At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them.

April 25 2016

Oamaru

I have been having a problem with the 'Links', these will now display in Red instead of Blue.

I have been in Oamaru for work.

Oamaru is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres south of Timaru and 120 kilometres north of Dunedin.
Many public buildings use as their construction material the local limestone known as Oamaru stone.

Wednesday 16th March 2016
I arrived in Dunedin early this morning, I had a quick look through Dunedin (as I had been there in the past) before heading to Oamaru.

A few photos from Dunedin, it was a cold grey morning when I arrived, not a nice morning for photos.
First up Knox Church, a Presbyterian Church built in the 13th Century

Robert (Robbie) Burns (complete with Seagull!!) with St Paul's Anglican Cathedral in the background

Town Hall

St Paul's Cathedral

I then headed over to the Dunedin Railway Station
Unfortunately there were a lot of tourists and workmen, hence the vehicles in front of the Station

The workmen were laying down this platform on the station platform, this was for ID Fashion which was starting in a couple of days, this is the longest Catwalk in the Southern Hemisphere. This is a yearly event, and runs the length of the Station, about 500 metres

Inside the Station, Mosaic Floor Tiles

Stained Glass Windows

The Cadbury's factory is also located in Dunedin

I then headed to Oamaru, on arriving I checked into my Hotel and because I know you like to see my room here it is.
Pretty big for one person.

Below are some of the magnificent buildings in Oamaru.
The Opera House (Day and Night)

The District Court

The ANZ Bank and The Forrester Gallery

Waitaki District Council Building

St Paul's Church

Oamaru Railway Station

Museum

Steampunk HQ The Elevator Building
What is Steampunk I hear you ask...well....
Steampunk is a quirky and fun genre of science fiction that features steam-powered technology.  It is often set in an alternate, futuristic version of 19th century Victorian England

The Steampunk future is driven by unusual steam powered devices - the 'world gone mad' as Victorian people may have imagined it. Examples are machines like those in the writing of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, and in TV shows such as Dr Who.

Oamrau is an ideal setting for Steampunk art and activities given the wonderfully preserved and thriving Victorian buildings

The building was originally called Meeks Grain Elevator and was built in 1883 from designs by Architects Forrester and Lemon for the grain traders and millers J. & T. Meek.  Oamaru was at that time a flourishing sea port and bigger than Los Angeles.
The five storey building was the only one of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere at the time. In 1920 the top two storeys were destroyed in a spectacular fire.

 

Recycled Relics Exhibition - Chris Meder

Fiddler Crab

Cheeky Moa

Stingray

Archie the Orangutan

Jenny the Train

Chopper Holland

Bosca the Gorilla

Other Sculptures

Metagalatic Pipe Organ

Doomsday Clock II
Constructed by two mysterious engineers, this clock marks down the hours until the end of the Myan Calendar. Strangely it counts in increments of 74 minutes and then restarts.

HMS Hunter-Cerberus

Piranha

Maze Gateway

The Portal is a retro-futuristic mirror and lighting installation that features original glowing light sculptures with a theme of skulls and mythology.

The Kaleido Machine

Steampunk HQ

Victorian Precinct
This precinct was the original commercial and business district of Oamaru and served as the focal point for trade through the port of Oamaru. The buildings consisted of large grain and seed warehouses which served the prosperous agricultural sector in the district during the later part of the 19th century.  The buildings were built during the period from the 1860s to 1880s and are today New Zealand's most complete streetscape of Victorian commercial buildings. The buildings are constructed of locally quarried limestone. (Where possible I have given the buildings their original names)

Criterion Hotel

Period Costume

Penny Farthing

Tiny Free Library

Grain Store

Delivery Bike

Grain Store

McCarthy's Coal Shop

AMP Society

The Wool Store

Star & Garter

St Luke's Church

Antiques

Harbour Board Building

J & T Meeks

Janet Frame

Janet Frame was New Zealand's most distinguished author. In 1990 she was awarded New Zealand's highest civil honour, the Order of New Zealand

Janet Frames House

Friendly Bay Playground (Steampunk Playground)

Steampunk Gallery and Cafe

BBQ

         

Spinning Wheel

One End of the Flying Fox

The other end of the Flying Fox

Swings

Slide

In the distance I saw these logs and they looked very odd, however when I had a closer look they had all been carved. There were Kiwis, Fish, Whales, Birds carved into Macrocarpa

Phew and my first day is over....

Thursday 17th March 2016
Today I had to work, but after I had finished I went to the Botanic Gardens.

Chinese Garden

Birdbath

Wonderland Garden and Statue

Looking towards the Birdbath

How about this for the Curators House

Rotunda

Stone Bridge

Mirror Lake

Elderslie Gazebo

Roses

Aviary

Display House

I then drove up to 'Lookout Point' to check out the view

Hundreds of Shags sitting on a disused jetty

Now everybody say Awwww
Yes, I went and saw the cutest Little Blue Penguins

The world's smallest penguin, they stand just over 25cm and weigh around one kilo. They spend much of their time at sea hunting small fish, crustaceans and squid.

Friday 18th March 2016
My last day...I was up early to watch the sunrise, and then it was off to work.

Finished work at 3.00pm  and drove back to Dunedin to catch my flight home.

What a busy few days it has been.