ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Oamaru stone

Oamaru stone is a type of rock that comes from a place called Oamaru in New Zealand. This stone is very special because of how it looks and feels. It is a light-colored rock that is very soft, so it can be easily shaped and carved into different things.

Imagine you have a piece of play-doh that you can mold into any shape you want. Oamaru stone is like that, but for grown-ups who want to make really cool things out of it. People can carve Oamaru stone into sculptures, statues, and even buildings!

But because Oamaru stone is so soft, it can also be easily damaged by things like weather and water. That's why people have to be very careful with it and take good care of it. They have to make sure it doesn't get too wet or dirty. It's really special because there isn't a lot of Oamaru stone in the world, so people have to work extra hard to take care of it and make sure it lasts a long time.

So, if you ever see a cool statue or building that looks like it's made out of light-colored rock, it might just be Oamaru stone!