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Oamaru
History & Heritage
Gavin Mclean
Reviewed by Dorothy - 25/10/02
Oamaru: History & Heritage by Gavin McLean is an excellent new
guide book to this interesting New Zealand town. Oamaru is attracting an
increasing number of visitors because of its interesting history and
architecture, and its active promotion of its attractions. The interest
in exploring Oamaru's fine buildings created in the nineteenth century from
the local Oamaru stone has already been heightened by the informative pamphlets
available at the Oamaru Visitor Information Centre. Oamaru:
History & Heritage brings a fascinating further insight into this
town's history.
Gavin McLean's book, Oamaru: History & Heritage, published this year
by the University of Otago Press, arrived on my desk as I was writing an article
about the attractions of Oamaru and it made me want to revisit Oamaru as soon as
possible.
Gavin McLean, born in Oamaru, has firsthand knowledge of many of the changes in
the town. He is an historian with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. In his
new book he covers the history of the town and its buildings in greater detail
than is possible in pamphlets. It is a most comprehensive guide-book to Oamaru
past and present.
The Forrester Gallery on the cover
This book will attract readers first by its striking cover. It features a
photo taken looking up at night at the Corinthian columns at the Forrester
Gallery. The elaborately carved capitals and the fluted columns are shown
clearly in the night lighting. To me this is symbolic of the effect of the
book - shedding light on what otherwise might be passed by unnoticed.
Historical comment
Gavin McLean discusses the history of the buildings and comments on the
people, policy or issues involved. As often happens his comment on the
Forrester Gallery includes an arresting phrase. Here he begins, This
is a case of portico envy if ever there was one, and goes on to
explain that the architect Robert Lawson designed the Bank of Otago with
four Corinthian columns in 1873, and the Bank of New South Wales
commissioned him to go one better resulting in 1883 in a building with six
columns and an elaborate balustrade - the Bank of New South Wales.
Modern use of the building
The building built for a bank is now the Forrester Gallery, which McLean
says has made the temple of commerce a temple of art and learning
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Focus on photographs
The book is illustrated with excellent photographs, historical and
contemporary, which both highlight the text and guide photographers to the
most interesting buildings in this town which is often called The
Whitestone City. When we last visited Oamaru we photographed a number
of buildings, but not the Forrester Gallery which is now high on our list
for the next visit.
We did get a photo of the second Oamaru Post Office built in 1884, now used
as offices for the Waitaki District Council. Do read Gavin McLean's
account of the central government/local government spat that caused the
delay in adding the clock and tower.
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The former Post Office with its tower and clock
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North Otago Museum - formerly the Athenaeum
We also took a photograph of the North Otago Museum building. It was built
to replace the dilapidated Oamaru Athenaeum and Mechanics' Institute and
continued as the Athenaeum until it became the municipal library in 1948.
When a new library was built in 1975 it became the North Otago Museum.
Its displays highlight natural, Maori and colonial history.
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North Otago Museum
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Clearly indicated walks
The buildings and gardens are described in the format of walking tours with
clear maps. The sites are not confined to the commercial Whitestone
buildings, but also include Waitaki Boys' High School, the old wooden
railway station, New Zealand's first freezing works on the Totara Estate,
and
other old buildings.
One walk combines old buildings, the Port of Oamaru, the Blue Penguin
Colony and Bushy Beach where the yellow penguins can be viewed. Readers
are warned to check on the time when the penguins can best be seen. Plan
for an evening visit.
An inspiration for a repeat visit
Oamaru has long been one of my favourite places, but reading this new book
fired me with fresh enthusiasm to visit this town which is so full of
history. I want to walk through the town, book in hand, and see again the
old buildings with new insight into their stories.
Other books by Gavin McLean
Captain's Log
100 Historic Places in New Zealand
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