Lake Wānaka

Lake Wānaka lies at the heart of the Otago Lakes in the lower South Island of New Zealand. The township of Wānaka, which sits in a glacier-carved basin on the shores of the lake, is the gateway to Mt Aspiring National Park. Lake Hāwea is a 15-minute drive away, en route to the frontier town of Makarora, the last stop before the West Coast Glacier region. To the south is the historic Cardrona Valley, a popular scenic alpine route to neighbouring Queenstown.

Lake Wānaka lies in a u-shaped valley formed by glacial erosion during the last ice age more than 10,000 years ago. It is fed by the Matukituki and Makarora Rivers, and is the source of the Clutha River / Mata-Au.

At its greatest extent, which is roughly along a north–south axis, the lake is 42 kilometres long. Its widest point, at the southern end, is 10 kilometres. The lake's western shore is lined with high peaks rising to over 2000 metres above sea level. Along the eastern shore the land is also mountainous, but the peaks are somewhat lower.

Nearby Lake Hāwea lies in a parallel valley carved by a neighbouring glacier eight kilometres to the east. At their closest point (a rocky ridge called The Neck), the lakes are only 1000 metres apart.[http://www.newzealand.com/travel/sights-activities/scenic-highlights/lakes/sh-lake-wanaka-and-hawea.cfm Lakes: Laka Wanaka and Hawea] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414201521/http://www.newzealand.com/int/article/lakes-wanaka-and-hawea/ |date=14 April 2012 }} (from the Tourism New Zealand website)

Four small islands within the lake include Ruby Island, Stevensons Island, {{Lang|mi|Mou Tapu|italic=no}} and {{Lang|mi|Mou Waho|italic=no}} (Harwich) Island.{{Cite web|title=Mou Waho Island (Harwich) Scenic Reserve, Lake Wanaka|url=https://www.linz.govt.nz/regulatory/place-names/ww1-through-place-names/units/mou-waho-island-harwich-scenic-reserve-lake|access-date=7 February 2021|website=Land Information New Zealand (LINZ)|language=en-NZ}} Some host ecological sanctuaries, such as one for buff weka on Stevensons Island.{{cite news |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411879/710786 |title=What's Up DOC – Wanaka |work=Television New Zealand |accessdate=13 October 2011}} {{Lang|mi|Mou Tapu|italic=no}} island is 120 hectares in size and is a pest free island. Mountain stone wētā and the Southern Alps gecko can be found here.{{Cite web|title=Wanaka islands|url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/otago/places/wanaka-area/wanaka-islands/|access-date=7 February 2021|website=Department of Conservation |language=en-nz}}

The towns of Wānaka and Albert Town are near the lake's outflow into the Clutha River / Mata-Au.

For Māori, the Wānaka area was a natural crossroads. The Haast Pass gave access to the West Coast and its pounamu; the Cardrona Valley led to the natural rock bridge "{{Lang|mi|Whatatorere|italic=no}}", which was the only place that the Kawarau River and {{Lang|mi|Mata-Au|italic=no}} (the Clutha River) could be crossed without boats.{{cite book |author=Janet Stephenson, Heather Bauchop, and Peter Petchey |author-link=Janet Stephenson |url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/science-and-technical/SfC244b.pdf |title=Bannockburn Heritage Landscape Study |date=2004 |page=29}} Native reeds were used to build {{Lang|mi|mōkihi}}, small boats that enabled a swift return downriver to the east coast.

{{cite encyclopedia

| url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/otago-region/page-4

| author=Malcolm McKinnon

| title=Otago region – Māori history and whaling

| encyclopedia=Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand

| accessdate=7 January 2021}}

{{cite encyclopedia

| author=Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr

| title=Waka – canoes – Other types of waka

| encyclopedia=Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand

| accessdate=7 January 2021 |url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/object/6015/mokihi

}} The Cromwell basin supported a large population of moa, which were hunted to extinction about 500 years ago.

Until the early nineteenth century, Wānaka was visited annually by Ngāi Tahu who sought pounamu in the mountains above the Haast River and hunted eels and birds over summer, returning to the east coast by descending {{Lang|mi|Mata-Au|italic=no}} in {{Lang|mi|mōkihi}} (reed boats).

