Customs is the oldest government department in New Zealand, established in 1840, Its primary role was to collect revenue, particularly taxes on alcohol, tobacco, tea, sugar and grain.
The Government appointed officials to monitor and administer customs matters at Ports of Entry such as Oamaru. Oamaru was declared a Port of Entry on 1 August 1861 and a ‘Warehousing Port’ for the purposes of the Customs Regulation Act in 1863.
This austere Custom House, opened in 1884, housed Her Majesty’s Customs collectors who oversaw the collection of duties and taxes for the Customs Department.
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust bought the building in 1981, and after restoring it, sold it to the North Otago Art Society Incorporated. In 2018, it remains home to the art society, providing a gallery and working space.