Timaru - Enjoy a slice of Timaru life

Timaru city offers the ease of a small town (no traffic jams!) while being fully serviced with excellent amenities and great shopping. Within easy walking distance from the holiday park you will find summer swimming, fishing and recreation at Caroline Bay, excellent walking tracks, the Aigantighe Gallery, the South Canterbury Museum. Together with main national store chains, the city has a wonderful range of boutiques, specialist shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. The city is a central South Island hub, on the main route to Dunedin, Christchurch, to the Mackenzie Country and the Southern Alps.


Timaru is a major port city, located 160km south of Christchurch and 200km north of Dunedin. The Timaru District has a population of 42,867 people (2006 census) which includes a prosperous agricultural hinterland with links to smaller rural communities such as Pleasant Point, Temuka, and Geraldine. The town of Waimate is about 40km to the south on the road to Oamaru and Dunedin.

Timaru exists largely because the basalt reefs along the town’s coastline formed a natural break to the big Pacific surf, making it sheltered enough for ships to anchor. Timaru, Te Maru in Maori, means ‘place of shelter’. The name is also believed to relate to Maru, a chief of the South Island Ngāi Tahu tribe.

Chips at the carnival Walks with views of the surf relax on the sand swing into some river swimming body board at the bay enjoy the romantic view of Timarus night lights

 

Activities - Explore Timaru from Timaru TOP 10

If you have not visited Timaru you are in for a treat! Our city of the rose has a real charm; good amenities without the big city traffic jams and bustle; the Pacific and the Southern Alps are at our doorstep. The town centre is an easy walk from the park and our staff will assist with a city map and show you a lovely scenic route into the centre, taking you through Ashbury Park, along Bevenue Cliffs and down into Caroline Bay.

Historic Timaru - the central city features some wonderful examples of Victorian & Edwardian architecture. Central Timaru Historic Walk.

Summer swimming & picnicking at Caroline Bay and all year round play area, wheel park and skating rink – Caroline Bay is one of the South Island’s safest swimming beaches, features a new cross beach walkway, with planting of native tussocks, lupins and grasses across the dunes. Caroline Bay Walk.

Movie Max - cnr Canon & Sophia Streets, Timaru. 03 684 6989 moviemax5.

Fun Cafés for the Kids – Off the Rail café, Station Road, Timaru,T: 03 688 3594 - funky retro café in 60s style railway station, adjacent to rail yards get to see freight trains passing through; Zest - Pizza Restaurant & Café, 4a Elizabeth Plce, T: 03 688 8313, set in an old church, has indoor play area.

The Shearer's Quarters – unique retro style Country Gift Shop & Café - 932 Seadown Road RD 3, Timaru. T: (03) 6159043. Open 7 days, 10am-4pm. 15min drive from Timaru, a licensed lunch café. The Shop features gifts, local art & craft products. Setting includes farmyard & animal attractions & mini golf.

Eating Out — For window views of the bay and Pacific - Ginger & Garlic, great food, 335 Stafford St, T:03 688 3981; or historic Steak@Custom House, 2 Strathallan Street Timaru T: 03 684 5528.

Highfield Golf Course – right next door to the park, free round for guest & clubs available for hire.

Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden – (located on the bay) with its beautifully structured design, this unique garden features 1200 roses. The garden progressively comes into bloom from Nov. through to Feb/Mar.

The Botanic Gardens – the garden features many rare and endangered species, two ponds and a large conservatory. Botanic Garden Walk There are also Domains at Pleasant Point, Temuka and Geraldine that have large public spaces within which well established trees are a feature.

Maori Park Aqualand – open Nov to Mar. Te Weka Street, Timaru. 50m heated outdoor pool with slide, diving well, barbeque and picnic area.

Century Indoor Pool – open all year, Craigie Ave, Timaru. 33m indoor heated pool, separate hydroslide.

Phar Lap – immortalised in bronze by sculptor Joanne Sullivan-Gessler. The statue is due to be unveiled on 25th November 2009 and will be placed at the gates of the Timaru’s Pharlap Raceway. The huge Timaru-bred horse won 37 of his 51 starts before his premature death aged five.

Walkways & Cycleways – mountain bike hire available at the park; the following maps give full details of route and sites you will see on the way.
Botanic Garden Walk
Caroline Bay Walk
Centennial Park
Central Timaru Historic Walk
Dashing Rocks Walk
Otipua Wetlands
Pioneer Trail
Redruth Caledonian
Saltwater Creek

Sporting Venues – Timaru has a comprehensive range of community sporting facilities designed to international standards for rugby, tennis, yachting, swimming, netball, cricket, golf, hockey, croquet and bowls. Aorangi Park is Timaru's major sporting venue. The Council also operates two swimming pools.

Timaru History

Timaru History, view of the city in the 1940s In the early settler days before the harbour was built, there were numerous shipwrecks. The coast continues to be a dramatic feature of the town and one of the best places to experience this is on the walkway along Benvenue Cliffs, with spray kicking up as the Pacific herds in against the basalt. The working port is central to the economic vibrancy of the town, set on the eastern side of Caroline Bay, the port works 24/7 with large container ships coming in from all over the world.

The building of the harbour had a dramatic impact on the coastline; in particular the sand piling up at foot of the clay cliffs is how the beach of Caroline Bay was established. Caroline Bay turned Timaru into a seaside holiday destination. Christmas carnivals have been held at the bay since 1911, attracting thousands. Recent developments on the bay include the building of a piazza on the top of Bay Hill. The view from the piazza on a clear day is absolutely stunning, offering a wonderful panorama across the bay, the Pacific and inland to the Southern Alps. Timaru has evolved slowly and as a result of this the city has some wonderful examples of early 20th-century architecture, notably along the main street, Stafford Street.

For historic photos of Timaru visit: http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz

Resources
Te Ara: The Encyclopedia Of New Zealand (on-line)
This on line resource is one New Zealand’s unique treasure’s, compiled by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage. For more information on the history and development of Timaru and South Canterbury see:
www.teara.govt.nz/Places/SouthCanterbury

Central South Island Tourism
Based in the Landing Service Building (the oldest blue stone building in the city), has a wealth of information on historic sites in the city, walk and cycle ways, events and activities.
www.southisland.org.nz/ | 0800 4 TIMARU | timaru@i-SITE.org | 2 George Street, Timaru.

New Zealands premier holiday parks - a bed for every budget

All rights reserved @ 2009 ©Timaru TOP 10 & Web Masters: Cloake Creative:www.cloakecreative.co.nz