An Extraordinary Story

In the late 19th century Oamaru was a bustling young town with a growing population that rivalled Los Angeles! With an economy fuelled by grain, wool and refrigerated meat exports, the future looked rosy.

Oamaru’s merchants set out to build a city that reflected this optimism and confidence. The logical places to begin were the streets closest to the small deep-water harbour. Here, young New Zealand’s mercantile dreams were born. Majestic buildings crafted from the rich local deposits of white limestone sprang up. Grain stores, wool stores, banks, hotels and commercial and civic offices gave Oamaru its distinctive architecture and scale.

This remarkable authenticity is one we are still fortunate enough to enjoy today. Left behind by the new economies of the 20th century, Oamaru’s legacy, its historic area, is now one of its most cherished assets.

As you wander through looking at the grand facades, imagine for a moment the faces and stories behind these buildings. Living History’s portrayal of Secrets of the Old Town offers us just such a view in helping to ‘bring alive’ our rich heritage.

Timeline to 1900

1852 C.E.Suisted first North Otago runholder. Government surveyor W.D.Mantell explores North Otago and ‘digs’ at Awamoa River Mouth, the first archaeological excavation in NZ

1853 North Otago becomes part of Otago for administrative purposes. Hugh Robison occupies Oamaru Run.

1858 Traill and France establishes first store. Oamaru Landing Service established operating surf boats for arrivals & departures at Friendly Bay

1859 First sections in Oamaru sold. Regular steamer service from Dunedin commenced

1860 Thames Street bridge begun. Until 1932 and the building of Sydney Harbour Bridge the widest span bridge in the Southern Hemisphere

1861 Oamaru a Port of Entry, ships could come direct from overseas

1862 Coach service from Dunedin established. Oamaru Town Board established

1863 First courthouse established. A & P association established, the longest running A & P society in NZ

1864 Post office, (now The Last Post Restaurant) opened. Henry France postmaster

1865 Telegraphic communication with Dunedin and Chch commenced

1866 Oamaru a Municipality. Oamaru Borough Council formed

1867 First visit by Governor Grey in which he pronounced the beer brewed by Oamaru Brewery as the best he’d tasted in Otago

1868 The Great Storm of 1868 – 2 ships wrecked in the harbour with the loss of 4 lives and original Totara Estate buildings swept away with the loss of 9 lives. Public memorial commissioned

1869 Livingstone the ‘hot spot’ of North Otago as Maerewhenua goldfield proclaimed. Papakaio & Awamoko coalfield opened. We had it all, gold, coal, slate, stone, good soil & climate!

1872 First block of breakwater laid an engineering masterpiece of its day (completed 1884)

1874 Immigration barracks built. Barracks where men and women were separated, like on the voyage out, by families

1875 Thames street fire destroyed Queens Hotel and two whole blocks. New buildings erected in stone with grand facades reflecting the optimism of the time

1876 Benevolent Society founded. Gas supplies on. Waitaki Bridge opened

1877 Rail connected to Christchurch completed

1878 Rail connection to Dunedin completed. Premier Sir George Grey’s second visit in which he proclaimed Oamaru as “a fair maiden that sits on the seashore with a horn of plenty in her hand”

1881 Oamaru seventh largest population centre in NZ, an emerging centre of mercantile dreams. Buildings reflect this ambition, largely built in a heady 10 year period mid 70’s to 80’s. Nowhere is the boundless confidence of colonial NZ better expressed than in the streets of Oamaru!

1882 First shipment of refrigerated meat sent to Mother England. Prepared at Totara Estate south of Oamaru

1883 Salvation Army declares war on the ‘demon drink’ in Oamaru

1884 First direct shipment of mutton from Oamaru

late 1880’s The recession bites. Oamaru is the most heavily mortgaged town in New Zealand. Dreams of an international commercial centre have subsided as rail bypasses the town to safer & more natural harbours

1891 Lands for Settlement Act led to break-up of large Estates allowing individuals to purchase land and farm successfully on a small scale

1894 Harbour Board in receivership. North Otago Prohibition Assn forces 4 town hotels to lose their liquor license (District wide Prohibition (no liquor sale ban) carried in Oamaru in 1905. Legal liquor sales didn’t return until 1962)