Timaru is a major port city in the southern Canterbury region of New Zealand, located 160 kilometres south of Christchurch and about 200 kilometres north of Dunedin, on the eastern Pacific coast of the South Island.
The Caroline Bay area, located close to the town centre, is popular with tourists. There is a good swimming beach, a maze, and restaurants and cafes to visit. The South Canterbury Museum is excellent and the DB Mainland Brewery is worth a visit.
Some attractive features of Timaru are its Victorian and Edwardian buildings made from local bluestone, and its beautiful gardens. The Timaru Botanic Gardens and the Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden are popular with visitors.
Things to see and do
* South Canterbury Museum
* Caroline Bay
* DB Mainland Brewery
* Timaru Botanic Gardens
* Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – NZ Dollar (NZ$)
Language – English & Maori
Land Area – 2,736.54 km²
Population – 45,000 approx
Electricity – 2 angled pins and 1 flat pin centred below Australian style
Time – GMT plus twelve hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 64
Port Location – The port of Timaru is located approximately 1km from the town centre of Timaru.
Transport Links – There are regular coach and minibus services to Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Queenstown and the Mackenzie Country, leaving from outside the Visitor Information Centre, which provides booking facilities and other travel services.
Domestic passenger rail services have been discontinued, but freight still uses the east coast line on a daily basis.
Richard Pearse Airport is located to the north of the city. It is equipped to handle light aircraft and short haul domestic flights, with regular services to Wellington.