Oamaru

A town and port in southeastern South Island in New Zealand, Oamaru is located at 88 kilometers northeast from Dunedin. Its surrounding areas are provided with a great volume of limestone (named as Oamaru limestone).

White Rock in Oamaru renders a view of some well protected New Zealand historical buildings.

In the late 19th century, Oamaru prospered and flourished for one time because of gold rush, quarrying and timber processing. Some fortune was used to construct delicate limestone buildings.

Harbour-Tyne Street, with unique features, is a shopping paradise. Oamaru Port is a habitation of light blue penguins. From a special viewpoint yellow-eyed penguins can be observed. The best time period for observing penguins is before sunset.

Public parks in Oamaru are laudable, which are furnished with Victorian-style pavilions and gardens with Oriental characteristics.

Little blue penguins can be easily seen in south coast of New Zealand and Australia. However, the little blue penguins in Oamaru are the closest to human beings, and they build nests and habitat in gulf areas.

In the habitation of little blue penguins in Oamaru, travelers can enjoy the view of the smallest penguins in the world catching fishes and homing.

Every twilight, groups of blue penguins will gather offshore to wait for the coming of darkness. After it gets dark, they will swim under the grandstand that is set up ashore.

They will climb the steep bank and after a brief rest on the rock, they will cross the observation area to their habitation where their spouses or hungry babies are waiting for them