Penguins.net.au

The Oamaru Penguin colony is located near the breakwater, at the entrance to Oamaru harbour. Oamaru is located on the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, which is one of the countries in the Southern Ocean, close to Antarctica. In fact, the American Deep Freeze Base which services the Antarctic region is located at Christchurch International Airport, approximately 3 hours North of Oamaru.

Penguins started coming to this point in the 70's. Previously there was a quarry here and after it closed down, the penguins thought it might be a good place to nest. Locals noticed this and set about creating a sanctuary, so the Penguins could nest in safety and tourists could visit them in controlled conditions.

A Visitors centre has been built on the site along with an adjoining 350 seat grandstand. Visitors can watch the coming and going of our southern neighbours. The arrival of the birds changes with the time of year and the breeding season. The busiest time is between November and January, but birds tend to continue coming and going all year round. At the peak there are up to 180 birds and in the quieter times this drops to around 30.

Check with the centre for a suitable time to visit, as these birds don’t carry watches and instead prefer to turn up as night is falling. In the winter this can be as early as 5.30 pm but in the summer as late as 9 pm. Some also stay on shore all day depending on their requirement to look after their eggs during the breeding season.

Mating usually takes place around August September and the chicks hatch between October to December. Visitors are free to walk through the reserve during the day, but are required to stay on the grandstand at night, as the birds return from hunting in the sea. There are two species of penguins at this colony - the Little Blue Penguin and the Yellow-Eyed Penguin.

Oamaru is a beautiful coastal town close to the stone quarries where Oamaru stone has been carved out of the hillside for building since the late 1800's. There are many classic old stone buildings in town making it quite unique in this part of the world. Other attractions nearby include the Macraes open cut Gold mine which is inland, the Moeraki Boulders on the beach nearby and a few hours away to the Mountain lakes of the Southern Alps. Queenstown, a pristine mountain resort, is located within these mountains.

So once you have seen the penguins, enjoy some beautiful natural landscapes. With a small population, NZ offers a world of attractions, in one country.