Oamaru stone is a hard, compact limestone, quarried at Weston, near Oamaru in Otago, New Zealand.
The stone is compact and hard. It is ideal for building purposes, especially where ornate moulding is required. The finished stonework has a creamy, sandy colour. Unfortunately, it is not strongly resistant to pollution, and can be prone to surface crumbling.
Oamaru stone was used on many of the grand public buildings in the towns and cities of the southern South Island, especially after the financial boom caused by the Central Otago goldrush of the 1860s. The city of Dunedin and town of Oamaru both have many fine examples of Oamaru stone edifices. The stone was used widely on buildings in many parts of New Zealand, including in the construction of both the Town Hall and the Chief Post Office in Auckland.1
Its ease of working also appeals to sculptors and examples of Oamaru stone sculpture can be found throughout New Zealand.
See also
External links
References
- ^ McLauchlan, Gordon; et al. (1984). in Gordon McLauchlan (editor in chief): Bateman New Zealand Encyclopedia. David Bateman Limited. ISBN 0-908610-21-1.
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