We are in front of the former Smith’s Grain Store, in the historic Harbour/Tyne district of Oamaru. When it opened in March 1882, this magnificent store was described as a temple of art rather than just a grain warehouse!…
This building is a remarkable example of the ornate Victorian architecture for which the town is renowned.
Designed by James Johnston in an Italian style and built by stonemasons Hamilton and Co., the two-story warehouse could, at the time, hold up to 30,000 sacks of grain. It bears witness to the importance of the grain trade in the economic development of Oamaru.