Omarama

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Omarama is a small township (population <400) at the junction of State Highways 8 and 83, near the southern end of the Mackenzie Basin, in the South Island of New Zealand. Omarama is part of the Waitaki District, and at the northern edge of the Otago Province. Whilst most of the Waitaki District resides within North Otago Province, Omarama is part of neighboring Canterbury Province.

It is known as a world-class gliding area, gaining fame among sailplane pilots around the world after hosting the 1995 World Gliding Championships. Omarama is Māori for "Place of Light", a reference to its extraordinarily pure and clear sky, which also makes it of great interest to astronomers.