| 49 T T Emma Bailey A stone with unique, timeless beauty Every block of Oamaru Stone is unique, featuring colours and tones found only in limestone, ranging from clean ivory to rich caramel, ochre, rust and copper tones. Oamaru Stone REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT With its timeless beauty, Oamaru Stone continues to grace buildings new and old and has been used in the extension of the iconic Forrester Gallery in the North Otago town — merging the past with the present. Oamaru is famed for its Whitestone buildings and sculptures. Oamaru Stone Operations Manager Dustin King said the company was honoured to be involved in the historic project. In February last year Forrester Gallery was closed for the major extension to be added. The three-storey addition at the rear of the existing 1884 Category 1 heritage building is clad in Oamaru Stone in keeping with the original gallery. “That was quite an interesting one, all the stones were made in a traditional running bond pattern but were manufactured in double length with a dummy join to give the appearance of a modern stacker bond pattern. I think the contrast between old and new works perfectly. “The architects had every stone position mapped out and individually labelled, so the stonemasons knew exactly where to put them which was great for our programming.” Renowned for its fine grain and consistent texture, Oamaru Stone stands out with its remarkable purity of 94 to 98 percent calcium carbonate, contributing to its strength and long-lasting appeal. Every block of Oamaru Stone is unique, featuring colours and tones found only in limestone, ranging from clean ivory to rich caramel, ochre, rust and copper tones. From as early as the 1860s, limestone was quarried at various sites around North Otago creating spectacular buildings like the Oamaru Opera House and the Gallery. Now all the other limestone quarries in North Otago are gone, except for Oamaru Stone’s Parkside Quarry in Weston. “Our family has owned the farm since around the 1870s and the quarry started in 1905. It’s had various owners who’ve leased the land from the family. In the early 1980s we took over the quarrying.” In 2019 the company invested in a massive CNC (computer numerically controlled) saw machine that is the largest of its kind in New (PDLO LQIR# VPOZ FR Q] 3K Bring your vision to life with the elegance and timeless appeal of Ōamaru Stone. Pure, natural New Zealand limestone Endless inspiration and possibilities oamarustone.co.nz Zealand and one of only two in Australasia. “The Five Axis CNC Machine gives our customers practically limitless design options, stone can be custom cut, carved and shaped to almost any size, shape and design.” The machine is also used to cut different stone types from all around New Zealand: granites, basalts, schist, marble etc. “Stone is being used now for furniture, interior features and sculpture.” “Any building made of stone is going to be around a long time. It is a low maintenance cladding and it’s proven to stand the test of time as it’s already a few millions years old.” A recent build in the Hakataramea Valley has produced a visually appealing modern farmhouse clad in Oamaru stone, perfect to meet the weather conditions. The stone was used in interior features as well. “Being a natural stone it just blends so well into the environment.”
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