omarama

Junction town 119 km north-west of Ōamaru. Many thousands of travellers pass through Ōmarama en route from Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Mackenzie Country to Queenstown, Wānaka and Central Otago, via the Lindis Pass. Wind currents in the district provide ideal gliding conditions. The town’s name refers to the moon (marama).

Meaning of place name
Ō: place of; marama: moon, light, or moonlight. In later times it was said that marama is the Māori pronunciation of marram grass, which was planted here under governemnt instructions.

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