Drinks & Nightlife
Scotts Brewing Co.
1 Wansbeck StGreat local beer and good pizza selection
Criterion Hotel
3 Tyne StLocated in the Victorian Precinct with great beer and food.
Fat Sally's Pub & Restaurant
84 Thames StGreat for watching sport.
Food Scene
multi-winner of best restaurant in New Zealand, fantastic children's playground, amazing gardens, castle view, three gift shops (located 20 minutes north of Oamaru)
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Riverstone Kitchen
1431 State Hwy 1multi-winner of best restaurant in New Zealand, fantastic children's playground, amazing gardens, castle view, three gift shops (located 20 minutes north of Oamaru)
Cucina
1 Tees StExcellent menu for dinner
Steam Cafe
7 Thames StGreat coffee and breakfast menu
Tees Street Cafe
3 Tees StGreat coffee and breakfast/brunch
Great coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner (licensed) with gift shop and art for sale. Kids indoor playground.
Harbour Street Collective Cafe
8 Harbour StGreat coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner (licensed) with gift shop and art for sale. Kids indoor playground.
Best Chinese Restaurant in Oamaru. Authentic Chinese menu. Great for couples, families and groups. In the old railway station building - right on the railway line!
The Station Wok (农家美食)
45 Humber StBest Chinese Restaurant in Oamaru. Authentic Chinese menu. Great for couples, families and groups. In the old railway station building - right on the railway line!
The Galley
1 EsplanadeGreat location.
Portside Restaurant & Bar
Waterfront RoadGreat location.
Shortblack Cafe
45 Thames StGood breakfast and lunch menu.
Fabulous bread and pastries made on the premises.
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Harbour Street Bakery, Oamaru
4 Harbour StFabulous bread and pastries made on the premises.
Entertainment & Activities
Within walking distance is a colony of the world’s smallest penguins, the little blue penguins. The Blue Penguin Colony allows you to take a tour of nesting burrows in the daytime and watch penguins return to shore from a hard day’s fishing in the evening. It is certainly a must-see to watch the colony waddle across the shore from a grandstand. If you are visiting in the summer, make sure you book in advance!
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Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony
17 Waterfront RdWithin walking distance is a colony of the world’s smallest penguins, the little blue penguins. The Blue Penguin Colony allows you to take a tour of nesting burrows in the daytime and watch penguins return to shore from a hard day’s fishing in the evening. It is certainly a must-see to watch the colony waddle across the shore from a grandstand. If you are visiting in the summer, make sure you book in advance!
The playground is a must-see destination for adults and kids of all ages, who love its unique and exciting range of equipment.This which includes the famous penny farthing swing, a pirate ship, a giant elephant and flying fox, parallel bars, a giant hamster wheel and a vaulting horse. Located right next to Friendly Bay Beach.
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Steampunk playground
The playground is a must-see destination for adults and kids of all ages, who love its unique and exciting range of equipment.This which includes the famous penny farthing swing, a pirate ship, a giant elephant and flying fox, parallel bars, a giant hamster wheel and a vaulting horse. Located right next to Friendly Bay Beach.
On the edge of the Victorian precinct is Steampunk HQ easily spotted by the steam train outside. Inside, the museum is packed with weird and wonderful exhibitions.
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Steampunk HQ
1 Humber StOn the edge of the Victorian precinct is Steampunk HQ easily spotted by the steam train outside. Inside, the museum is packed with weird and wonderful exhibitions.
Sightseeing
Moeraki Boulders are perhaps the most famous boulders in New Zealand, situated on Koekohe Beach just south of Hampden. The boulders are well sign-posted from State Highway 1 to a car park within short walking distance from the boulders. There is the Moeraki Millennium Track (3 hours return) from Moeraki Point to the southern end of Koekohe Beach. While in the Moeraki Village, try some delicious seafood fresh from the fishing boats!
You can take a detour to Katiki Point and Shag Point for your wildlife fix. Seal colonies lounge on the rocks all year round, while yellow-eyed penguins make an appearance late every afternoon between October and February.
