Lake Alabaster

{{Short description|Lake in New Zealand}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Lake Alabaster / Wāwāhi Waka

| image = Lake Alabaster 5.jpg

| alt = Lake Alabaster at the Hollyford Track

| caption = Lake Alabaster at the Hollyford Track, New Zealand.

| image_bathymetry =

| caption_bathymetry =

| location = South Island

| coords = {{Coord|44|31|S|168|10|E|region:NZ_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}

| type =

| inflow = Pyke River

| outflow = Pyke River

| image_map ={{Infobox mapframe |zoom=10|point=none|shape-fill-opacity=0|stroke-width=1|stroke-color=#0000ff}}

| pushpin_map = New Zealand

| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Lake Alabaster / Wāwāhi Waka

| catchment =

| basin_countries = New Zealand

| length = {{convert|6|km|abbr=on}}

| width =

| area = {{convert|7|km2|abbr=on}}

| depth =

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Lake Alabaster / Wāwāhi Waka, also known by the Māori name of Waiwahuika, lies at the northern end of Fiordland, in the southwest of New Zealand's South Island.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2021|title=Everything you need to know about the Hollyford Track|url=https://www.adventuresouth.co.nz/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-hollyford-track|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-19|website=www.adventuresouth.co.nz|language=en-NZ}} The lake runs from northeast to southwest, is {{convert|5|km|spell=in}}, and covers {{cvt|7|km2|spell=in}}.{{Cite Q|Q66412037}}

Lake Alabaster drains, and is drained by, the Pyke River, a small tributary of the Hollyford River / Whakatipu Kā Tuka.{{Cite book|last=Grzelewski|first=Derek|url=https://archive.org/details/goingtoextremesa0000grze/page/76/mode/2up?q=%22Lake+Alabaster%22|title=Going to extremes : adventures in unknown New Zealand|publisher=David Bateman Ltd|year=2014|isbn=978-1-86953-826-2|location=Auckland, New Zealand|pages=76|oclc=881768862}} It is one of two lakes (along with Lake McKerrow / Whakatipu Waitai) found in the lower reaches of the Hollyford River system.{{Cite book|last=|first=|url=https://archive.org/details/goingtoextremesa0000grze/page/76/mode/2up|title=The story of Fiordland National Park : mountains of water.|publisher=Department of Lands & Survey|year=1986|isbn=0-477-06140-0|location=Wellington, N.Z.|pages=144|oclc=43039606}} A branch of the Hollyford Track, one of New Zealand's most well-known and popular tramping tracks, extends along the eastern shore of the lake.

The lake was formed at the southern end of a glacial valley and, had the sea level been slightly higher, would have been the northern arm of what might have been McKerrow Fiord.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}