Things to Do in Timaru

• Gardens
  Stroll through the Timaru Botanic Gardens, a 210ha reserve bordering Caroline Bay with gardens, duck ponds and an aviary. The garden is noted for its work with rare and endangered species and its rose collections. Timaru district also has beautiful private gardens open for tours during summer.
• Landed Service Building
  The last remaining building of its type in the Southern Hemisphere, the Landed Service Building was built in 1870 from solidified lava (bluestone) and contains relics of Timaru's maritime heritage.
• Aigantighe Art Gallery
  This gallery was founded in 1956 and holds the South Island's third largest art museum collection. It has New Zealand, Pacific, Asian and European art works from the sixteenth century to the present day and its British Victorian painting collection is of great significance. Collaborations with overseas collectors have seen exciting exhibitions such as Swiss-Italian Impressionism and Fashion in the Style of Frida Kahlo (2006). The sculpture garden by New Zealand, Japanese, and African artists is always open. Visit the official site, or email the gallery.
• South Canterbury Museum
  The excellent South Canterbury Museum explores the area's whaling history, with some good examples of scrimshaw (whale bone etchings). There are also local Maori artefacts and a replica of the first aeroplane designed and flown by local farmer and inventor, Richard Pearse. Pearse was believed to have flown his craft a year before the Wright brothers made their historic flight at Kittyhawk in 1904.
• Pleasant Point
  Located 19km north of Timaru, the township of Pleasant Point is home to the Pleasant Point steam railway, the award-winning Opihi vineyard, Denheath House and a working blacksmith.
• Maori Rock Art
  Timaru and nearby Waimate districts share some 500 sites dating from the 16th century, the most famous of which is the Taniwha (sea monster) near Hanging Rock.
• Ski Areas
  Timaru is a convenient base for winter skiers, and there are several ski areas within two hours' drive including Mt Dobson, Fox Peak, Mt Hutt, Ohau and Tekapo.