According to the Ngāi Tahu, Lake Wānaka was dug by the Waitaha explorer {{Lang|mi|Rākaihautū|italic=no}} with his {{Lang|mi|kō}} (foot plough) named {{Lang|mi|Tūwhakaroria|italic=no}}. After Waitaha arrived in the {{Lang|mi|Uruao|italic=no}} {{Lang|mi|waka}} at {{Lang|mi|Whakatū|italic=no}} (Nelson), {{Lang|mi|Rākaihautū|italic=no}} divided his people into two groups. {{Lang|mi|Rākaihautū|italic=no}} led his group down the middle of the island, digging the freshwater lakes of Te Waipounamu (the South Island).

Numerous {{Lang|mi|kāinga mahinga kai}} (food-gathering places) and {{Lang|mi|kāinga nohoanga}} (settlements) were located around the lake. The Kāti Māmoe settlement at the southern end of the lake was named {{Lang|mi|Parakarehu|italic=no}}. The area was invaded by the Ngāi Tahu in the early 18th century.

{{cite web

|last1=Taylor |first1=W. A.

|title=Lore and History of the South Island Maori

|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-TayLore-t1-body1-d16.html

|website=New Zealand Electronic Texts Collection

|accessdate=19 April 2020

}}

Ngāi Tahu use of the land was ended by attacks by North Island tribes. In the last years of the Musket Wars, in 1836 the Ngāti Tama chief Te Pūoho led a 100-person {{lang|mi|taua}} (war party), armed with muskets, down the West Coast and over the Haast Pass. They fell on the Ngāi Tahu encampment between Lake Wānaka and Lake Hāwea, capturing 10 people and killing and eating two children.{{cite book

|title=History and Traditions of the Maoris of the West Coast North Island of New Zealand Prior to 1840

|author=S Percy Smith

|date=1910

|publisher = Polynesian Society

|location=New Plymouth

|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-SmiHist-t1-body1-d21-d7.html

}} Although Te Puoho was later killed by the southern Ngāi Tahu leader Tūhawaiki,{{cite encyclopedia

|author=Atholl Anderson

|title =Te Puoho-o-te-rangi

|volume =1

|year=1990

|encyclopedia=Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand

|url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/biographies/1t59/te-puoho-o-te-rangi

|accessdate =11 July 2017}} Māori seasonal visits to the area ceased.

File:Wanaka Glendhu Bay.jpg

The first recorded map of Lake Wānaka was drawn in 1844 by the southern Ngāi Tahu leader {{Lang|mi|Te Huruhuru|italic=no}}. The first Pākehā to see the lake was Nathanael Chalmers in 1853.{{cite encyclopedia |author=Jock Phillips

|title=European exploration – Otago and Southland

|encyclopedia=Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand

|url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/european-exploration/page-7

|accessdate=11 July 2017

}}

Guided by {{Lang|mi|Reko|italic=no}} and {{Lang|mi|Kaikōura|italic=no}}, he walked from {{Lang|mi|Tuturau|italic=no}} (Southland) to the lake via the Kawarau River. However he was stricken by dysentery, so his guides returned him down the Clutha, shooting the rapids in a {{Lang|mi|mōkihi}}.

{{cite encyclopedia

|author=Roger Frazer

|title=Chalmers, Nathanael

|series=Dictionary of New Zealand Biography

|volume=1

|date=1990

|encyclopedia=Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand

|url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/biographies/1c11/chalmers-nathanael

|accessdate=13 July 2017

}}

By 1861, several sheep stations had been established in and around the south end of the lake, and in 1862, the lake itself was surveyed in a whaleboat.

The name "Lake Wanaka" was in use in 1863 when the first survey of the proposed township of Wanaka was made.{{cite web |last1=Dovey |first1=Pam |title=A look back at Pembroke (Wanaka Township) |url=https://www.thewanakasun.co.nz/news/4323-irish-street-names-wanaka.html |website=Wanaka Sun |publisher=Wanaka Sun |access-date=31 July 2021 |date=13 June 2017}}

The town was renamed "Pembroke" within a month of the surveyor returning his books to Dunedin. It reverted to "Wanaka" on 1 September 1940, to reduce confusion between the names of the town and the lake.

The official name of the lake was updated from "Lake Wanaka" to "Lake Wānaka" in 2019, and the town's name to "Wānaka" in 2021.{{Cite web|title=Amendments—New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa – 2021-ln3385 – New Zealand Gazette|url=https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2021-ln3385|access-date=2 September 2021|website=gazette.govt.nz}}

File:Lake Wanaka.jpg

The lake is now a popular resort, and is much used in the summer for fishing, boating and swimming. The nearby mountains and fast-flowing rivers support adventure tourism year-round.

