Oamaru What to See & Do

New Zealand Oamaru What to See & Do. If you are looking for comprehensive travel information for Oamaru What to See & Do including Activities, Natural Attractions, Food and Wine, Entertainment, Shopping and Information & Services, you will find it here on AA Travel.

Oamaru is full of wonderful things to see and do, with something for everyone. If it's not here, you won't have to travel far to find it. As this country is known as the 'Adventure Capital of the World', you can always find thrills of every kind nearby, from bungy jumping and skydiving to jet boating and white-water rafting. Our 14 national parks are perfect for tramping, where spectacular scenery abounds. Our geothermal hotspots provide natural thermal pools, shooting geysers and bubbling mud pools, while our incredible wildlife is a must-see for animal lovers. There are plenty of picturesque beaches for swimming, surfing or relaxing, mountain ranges for skiing and snowboarding, glassy lakes for fishing and water sports, and native forests for exploring. Try delicious gourmet delights, visit an art or craft studio, go shopping, check out a Maori cultural performance or take advantage of our exciting range of events. And that's just the beginning!

Oamaru: Oamaru is the district's main centre and is renowned for its attractive townscape and gardens, intact Victorian precinct and harbour, neoclassical stone buildings, and the most accessible daily 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 the local limestone now known worldwide as Oamaru Stone. The harbour, reputed to be the only intact Victorian harbour in New Zealand, is home not only to an old curved wooden wharf and an assortment of traditional craftspeople, but hundreds of blue penguins that waddle ashore every night just after dark. The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony, a natural nesting area for the world's smallest penguin species, has been enhanced by a dedicated team of volunteers and is now an international drawcard. Grandstand seating enables visitors to get a close look at these engaging birds every night of the year. A 30-minute walk away is another penguin colony at Bushy Beach. This is the northern-most place where the rare yellow-eyed penguin is known to nest and breed successfully. Visitors can watch them come ashore each evening.