Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sights
Blue Penguin Colony
MAP
WILDLIFE
GOOGLE MAP
( 03-433 1195;
www.penguins.co.nz
; Waterfront Rd; 10am-sunset)
In an old limestone quarry
near the waterfront, you can see the little tykes from the Oamaru little penguin colony
surfing in and wading ashore. The penguins arrive in clumps just before dark (around
5.30pm in midwinter and 9.30pm midsummer), and it takes them about an hour to all
come ashore. Stands are set up on either side of the waddle route. General admission
(adult/child $28/14) will give you a good view of the action but the premium stand ($40/
20), accessed by a boardwalk through the nesting area, will get you closer.
You'll see the most penguins (up to 180) in November and December. From March to
August there may be only 50 to 70 birds. Nightly viewing times are posted at the i-SITE
(
Click here
)
. Use of cameras is prohibited and you're advised to dress warmly.
To understand the centre's conservation work and its success in increasing the penguin
population, take the daytime, behind-the-scenes tour (self-guided adult/child $10/5 or
guided $16/8); packages that combine night viewing and the daytime tour are available.
Do not under any circumstances wander around the rocks beside the sea here at night
looking for penguins. It's damaging to their environment and spoils studies into the hu-
man effects on the birds.
Yellow-Eyed Penguin Colony
MAP
WILDLIFE
GOOGLE MAP
(Bushy Beach Rd)
Larger and much rarer than their little blue cousins, yellow-eyed
penguins waddle ashore at Bushy Beach in the late afternoon to feed their young. Despite
their Maori name, hoiho, meaning 'noisy shouter', they're extremely shy; if they see or
hear you they'll head back into the water and the chicks will go hungry.
In order to protect these endangered birds, the beach is closed to people at 3pm, but
there are hides set up on the cliffs (you'll need binoculars for a decent view). The best
time to see them is two hours before sunset.
Victorian Precinct
Consisting of only a couple of blocks centred on Harbour and Tyne Sts, this atmospheric
enclave has some of NZ's best-preserved Victorian commercial buildings. Descend on a
NEIGHBOURHOOD
