Alice, on her stay in Chillawhile Creative arts Hostel in Oamaru.
Oamaru is a lovely town situated by the sea and populated by sunny locals with an affinity to a creative, cosy environment. There’s a lot to see here, from New Zealand’s most eccentric art galleries to colonies of rare penguins, initially Oamaru was quite a prosperous New Zealand town, and was the first port in New Zealand to export frozen meats from Totara Estate.
Victorian architecture dominates Oamaru’s downtown, lending an aura of history and creative space for artists to practice their craft. The Grainstore Gallery is home to an eclectic collection of sculptures and paintings both bizarre and breathtaking, and every so often a musician coats the studio in sounds. The Whiskey Art Gallery is another popular attraction with whiskey tasting downstairs and a spacious art gallery upstairs displaying paintings by local artists alongside a giant window revealing a panoramic scene of the ocean lapping the landside. Koru Community Dance Theatre is an opportunity to immerse oneself in the world of Oamaru with bi-weekly classes in tribal dance and drumming.
The Penguin Entertainers Club and the recently refurbished Opera House provide evening entertainment aplenty. First opened in 1907, the Opera House is considered a cultural and historic asset to Oamaru and is registered under the “Historic Places Act.” Events of all genres can be found here: theatre, film screenings, comedy shows, music, fundraisers, and operas. The Penguin Entertainers Club was initially established in 1990 by a group of local musicians “identifying a need for suitable practice rooms and somewhere to chill out after gigs,” and has since grown to be the primary venue for a wide variety of popular musicians and travelling minstrels, with free Friday night open jam sessions every week.
Oamaru is also home to some of New Zealand’s finest cuisines, boasting award-winning restaurants such as Fleur’s Place in nearby Moeraki. Built in 2002 with recycled materials gathered from all over New Zealand, Fleur’s serves its speciality of fresh fish straight from the Moeraki Bay fishing boats. Portside Restaurant is also a delectable destination, with stunning views of crashing waves overlooking Oamaru harbour and the famous penguin colonies. Riverstone Kitchen is another yummy spot in Oamaru’s competitive cuisine scene, with home baked tarts, cakes, and salads straight from the garden. Riverstone is placed amidst green pastures within view of the Southern Alps, with a playroom & play adventur park for children, making it ideal for families. And, of course, the Whitestone Cheese Factory and Cafe, which makes 18 varieties of cheese, including an area for viewing the cheese-making process-throw the cheese makers a wave and they’ll wave back! (Then taste the 2006 Cuisine Champion of Champions Windsor Blue…)
And finally, the penguins. These funny birds once considered a town pest are now revered as the Oamaru staple attraction. Oamaru has many penguin images and emblems sprinkled about sidewalks and cross streets. Two colonies of penguins claim their empire here in Oamaru: the little blue penguin and the yellow-eyed penguin. The blue penguin (aka korora in Maori) is the world’s smallest penguin, standing a wee 30 cm tall and wears a blue coat and white chest. The yellow-eyed penguin (aka hoiho in Maori the name comes from its call. The best time for sighting these waddling, feathered fellows is at dusk or dawn when they are either gearing up to go out fishing or as the penguin swaggers back to their chicks.On arrival in Oamaru, I had little idea what to expect, but I am so grateful to have landed here – there’s just something about it. And it’s that something that has lured Chillawhile guests to return and me to extend my stay.
-Alice Pencavel, Chillawhile guest