Oxford: Museum, Market and Starry Skies

Oxford lies on the Inland Scenic Route and combines specific visitor attractions in town with natural attractions nearby. The museum and Farmers Market have addresses on Main Street; the Oxford Forest Conservation Area is near Oxford. This geographical distinction helps you plan visits in town and time in the natural landscape as separate parts of your trip.

Places and opening times in Oxford

The Oxford Museum is at 70 Main Street and is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm. The Oxford Farmers Market is held year-round every Sunday at 42 Main Street; closures are possible in extreme weather. Sunday is therefore the day both are open, while the museum is also open on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If one of these visits determines your travel day, check the opening hours or possible market closures in advance. Each opening window is four hours long.

The Oxford Observatory can arrange private tours for all ages on request. For planning purposes, this kind of visit differs from the market, which is held regularly on Sundays: a private tour requires a request. Bear this condition in mind when scheduling your activities.

Nature and recreation

Hiking, mountain biking and horse riding are listed as recreational activities for visitors to Oxford. The nearby Oxford Forest Conservation Area has walking and mountain bike trails. The area is recognised as a Dark Sky Park and is suitable for stargazing. Stargazing and the trails mentioned are therefore both within the same conservation area, but offer different focuses for your stay.

The Waimakariri District as a regional setting

The wider Waimakariri District destination has numerous walking trails beside lakes, rivers and wetlands, as well as through native bush and into the hills. These landscapes offer different settings for walks across the district: you can distinguish waterways and wetland areas from trails through bush and in the hills.

Tūhaitara Coastal Park includes Tūtaepatu Lagoon and The Pines Wetland. The park has trails for walking, cycling and horse riding. The two named natural features and the range of trail activities make this a distinct regional focus. The park’s offerings therefore differ in nature from the stargazing and walking and mountain bike trails in the nearby Oxford Forest Conservation Area.

The Kaiapoi isite Visitor Information Centre is the official isite information centre for the Waimakariri District. If your plans include the district as well as Oxford, you can use this regional information centre as a reference point for further travel planning.

Discover more destinations: Little River, Loburn, Burnham, Southburn, Lincoln University, Rakaia, Hororata, Culverden

For the wider travel overview: Canterbury.