Popular activities include alpine and cross-country skiing and snowsports, tramping, mountain-biking, mountaineering, rock-climbing and parapenting.{{cite web|url=

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/new-zealand/queenstown-and-wanaka/wanaka/narratives/in-location/activities|access-date=22 May 2021

|title=Wanaka in detail: activities}}

As one of the few lakes in the South Island with an unmodified shoreline, the lake is protected by special legislation, the Lake Wanaka Preservation Act of 1973. The Act established a 'Guardians of Lake Wanaka' group, appointed by the Minister of Conservation, which advises on measures to protect the lake.[http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-doc/role/corporate-publications/briefings-to-new-ministers-archive/briefing-to-the-incoming-minister-of-conservation-2011/6-institutional-arrangements/6_1-statutory-bodies/ Briefing to the incoming Minister of Conservation 2011 – containing information about Statutory bodies, including the Guardians] (from the Department of Conservation website, Friday 14 December 2012)

Oxygen weed (Lagarosiphon major), an aquarium plant and invasive species native to Southern Africa, has been a problem in the lake's ecosystem for some time. Attempts to eradicate the weed have not been successful. Substantial suction dredging operations have shown promise, but tend to miss isolated spots which then regrow into larger weed beds.{{cite web |url= http://www.linz.govt.nz/docs/crownproperty/biosecurity/lake-wanaka-assessment-2006.pdf |title= Assessment of the 2005/06 Lagarosiphon major programme in Lake Wanaka |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090920235224/http://www.linz.govt.nz/docs/crownproperty/biosecurity/lake-wanaka-assessment-2006.pdf |archivedate= 20 September 2009 }} {{small|(1.20 MiB)}} (NIWA report, June 2006, from the Land Information New Zealand website)

{{wide image|Wanaka pan.jpg|600px|View of Lake Wānaka, New Zealand}}

In 2013 zoologist John Darby established the Lake Wānaka Grebe Project. Floating platforms on which the birds can nest have resulted in an increase in breeding pairs.{{Cite web |date=5 February 2015 |title=Lake Wanaka grebes thrive with a bit of help |url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/news/media-releases/2015/lake-wanaka-grebes-thrive-with-a-bit-of-help/ |access-date=2023-11-25 |website=Department of Conservation |language=en-nz}}{{Cite web |date=2023-11-15 |title=Bird of the Century: What you need to know about pūteketeke |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/502479/bird-of-the-century-what-you-need-to-know-about-puteketeke |access-date=2023-11-25 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}} The pūteketeke was New Zealand's Bird of the Year in 2023 after an international publicity campaign mounted by British-American comedian John Oliver.

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|collapsed = Y

|location = Lake Wānaka (Wānaka Airport), elevation {{convert|352|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020)

|Jan high C = 23.8

|Feb high C = 23.8

|Mar high C = 20.7

|Apr high C = 16.4

|May high C = 12.3

|Jun high C = 8.5

|Jul high C = 8.1

|Aug high C = 10.7

|Sep high C = 13.8

|Oct high C = 16.4

|Nov high C = 19.1

|Dec high C = 21.9

| year high C =

|Jan mean C = 17.3

|Feb mean C = 17.2

|Mar mean C = 14.4

|Apr mean C = 10.8

|May mean C = 7.5

|Jun mean C = 4.3

|Jul mean C = 3.7

|Aug mean C = 5.7

|Sep mean C = 8.4

|Oct mean C = 10.7

|Nov mean C = 13.0

|Dec mean C = 15.6

| year mean C =

|Jan low C = 10.9

|Feb low C = 10.6

|Mar low C = 8.1

|Apr low C = 5.2

|May low C = 2.8

|Jun low C = 0.1

|Jul low C = -0.6

|Aug low C = 0.8

|Sep low C = 3.0

|Oct low C = 4.9

|Nov low C = 6.9

|Dec low C = 9.3

| year low C =

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 55.4

|Feb rain mm = 42.0

|Mar rain mm = 45.7

|Apr rain mm = 46.6

|May rain mm = 60.2

|Jun rain mm = 56.3

|Jul rain mm = 46.2

|Aug rain mm = 52.5

|Sep rain mm = 50.0

|Oct rain mm = 50.9

|Nov rain mm = 54.5

|Dec rain mm = 57.6

|year rain mm =

|Jan sun=231.5

|Feb sun=201.7

|Mar sun=182.6

|Apr sun=164.0

|May sun=135.5

|Jun sun=120.5

|Jul sun=126.6

|Aug sun=155.8

|Sep sun=172.5

|Oct sun=193.8

|Nov sun=202.2

|Dec sun=212.1

|source 1 = NIWA

{{cite web

|url = http://cliflo.niwa.co.nz

|title = CliFlo – National Climate Database : Wanaka Aero Aws

|publisher = NIWA

|access-date = 19 May 2024}}

|source 2 =Lake Wanaka (sun){{cite web|title=Weather data|url=http://www.lakewanaka.co.nz/content/library/Weather_data.pdf | access-date =19 May 2024}}

