Oamaru

Oamaru (pronounced ‘Ommarroo’, with the O as in ‘clock’) is a lovely town on the coast between Dunedin and Christchurch. Its beauty and wealth derive partly from it being a centre of farming and trade, and from its being a port; but also from the gorgeous white limestone that’s available here. This stone is used in much of the town centre and across the South Island; and a grey variation of it is even used for the New Zealand Parliament buildings in Wellington. Compared with the messiness of most New Zealand towns this is a world away, and it makes Oamaru an almost compulsory stop if you’re touring the South Island. Greytown in the Wairapa is known as the most beautiful small town in New Zealand, but I'd certainly vote Oamaru the most beautiful significant town in New Zealand.