Historic Buildings & Sites

The history of Oamaru and the Waitaki District is a source of pride for locals and fascination for visitors. Local interest in historical events, people and places ensures many historic buildings and sites have been preserved and maintained.

In Oamaru, the Harbour-Tyne Street area features one of the grandest collection of buildings from that era left in the world. Many of the buildings, which date from the 1860s, were designed John Forrester, an architect strongly linked with the town.

Other impressive buildings are found elsewhere in the town such as at Oamaru’s secondary schools and, in the wider district as evidenced in a collection of grand old homesteads. Undoubtedly, the historic precinct contains the biggest collection of noteworthy buildings in a relatively compact era that is easy to walk around.

Today those buildings house a range of businesses, artists and craftspeople. Modern attractions include the wonderfully restored Victorian Criterion Hotel, a traditional bakery, whisky bond store, furniture maker, bookbinder, art gallery, an organ museum, and a cafe and gift shop. In the summer, there is a growers market on Sundays.

While the district’s built history is well recorded, various historical sites also have a story to tell.

Many sites are open to the public for either independent visits or as part of arranged tours.

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