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Omarama
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Omarama
Omarama is a small town (population 291 as of the 2018 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, 40 km (30 minutes drive) southeast of Lake Ōhau and 32 km (21 minutes drive) northeast of the Lindis Pass.
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, and a post shop. In 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 tourists. A significant proportion of permanent village residents are employees of, or contractors to, Meridian Energy Limited, a state-owned enterprise that is responsible for the nearby dams and powerstations that are part of New Zealand's hydroelectricity generation.
Various explanations have been offered for the meaning of the name Omarama, which comes from the Māori language. The ethnographer Herries Beattie reported that it referred to a chief named Marama, thus meaning literally "Of Marama". Publisher A. W. Reed offered the literal constructions o ("the place of") marama ("moon", or "light") – in modern orthography these would be Ōmarama ("the place of moon") or Ōmārama ("the place of light"). Another explanation is that marama means "marram grass, which was planted here under government instructions". Some tourism websites promote the name Ōmārama and the meaning "place of light".
The Omarama area had numerous important food sources for the Ngāi Tahu Māori iwi (tribe) in what would later be named the Mackenzie Basin.
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.
In 1877, Hipa Te Maihāroa with over 100 supporters travelled up the Waitaki River to Omarama and camped there to reaffirm the Ngāi Tahu claim to the interior of the South Island. This led to numerous visits from the government and Ngāi Tahu leaders. In 1879, they were evicted by an armed constabulary. Te Maiharoa and his followers then moved to the mouth of the Waitaki River.
The Waitaki District Council provides local government services to Omarama. In 2020, the council published a masterplan for developing Omarama. Omarama is part of the Waitaki electorate.
Omarama is described as a rural settlement by Statistics New Zealand, and covers 8.30 km2 (3.20 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 370 as of June 2025, with a population density of 45 people per km2. It is part of the larger Aviemore statistical area.
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Omarama
Omarama is a small town (population 291 as of the 2018 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, 40 km (30 minutes drive) southeast of Lake Ōhau and 32 km (21 minutes drive) northeast of the Lindis Pass.
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, and a post shop. In 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 tourists. A significant proportion of permanent village residents are employees of, or contractors to, Meridian Energy Limited, a state-owned enterprise that is responsible for the nearby dams and powerstations that are part of New Zealand's hydroelectricity generation.
Various explanations have been offered for the meaning of the name Omarama, which comes from the Māori language. The ethnographer Herries Beattie reported that it referred to a chief named Marama, thus meaning literally "Of Marama". Publisher A. W. Reed offered the literal constructions o ("the place of") marama ("moon", or "light") – in modern orthography these would be Ōmarama ("the place of moon") or Ōmārama ("the place of light"). Another explanation is that marama means "marram grass, which was planted here under government instructions". Some tourism websites promote the name Ōmārama and the meaning "place of light".
The Omarama area had numerous important food sources for the Ngāi Tahu Māori iwi (tribe) in what would later be named the Mackenzie Basin.
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.
In 1877, Hipa Te Maihāroa with over 100 supporters travelled up the Waitaki River to Omarama and camped there to reaffirm the Ngāi Tahu claim to the interior of the South Island. This led to numerous visits from the government and Ngāi Tahu leaders. In 1879, they were evicted by an armed constabulary. Te Maiharoa and his followers then moved to the mouth of the Waitaki River.
The Waitaki District Council provides local government services to Omarama. In 2020, the council published a masterplan for developing Omarama. Omarama is part of the Waitaki electorate.
Omarama is described as a rural settlement by Statistics New Zealand, and covers 8.30 km2 (3.20 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 370 as of June 2025, with a population density of 45 people per km2. It is part of the larger Aviemore statistical area.
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