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Welcome to a region proud of its Victorian heritage and outstanding architecture! From the glacier-fed Waitaki River in the North, south through lush rolling farmland and along the sprawling coastline to the goldmining town of Palmerston, the Waitaki is a special place. James Saunders was the area’s first European resident, settling here to trade with local Māori sometime before 1850. More European settlers arrived in the early 1850s, making their way up after arriving in Port Chalmers. Waitaki is home to one Kāi Tahu Runaka, Moeraki, and has a population of 20,223 people (2006 census). 11,424 of them reside in Oamaru.
The Waitaki is well known for its limestone, in which are found some of the best-preserved marine fossils anywhere in the world. Around 20-30 million years old, these include giant sharks, dolphins and whales. Home to one of the South Island’s braided rivers, the Waitaki hosts an abundance of native and migratory birdlife, not to mention being a seriously good spot for fishing!
‘Our people, of Waitaki, have inherited a rare combination of good cheer, industry and initiative – genuine heartland country. Macraes’ gold, Moeraki’s boulder, Palmerston and Hampden’s small town and seaside charm contrast with the substantial architecture and living history of Oamaru. The irrigated green farmland fields contrast with the lakelands of Otematata and Oamaru – a water wonderland.’
Mayor Alex Familton
Journey through this region...
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