elevator, or taste locally-made cheeses at the Whitestone factory. At Bushy Beach, yellow-eyed penguins nest in the coastal vegetation, while the Alps to Ocean cycling route ends at Oamaru's historic harbor.
Exploring the Victorian Streets
The limestone buildings along Harbour Street make up New Zealand's most complete Victorian-era streetscape. Local stone quarried in the 1800s gives the buildings their distinctive white color, and today you'll find art galleries, craft shops, and cafes inside them. At Whitestone City, you can try riding a penny-farthing bicycle and walk through recreated scenes showing daily life from the 1800s. On Sunday mornings, local farmers sell fresh produce and crafts at the Oamaru Farmers Market.
Watching Little Blue Penguins
Each evening at sunset, you can watch the world's smallest penguin species return from their daily fishing trips at the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony. These 30-centimeter-tall birds waddle up wooden ramps to their nesting sites while guides explain their behavior. The colony has built covered seating areas that let you watch without disturbing the penguins. During the day, you can see the nesting boxes and learn about local conservation projects.
Discovering Steampunk Culture
Steampunk HQ fills an 1800s grain elevator with industrial art installations and mechanical contraptions. Inside, you'll find a portal room with infinity mirrors, while the yard contains modified vehicles and sculptures. The museum's influence extends into the town - there's a steampunk-themed playground near the harbor, and the town hosts steampunk festivals throughout the year.
Wildlife and Coastal Walks
A 10-minute walking track leads to a viewing hide at Bushy Beach, where yellow-eyed penguins nest in the coastal vegetation. The beach stretches for several kilometers along the coast. Near the harbor breakwater, New Zealand fur seals often rest on the rocks. For cyclists, the 300-kilometer Alps to Ocean trail connects Mount Cook to Oamaru, following rivers and passing through rural towns.
Food and Local Products
At Whitestone Cheese factory, you can watch cheese-makers at work and learn about different aging processes during guided tours. The Victorian precinct contains several craft breweries, including Craftwork Brewery which makes Belgian-style beers. Stop at Harbour Street Collective Cafe for coffee in an 1800s warehouse, or try fresh pastries and pies from local bakeries.
Getting Around
Oamaru lies on State Highway 1, 250 kilometers south of Christchurch and 120 kilometers north of Dunedin. Buses run daily between these cities, and trains on the Main South Line stop in Oamaru. You can walk between most attractions in the town center within 15-20 minutes.