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Amaphoramu kaMoeraki
7 Moeraki Boulders RdMoeraki Boulders are perhaps the most famous boulders in New Zealand, situated on Koekohe Beach just south of Hampden. The boulders are well sign-posted from State Highway 1 to a car park within short walking distance from the boulders. There is the Moeraki Millennium Track (3 hours return) from Moeraki Point to the southern end of Koekohe Beach. While in the Moeraki Village, try some delicious seafood fresh from the fishing boats!
You can take a detour to Katiki Point and Shag Point for your wildlife fix. Seal colonies lounge on the rocks all year round, while yellow-eyed penguins make an appearance late every afternoon between October and February.
You will find no other city like Oamaru in New Zealand – it is full of limestone Victorian architecture! Not only that, but the city looks like it from the fantasy genre of steampunk. For those of you not familiar with steampunk, it is a sci-fi/fantasy taking inspiration from steam-powered technology and is often set in a futuristic version of 19th century England, hence why the grand buildings preserved from this era makes Oamaru the perfect setting for celebrating this genre.
A short walk from Oamaru’s main street, the Victorian Precinct holds 40+ shops. It’s a great place to have a browse, a coffee/beer, have a photo on a penny-farthing and get a sepia photo taken in Victorian costume.
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The Victorian Heritage Centre
2 Harbour StYou will find no other city like Oamaru in New Zealand – it is full of limestone Victorian architecture! Not only that, but the city looks like it from the fantasy genre of steampunk. For those of you not familiar with steampunk, it is a sci-fi/fantasy taking inspiration from steam-powered technology and is often set in a futuristic version of 19th century England, hence why the grand buildings preserved from this era makes Oamaru the perfect setting for celebrating this genre.
A short walk from Oamaru’s main street, the Victorian Precinct holds 40+ shops. It’s a great place to have a browse, a coffee/beer, have a photo on a penny-farthing and get a sepia photo taken in Victorian costume.
This is one of Oamaru's oldest buildings that a few years back was completely restored and refurbished. It still retains its majestic interior and exterior and oozes with history. The evening light show is just spectacular.
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Oamaru Opera House
94 Thames StThis is one of Oamaru's oldest buildings that a few years back was completely restored and refurbished. It still retains its majestic interior and exterior and oozes with history. The evening light show is just spectacular.
Arts & Culture
Donna Demente's Grainstore Gallery is wonderfully unique. Here you will find an astonishing array of original artworks amidst a magnificent ambience in Oamaru's Victorian Precinct. You will need plenty of time to explore this gem.
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Grainstore Gallery
9 Harbour StDonna Demente's Grainstore Gallery is wonderfully unique. Here you will find an astonishing array of original artworks amidst a magnificent ambience in Oamaru's Victorian Precinct. You will need plenty of time to explore this gem.
Shopping
When you enter the store, you're greeted by a full size replica of the James Caird, the small boat that Ernest Shackleton, along with captain Frank Worsley and four other men, sailed in for 800 nautical miles as they sought rescue for the ice-bound ship, Endurance during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
Adventure Books
7 Harbour StWhen you enter the store, you're greeted by a full size replica of the James Caird, the small boat that Ernest Shackleton, along with captain Frank Worsley and four other men, sailed in for 800 nautical miles as they sought rescue for the ice-bound ship, Endurance during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
Itchen Street Dairy
5 Itchen StGrab your essentials and an ice cream!
Parks & Nature
Friendly Bay Beach right next to the Steampunk Playground is a family friendly swimming beach sheltered within the harbour. A sealed walkway leads from here to the penguin colony. You can hire a boat from Penguins Nest Cafe.
Friendly Bay Playground
Friendly Bay Beach right next to the Steampunk Playground is a family friendly swimming beach sheltered within the harbour. A sealed walkway leads from here to the penguin colony. You can hire a boat from Penguins Nest Cafe.