Photos by Region ~ Oamaru

This North Otago city had early wealth in the early days of frozen meat shipments to England, and businessmen built accordingly. Farming is still predominant; but it now gains also from its completely splendid stock of grand, and not quite so grand, 19th century buildings. An annual Victorian festival attracts crowds, mostly outsiders, who dress up with a degree of authenticity that honours the buildings they stroll by, gentlemen tipping hats, ladies gracefully bowing. The 19th century (at least in its romanticised view) had much to recommend it.

The interested reader is warmly referred to Paul Sorrell and Graham Warman's "Oamaru, New Zealand’s Living Victorian Town", for an excellent treatment of Omaruvian delights, archetectural and otherwise, and with historical detail. Many of my photos simply echo theirs, less skillfully, and not in colour.

Oamaru’s Oamaru stone welcome.

The first of the old Oamaru stone buildings to greet the visitor coming up from the south. A wonderful building, making a statement in its day, no doubt, but now much in need of TLC.

Handsome houses built of the local material

Even the roads are lined with stone

This arch at the entrance to a 'pocket park' not of the local stone, but attractive nevertheless

Original inside and out, the Criterion Hotel has a commanding position in the Victorian precinct. Classical vases adorn the eaves; inside, even the internal walls are massive Oamaru stone (your photographer spent a night there). Diners can sit in a back parlour called “The Snug”, if they wish privacy. Below, Asian tourists photograph latter-day Victorians during the annual festival (including, in the foreground, the author’s grandson). Some of these tourists may be identified later in the day in full Victorian finery, as they rush to hire and be seen to be seen.

This charmer houses the Oamaru Victorian Society's offices. All strength to their arm, I say.

The upper floor of the Criterion Hotel affords this view of the warehouse across the street

The Criterion and Connell & Clowes Auctioneers are clearly closely related; siblings, one might say.

The former Union Stores building, in the warehouse precinct, regularly flying the Union Jack

A formidable entrance. (I assume the upper storey is latter day.)

St Patrick’s basilica, another of Francis Petre's masterpieces, and adjacent church buildings. The interior of the basilica is quite magnificent. The spiral staircase is giving access to one of the domes, I presume. As myself a former organist, I especially admired the organ loft. (As for the view coming up the street, perhaps the powers that be could put the electricity wires underground?)

Just down the street from the Basilica, this charming (and very compact) former bakery of Mr A. Meldrum.

Such a well-churched city: here, the Columba Presbyterian church, a Greek-Romanesque style

St Paul's, however, was seen as the mother church of Presbyterianism in North Otago. This splendid church was built in 1864-65. Unsurprisingly, it has a Category 1 Historic Place listing under the Historic Places Act of 1993. Above R., two other stone buildings in the background may be seen.

Only the pram, and perhaps the jumping horse logo, seem rather too modern in this view of the former Bank of New South Wales, the National Bank of NZ, and (only just on the left) the ANZ Bank. These splendid buildings function, these days, as art galleries and (the ANZ) as a backpackers.

Back in the days of post-war desire to be 'modern', the Post Office had been at risk of demolition. But a local G.P., as I understand, was aghast that this might happen, and produced a cut-out photo showing the tower in pieces, which appeared in the press, and this swayed local opinion in the correct direction. Well done, Sir!

The Tourist Information building.

The former AMP building, now an Italian flag-waving restaurant. Amicus certus in re incerta, indeed. Would that the old Dunedin AMP office, of even greater splendour, had similarly survived! Lower R., under the railway lights, you can see a sign welcoming you to Victorian Oamaru.

St Lukes Church feature St Lukes Church Entrance

St Luke’s Church. This solid statement of Anglicanism speaks of an era of ecclesiastical prosperity, the spire here overlooking Victorian tearooms and the Post Office clock tower. The door hinges are a lovely touch; the seat at the entrance almost looks modern, with rounded edges. (The author’s grandson, suitably clad for the Victorian festival, becoming immersed in the beauty of Oamaru stone.)

A most elegant hospital; wellness merely from the contemplation thereof. Note the history.

The former Waitaki County Council Chambers, now a Community House. This wonderful entrace would grace any city anywhere; but it's Oamaru's

St Luke's Vicarage and Hall, around the back of the church, are similar statements in solidity. [a problem with the auto focus may necessitate a retake of the Vicrage]

I doubt a current dental practice. Anywhere else, this building would be celebrated. Here, among Oamaru's cornucopia of architectural riches, it's simply another lost lovely.

This humble building, for Billiards and Snooker Players, has not got the most carefully assembled stone wall in town, as peeped through the wire netting. Its face to the street has make-up applied; but would not the concealed stone be a preferable, or at least a more honest frontage?

An Old Curiosity Shoppe?

Might this be the most impressive Masonic Centre in New Zealand?

This imposing Courthouse, presenting a sense of seriousness and authority, and well recognized as such by the Post Office; but a signal failure in more recent years on the part of the Minister concerned, who decreed, on quite specious grounds (namely, an uninformed over-reaction* to the Christchurch earthquakes), that proceedings should now take place in a prefab box stuck on concrete blocks, as quake-protection was too expensive to install. And this from a department that poured open-ended millions into a new Supreme Court in Wellington, the exterior of which is widely derided as looking like twisted scaffolding that has yet to fall down! I rest my case. One can only hope that a successor of his may have more sense and sensibility. (It was I who left the gate slightly open here in the photo; the authorities may like to take the hint.)

*Those who doubt my critical quake comment I refer to the Tailrisk document due to Ian Harrison, the link given in the Bibliography.

The upper levels of many main street buildings rather more attractive than at street level. This builidng for sale, should you wish.

These legal offices deserve high praise: an elegant 21st century take on Oamaru Victorian classicism.

They did things rather classiliy in the 1940s, this art decoish Ladies Rest Room.

Does the music live up to the architecture? -- the Garrison Band Rooms

The Brydone Hotel presents a classic exterior to the street.

Shop frontages in the main street. Again I make the comment: the upper levels more attracitve than the view at street level (I have shielded you accordingly in these photos).