Friday, November 8, 2013

Oamaru's Heritage Living Waterfront

Visited my home town Oamaru for a school reunion. On a good day, without that cool easterly, there's a lot to see and it's busy.... 
Here's the view down Severn Street. It's actually State Highway 1. I pushed my bike up it, every school day, for 7 years. More than made up for by the rush down each morning...
Railway Crossing at the bottom though, and on frosty mornings there was black ice on the road on either side. No braking...
There's the Victorian heritage limestone area of Oamaru town centre. Right next to the waterfront. Quite touristy, but a surprising number of locals are employed here.
There's also a regular farmer's market. Takes up space where the railway sidings used to be.
Nestles in quite well...
And of course with the local Chinese market gardeners supplying the very best brassica vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower)...
Very much part of the surrounding community. Great coffee and treats as well...
The old pedestrian bridge across the railway sidings has been left - it's even made of bent railway iron. Probably surplus sleepers as well. Nothing like an elevated bridge to survey the place.
These old macrocarpa tree stumps on the playground are being transformed slowly into local sculptures by iwi
Interesting playground equipment. Note the huge Penny Farthing bicycle support for the swings...
There's a small fishing boat fleet operating from the harbour, but most of the boats are now recreational.
And everywhere there are connected walkways.
I recommend a visit.

No comments:

Friday, November 8, 2013

Oamaru's Heritage Living Waterfront

Visited my home town Oamaru for a school reunion. On a good day, without that cool easterly, there's a lot to see and it's busy.... 
Here's the view down Severn Street. It's actually State Highway 1. I pushed my bike up it, every school day, for 7 years. More than made up for by the rush down each morning...
Railway Crossing at the bottom though, and on frosty mornings there was black ice on the road on either side. No braking...
There's the Victorian heritage limestone area of Oamaru town centre. Right next to the waterfront. Quite touristy, but a surprising number of locals are employed here.
There's also a regular farmer's market. Takes up space where the railway sidings used to be.
Nestles in quite well...
And of course with the local Chinese market gardeners supplying the very best brassica vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower)...
Very much part of the surrounding community. Great coffee and treats as well...
The old pedestrian bridge across the railway sidings has been left - it's even made of bent railway iron. Probably surplus sleepers as well. Nothing like an elevated bridge to survey the place.
These old macrocarpa tree stumps on the playground are being transformed slowly into local sculptures by iwi
Interesting playground equipment. Note the huge Penny Farthing bicycle support for the swings...
There's a small fishing boat fleet operating from the harbour, but most of the boats are now recreational.
And everywhere there are connected walkways.
I recommend a visit.

No comments: