Oaro
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Oaro
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| settlement_type = town
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| coordinates = {{coord|42|31|00|S|173|30|20|E|display=inline, title}}
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| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = New Zealand
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = Canterbury
| subdivision_type2 = Territorial authority
| subdivision_name2 = Kaikōura District
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| population_total = 66
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| timezone1 = New Zealand Standard Time
| utc_offset1 = +12
| timezone1_DST = New Zealand Daylight Time
| utc_offset1_DST = +13
| postal_code_type = Postcode
| postal_code = 7374
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Oaro is a settlement close to the Pacific Ocean Coast of north Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand.
Oaro is within Kaikōura District on State Highway 1 and on the South Island Main Trunk railway, 20 kilometres south of Kaikōura. It lies on a small flood plain close to the mouth of the Oaro River, which reaches the ocean just to the north of Oaro. The headland of Piripaua (Spyglass Point) and the associated Haumuri Bluff are located just to the south of the settlement.Dowling, P. (ed.) (2004). ’’Reed New Zealand atlas’’. Auckland: Reed Publishing. Map 73. {{ISBN|0 7900 0952 8}}
There is some conjecture about Oaro's etymology, though it is definitely Māori; it has been suggested that it could mean "the place at the front",{{Cite web|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/1000-maori-place-names|title=1000 Māori place names|publisher=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage|date=6 August 2019}} "the place of swamp",Reed, A.W. (1975). Place names of New Zealand. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed. p. 292. or "the place of a wish".Wise's New Zealand guide (1969) Dunedin: H. Wise & Co. p.218. Alternatively it could mean "The place of Aro", which may have been the name of a prominent local Māori individual.
The area around Oaro was badly affected by the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qltiJ5hXoPA YouTube footage of the quake's aftermath]Daly, M., "[https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/90773348/kaikoura-earthquake-tsunami-was-as-high-as-7-metres-at-one-spot Kaikoura Earthquake tsunami was as high as 7 metres at one spot]," stuff.co.nz, 28 March 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2019.