A beautiful image showing close up detail of a penny farthing bicycle, Oamaru New Zealand.

The penny-farthing, also known as a high wheel, high wheeler and ordinary, is a type of bicycle with a large front wheel and a much smaller rear wheel. It was popular after the boneshaker until the development of the safety bicycle in the 1880s. It was the first machine to be called a "bicycle".

Although the name "penny-farthing" is now the most common, it was probably not used until the machines were nearly outdated; the first recorded print reference is from 1891 in Bicycling News. It comes from the British penny and farthing coins, one much larger than the other, so that the side view resembles a penny leading a farthing. For most of their reign, they were simply known as "bicycles". In the late 1890s, the name "ordinary" began to be used, to distinguish them from the emerging safety bicycles; this term and "hi-wheel" (and variants) are preferred by many modern enthusiasts.

In 1869, Eugène Meyer, a Frenchman, invented the High-Bicycle design and fashioned the wire-spoke tension wheel. Around 1870, English inventor James Starley, described as the father of the bicycle industry, and others, began producing bicycles based on the French boneshaker but with front wheels of increasing size, because larger front wheels, up to 1.5 m (60 in) in diameter, enabled higher speeds on bicycles limited to direct drive. In 1878, Albert Pope began manufacturing the Columbia bicycle outside of Boston, starting their two-decade heyday in America.

Although the trend was short-lived, the penny-farthing became a symbol of the late Victorian era. Its popularity also coincided with the birth of cycling as a sport. (source Wikipedia)

Oamaru Breakwater is all that stands between the harbour and the roaring sees of the south Pacific ocean. 

Storms bring huge waves breaking over the stone sides, sometimes, at high tide, the breakwater can disappear completely under the waves, so take care if you want to capture a photo yourself!

Check out the history of the Breakwater here.

Below Benmore Dam, Waitaki, willow trees grow. A digital painting by Derek Golding.

Benmore Dam is the largest dam within the Waitaki power scheme, located in the New Zealand's South Island. There are eight other power stations in the Waitaki Power Scheme.

The dam is the largest earth-filled water-retaining structure in New Zealand. Its core is low permeability clay material, supported by two massive shoulders of river gravel. Lake Benmore has a volume of 1.25 billion cubic metres, about 1.5 times as much water as Wellington Harbour. The dam's spillway can cope with 3,400 cubic metres of water per second, about 10 times the mean river flow.

GoldingArts Fine Art cards are printed onto photographic paper, the cards hand made and inspected before being sealed in a protective envelope. Perfect for framing.

The canvas has string attached and ready to hang. Semi-gloss finish with super vibrant colours.

240gsm synthetic Canvas creates crisp lines and a sharp image.

32mm deep. Kiln dried, renewable NZ radiata pine prevents warping.

Canvases are easily cleaned with a damp cloth.

Harbour Street, Oamaru, is a quite place at night, the silence only broken by the chatter of the little penguins that live under the buildings.

If you walk these streets after midnight, be aware you are being watched. Ghosts inhabit these streets, denizens of a long lost past walk in the space between worlds.

A Shipweck close to the coast of Oamaru in the late 1800's caused the loss of all lives, or so it was believed. For weeks after tales of a strange creature with huge teeth and a scream that struck the heart of the bravest man were whispered around the town. On stormy nights, the scream can still be heard.

Harbour Street, Oamaru, is a quite place at night, the silence only broken by the chatter of the little penguins that live under the buildings.

If you walk these streets after midnight, be aware you are being watched. Ghosts inhabit these streets, denizens of a long lost past walk in the space between worlds.

On the old railway bridge you may catch a glimpse of the Drowned Bride, a sad young figure who, after being spurned by her lover, cast herself into the sea. She lingers now at this vantage point, vainly waiting to catch a glipse of the man she loves.

Holmes Wharf, a digitally painted art piece shows the lights at night stretching along the length of Holmes Wharf heading towards the Breakwater

Oamaru's first post office was built in 1864 to a design by William Mason and William Clayton. The building now houses the Waitaki District Council. More information about this beautiful building can be found on Wikipedia 

Oamaru has a unique landscape that produces the most amazing clouds many times throughout the year.

Here the Anglican Church of St Lukes cuts a black silhouette against the early evening sky.

A Digital artwork showing the beautiful Oamaru Harbour at sunset, the boats still lit by the setting sun.

The little town of Oamaru, the town that could! A digital painting by Derek Golding

Oamaru a beautiful little town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Home to GoldingArts and the location of many of Derek's phtotographs and artworks.

Oamaru is well worth a visit by any photographer or artist for the stunning views.

Oamaru panoramic silhouette, a digital painting by Derek Golding. Several variations exist for this image; check our gallery for more.

Stand at the end of Holmes Wharf as the sun sets and watch the sea mist drift into the little town of Oamaru.

Waitaki skies are some of the most beautiful in the world, the Oamaru skyline is seen here cutting deep into the twilight sky.

Digital artwork showing the amazing layers the slight mist and dusk created.

Penny Farthings abound in Oamaru. One of the highlights of the year is the Penny Farthing race held during the Victorian Heritage Celebrations in November of each year.

Be sure to have a photograph taken outside the Whitestone Civic Trust building on the Ordinary cycle (Penny Farthing) outside the front door when you visit! 

Penny Farthings abound in Oamaru. One of the highlights of the year is the Penny Farthing race held during the Victorian Heritage Celebrations in November of each year.

Be sure to have a photograph taken outside the Whitestone Civic Trust building on the Ordinary cycle (Penny Farthing) outside the front door when you visit! 

Two lights, one at the end of the Breakwater, one at the end of Holmes Wharf stand as sentinels in the night guiding the lonely sailor back into Oamaru Harbour to safety.

The Lindis Pass, beautiful mountains rise above the thin ribbon of a road stretching out on it's journey into the distance.

Digitally painted by Derek Golding, the beautiful warm colours will compliment any room.

The Lindis Pass, beautiful mountains rise above the thin ribbon of a road stretching out on it's journey into the distance.

Digitally painted by Derek Golding, the beautiful warm colours will compliment any room.

Lupins abound in the Mackenzie country. This is a digital painting of the beautiful flowers scattered across the district.

Check out this article in New Zealand Geographic about the love/hate relationship with them here.

Steampunk HQ in Oamaru is a major draw card to thousands of visitors a year, yet at night, it is the domain of the penguin!

Well worth a visit at night, as is all the Harbour Precinct area

A digital painting by Derek Golding.

A road stretches home in the back country high above Otematata, North Otago. Nor-wester weather brings about some spectacular lighting in these locations.

Being close to the sea and a landmass like the cape provides the artist with some stunning cloud formations.

Here we see Mammatus clouds billowing up above the rear facade of a building on Harbour street.

A Tor is an outcrop of rock in the landscape. Otago has many Tor's scattered across the district thanks to the Geology and weather we experience here.

This is a digital painting showing the natural bonsai like tree, treated harshly by the prevailing winds into this unusual shape.

A Tor is an outcrop of rock in the landscape. Otago has many Tor’s scattered across the district thanks to the Geology and weather we experience here.

This is a digital painting of a natural bonsai-like tree that has been treated harshly by the prevailing winds to form this unusual shape.

Steampunk HQ is located in the former Meeks Grain Elevator Building, a historic building registered with by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Category II structure.