Oamaru & Waitaki Visitor Information Centre

24/12/2025

Meri Kirihimete!

We're closed Xmas Day and New Years Day, open all other days from 10am to 4pm.

Wishing you all happy and safe holidays!

22/12/2025

Kia ora folks, here are our lists of what is open and what isn’t over the Xmas and New Year period.

OAMARU HISTORIC AREA
OAMARU FOOD STORES & SUPERMARKETS
OAMARU THINGS TO DO
OAMARU PLACES TO EAT (PART 1 AND PART 2)
WAITAKI COASTAL & VALLEY

GREEN is normal opening hours, which may vary from business to business over this time. If you are planning a special trip to visit one of them during this holiday period, best to contact them directly to confirm opening times on that particular day.

X is when businesses have told us they are definitely closed for the holidays.

If we have got anything wrong, or have missed you out, let us know by DM and we’ll make corrections. Please share this post widely, rather than just posting the lists on your page, as lists in our original posts will be updated.

This is a big job every year, so huge thanks to those businesses and operators who responded to our messages, emails and phone calls!

Waitaki Whitestone Geopark
Oamaru's Victorian Precinct

21/10/2025

09/01/2025

Kia ora, everyone, Harbour Street is starting to look really Victorian as the Precinct is prepared for the Netflix filming which starts this weekend.

Oamaru & Waitaki Visitor Information Centre at the front of 12 Harbour Street will remain open throughout next week, apart from Tuesday 14 January when the main filming in Harbour Street is planned.

Whitestone City, our hands-on heritage centre within the same building will be closed from Sunday 12 January, reopening Friday 17th January.

Very exciting times in Oamaru's Victorian Precinct!

23/12/2024

Kia ora, everyone, here's the lists for who is open (or not) over the Xmas and New Year periods - 'x' means closed.

PLEASE TAKE THIS AS GUIDANCE, NOT GOSPEL! This information was collated from a combination of what was available from pages, websites and phone calls. Check directly with businesses/operators if you want to be 100% sure they'll be open when you want to visit.

BUSINESSES/OPERATORS: If we haven't got it right, please let us know and we can edit. If we have missed you off the list this time, let us know so we can include you next time.

FACEBOOK ADMINS: Please share this post, rather than just images, so if we do make any changes to the lists, folks clicking in to our post on your page will get the most updated versions.

Have a wonderful Xmas and New Year!

26/04/2024

Have your say!

🙋‍♂️: It's poll time, so let us know what you think.

The Harbour Street trial pedestrianisation ends on Sunday 28 April, and we're looking for your feedback. Pick one of the emojis so we can get a read on how you feel about it.

If you've got photos, or ideas and suggestions about the trial, drop them in the comments too. We're looking to hear from everyone on this, so let us know what you think today.

19/04/2024

A reminder that Harbour Street will be closed to vehicles from tomorrow through to 28th April. Please see the attached map for disability parking options and loading zones. An ideal time to wander down Harbour Street with the family, take some photos without cars in the background and support our local businesses.
KH

23/12/2023

Meri Kirihimete! Here's some handy lists of what will (and won't) be open over the holiday season.

Please note, there may be some changes to days that owners/operators let us know, we will update the spreadsheets here as needed.

Facebook folk: with this in mind re updates, please share the link to this post rather than copying the lists here to your own page.

12/07/2022

Some fun in this wet and chilly weather!

School Holiday Special! Ride the train on Weds 13th July, all kids ride free with a paying adult. Train departs Harbourside Station at 11:00am, 11:45am and 1:00pm only. Yes, it's supposed to continue raining all week but it's nice and cozy inside our vintage 1905 restored railway carriage!

23/06/2022

The 51st Annual Gemstone Jewellery & Craft Fair is on again in Oamaru on Saturday the 9th and Sunday the 10th of July.
Always fascinating!
Bring the kids too!

19/06/2022

Another lovely long weekend coming up...
Celebrating Matariki this Friday!
In Māori culture, Matariki is both the name of the Pleiades star cluster and of the celebration of its first rising in late June or early July. This marks the beginning of the new year in the Māori lunar calendar. Matariki was made an official public holiday in New Zealand in April 2022, and the first celebration is on the 24th of June.
The Oamaru & Waitaki Visitor Centre and Whitestone City will be open every day from 10am.