That follows the National Party Mainland (South Island) Conference at the weekend, which was attended by about 150 delegates.
The Opera House hosted both, its attractiveness as a conference centre enhanced by its 500-seat auditorium and separate meeting rooms, the result of a $10.3 million redevelopment completed just over a year ago.
This is the first time the Rural Women New Zealand national conference has been held in Oamaru.
The event is being organised by a 16-member committee, with the national Rural Women's office setting the programme.
All Rural Women delegates have been accommodated around central Oamaru for the conference, which started last night and finishes on Thursday.
Heavy rain and the threat of flooding in North Otago did not stop delegates from registering last night, then attending a cocktail party followed by the official opening, which included the organisation's patron, the Governor-General's wife, Susan Lady Satyanand, Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean and Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton.
That was followed by the keynote speaker, this year's Young New Zealander of the Year, Divya Dhar.
The theme of the conference is "Diversity in Action - Resilient Rural Communities".
Today, the sessions start with Rural Women NZ business, followed by workshops.
The afternoon starts with a speech by former Telecom chief executive and now Wool Partners chairwoman Theresa Gattung and concludes with the announcement of the Enterprising Rural Women Award winners.
Tomorrow, former TV One news presenter Judy Bailey takes "time for reflection", while one of the afternoon sessions is a panel discussion on "creating resilient rural economies".
The conference concludes at noon on Thursday after an address by the final speaker, National Party list MP Hekia Parata.
