Omarama

Omarama is a small town (population 267 at 2013 census) at the junction of State Highways 8 and 83, near the southern end of the Mackenzie Basin, in the South Island of New Zealand. Omarama is in the Waitaki District, in the southern Canterbury region. The Ahuriri River is a short distance to the north of the township. Omarama is 30 km (20 minutes drive) southwest of Twizel, 40km (30 minutes drive) southeast of Lake Ōhau and 32 km (21 minutes drive) northeast of the Lindis Pass.

Omarama
Town
Motto(s): 
The Place of Light
Omarama
Coordinates: 44°29′0″S 169°58′0″E
CountryNew Zealand
RegionCanterbury
Territorial authorityWaitaki District
Population
 (2018 Census)[1]
 • Total291
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Local iwiNgāi Tahu

Omarama is primarily a rural service centre, providing local farmers and other residents with necessities and facilities such as grocery shopping, fuel and mechanical services, as well as a post shop.

In more recent years these and similar services have expanded moderately, due to the increase in new residents and visitors, including anglers, artists, astronomers, sailplane enthusiasts, skiers and general tourists.

A significant proportion of permanent village residents are employees of, or contractors to, Meridian Energy Limited, a state-owned enterprise which is responsible for the nearby dams and powerstations that are part of New Zealand's hydroelectricity generation.

Omarama is Māori for "Place of Light", a reference to its extraordinarily pure and clear sky.

Demographics

The population of Omarama was 291 in the 2018 census, an increase of 21 from 2013. There were 147 males and 141 females. 100.0% of people identified as European/Pākehā, 4.1% as Māori and 15.5% as Asian. 9.3% were under 15 years old, 18.6% were 15–29, 49.5% were 30–64, and 21.7% were 65 or older.[1]

History

The first European to visit Omarama was Walter Mantell in December 1852. European settlement began in 1857 with the establishment of the Benmore and Ben Ohau stations.[2]

Ōmārama was an important food source (kāinga mahinga kai) for the Ngai Tahu in the Mackenzie Basin. In 1877, Hipa Te Maiharoa with over 100 supporters travelled up the Waitaki River to Omarama and camped at Ōmārama to reaffirm the Ngāi Tahu claim to the interior of the South Island. This lead to numerous visits from the government and Ngāi Tahu leaders to Omarama. In 1879, they were evicted by an armed constabulary. Te Maiharoa and his followers then moved to the mouth of the Waitaki River.[3]

Agriculture
Omarama was traditionally a wool growing area

Although traditionally sheep country, Omarama area farms, along with those within the rest of the Mackenzie Basin, have rapidly converted to predominantly dairy farming, due to falling sheep meat and wool prices, and the recent boom in dairy product earnings.

The dairy conversion has made major changes to the local environment, with iconic tussock lands being ploughed and replaced by pasture, facilitated by new irrigation schemes. Large centre pivot irrigators and private canal networks now dominate much of the landscape.[4][5]

Recently however, diminishing returns on dairy-based agriculture have led to farmers investigating alternative methods and practices, some now experimenting with biofuel crops.

Angling

There are many rivers and lakes in and near Omarama suitable for recreational fishing. The nearby Ahuriri River is a noted fly-fishing river[6] and adjacent Lake Benmore and Lake Ōhau are popular with boaters, as well as fly casters and other anglers.

Commonly encountered local fish species include salmon, and brown and rainbow trout.

Astronomy

Omarama is home of the annual mid winter star party. Local street lighting and other light sources are dimmed or switched off for the duration of the event.

Benmore Peak Observatory is located approximately 13 km north of Omarama, atop the nearby Benmore Range.

A fallstreak hole visible over Omarama, in May 2006

Gliding

Due to the strong gliding conditions in the Omarama area, and Mackenzie Basin, it is known as a world-class gliding location, gaining fame among sailplane pilots around the world after hosting the 1995 World Gliding Championships.

Pilots come to Omarama to experience strong lee wave conditions, ridge soaring and thermal flying. It is common for Omarama-based gliders to soar hundreds of kilometers along the Southern Alps each day. In ideal conditions, it is possible for gliders to reach distances in excess of 2000 km. Several national and world gliding records have been achieved from Omarama,[7] and the prevailing conditions have attracted record seekers such as Steve Fossett.[8]

The Omarama Gliding Club and several commercial gliding organizations are based in the town.

Snow sports

There are three skifields within the MacKenzie Basin; Ohau, Round Hill, and Mount Dobson.

Hot tubs

A local business provides outdoor hot tubs on a private landscaped site, along with saunas and massage.[9]

Mountain biking

Omarama is on the route of the Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail,[10] after the trail was constructed following approval in 2010.

Omarama Clay Cliffs

Other attractions

Omarama is a popular holiday destination amongst those living in surrounding districts and provinces, many owning family holiday residences within the village. Tramping is also popular with locals and visitors alike, due to the spectacular and often rugged landscape. Due to the spectacular scenery, numerous artists regularly visit the Omarama area, and several are now permanent residents, exhibiting their Omarama and Mackenzie landscapes and other work in local galleries and further afield.

Education

Omarama School was first built on Buscot Station in the 1930’s. It was moved to its present site on State Highway 8 in Omarama during the 1940’s. As a result of people moving to work at the local hydro electricity development, Omarama School increased in size to a four-teacher school in the late 1980’s. Today, 2.5 FTE of teachers teach at the school and its catchment area serves Omarama and a wide area of the Upper Waitaki high country. Omarama School caters for new entrants to Year 8 children with two classrooms, a school library and a covered solar heated pool on a 11938 square metre site. [11]

Government

Omarama is part of the Waitaki Electorate. [12] The Waitaki District Council provide local government services to Omarama.[13] In 2020, the Waitaki District Council published a masterplan for developing Omarama.[14]

In his novel The Zombie Survival Guide, Max Brooks of World War Z fame makes reference to Omarama as site of a historical zombie attack.

Disney's movie Mulan released in 2020 was partially filmed at the Omarama Clay Cliffs.[15]

References
  1. "Age and sex by ethnic group (grouped total response), for census usually resident population counts, 2006, 2013, and 2018 Censuses (urban rural areas)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  2. McMillan, Eileen (2021). Frugal country and hard on the boots : a history of the Lake Ohau valley. Twizel. p. 421.
  3. "Atlas — Cultural Mapping Project — Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu". www.kahurumanu.co.nz. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  4. Rae, Sally (28 December 2016). "From backwater to water 'battleground'". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  5. Tatham, Helem (7 December 2016). "Benmore Irrigation Company shareholders 'hugely disappointed' by decision against resource consent". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  6. Two of the Best Fly Fishing Rivers in the World
  7. Tollan, Jeff (14 December 2009). "Gliding on to a world record". STUFF. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  8. Taylor, Marty. "Updraft". New Zealand Geographic. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  9. "HOT Tubs Omarama". Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  10. "Welcome to New Zealand's Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail". alps2ocean.com. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  11. "Omarama School - About Us". sites.google.com. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  12. "Waitaki: Households - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  13. "Home - Waitaki District Council". www.waitaki.govt.nz. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  14. "Omarama Masterplan 2020" (PDF). www.waitaki.govt.nz. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  15. "NZ director's film Mulan released on Disney Plus bypassing cinemas". Newshub. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
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