}}

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|collapsed = Y

|location = Albert Burn, elevation {{convert|1280|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020)

|Jan high C = 14.8

|Feb high C = 15.2

|Mar high C = 13.2

|Apr high C = 9.8

|May high C = 7.0

|Jun high C = 4.8

|Jul high C = 3.8

|Aug high C = 5.0

|Sep high C = 7.0

|Oct high C = 8.4

|Nov high C = 10.8

|Dec high C = 13.2

| year high C =

|Jan mean C = 10.3

|Feb mean C = 10.5

|Mar mean C = 8.8

|Apr mean C = 6.0

|May mean C = 3.5

|Jun mean C = 1.3

|Jul mean C = 0.3

|Aug mean C = 1.2

|Sep mean C = 2.9

|Oct mean C = 4.2

|Nov mean C = 6.3

|Dec mean C = 8.7

| year mean C =

|Jan low C = 5.7

|Feb low C = 5.9

|Mar low C = 4.4

|Apr low C = 2.2

|May low C = 0.0

|Jun low C = -2.3

|Jul low C = -3.1

|Aug low C = -2.5

|Sep low C = -1.2

|Oct low C = 0.0

|Nov low C = 1.9

|Dec low C = 4.2

| year low C =

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 308.3

|Feb rain mm = 220.1

|Mar rain mm = 169.8

|Apr rain mm = 228.0

|May rain mm = 302.0

|Jun rain mm = 160.2

|Jul rain mm = 222.6

|Aug rain mm = 148.1

|Sep rain mm = 244.7

|Oct rain mm = 239.7

|Nov rain mm = 217.7

|Dec rain mm = 266.4

|year rain mm =

|source 1 = NIWA

{{cite web

|url = http://cliflo.niwa.co.nz

|title = CliFlo – National Climate Database : Albert Burn

|publisher = NIWA

|access-date = 19 May 2024}}

}}

A willow growing just inside the lake, often known as "That Wānaka Tree", is a tourist attraction in its own right, featuring on many tourists' Instagram feeds.

{{cite news |title=Wanaka's famous Instagram tree attacked with a saw

|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/18/wanakas-famous-instagram-tree-attacked-with-a-saw

|accessdate=18 April 2020 |work=The Guardian

}}

File:ThatWanakaTree at Sunrise.jpg

The region has been the setting for many international films, including The Lord of the Rings,{{cite web|url=http://www.jasons.co.nz/wanaka/the-lord-of-the-rings-location-tarras-and-wanaka|title=The Lord of the Rings Location: Tarras & Wanaka}} The Hobbit,{{cite web|url=https://www.newzealand.com/ie/feature/the-hobbit-trilogy-filming-locations/|title=The Hobbit Trilogy Filming Locations}} the Legend of S,{{cite web|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/wanaka/chinese-fantasy-filming-wanaka|author=Otago Daily Times |access-date=27 January 2018|title=Chinese fantasy filming in Wanaka|date=5 May 2017}} and A Wrinkle in Time.{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/89336353/witherspoon-winfrey-and-kaling-in-wanaka-and-lake-hawea|title=Witherspoon, Winfrey and Kaling in Wanaka and Lake Hāwea}} Lake Wānaka was mentioned several times in the 2006 movie Mission: Impossible III as a location the lead couple visited and as the answer to Ethan Hunt's question on the phone to verify the identity of his wife.

The New Zealand cook and author Annabel Langbein, who owns a small estate at the side of the lake, filmed her series The Free Range Cook and Simple Pleasures here.

New Zealand, and Wānaka and Queenstown in particular, have been reported to be a favoured refuge for the 'super rich' in the event of a cataclysm.

{{cite magazine |last1=Osnos |first1=Evan | author1-link=Evan Osnos

|title=Doomsday Prep for the Super-Rich

|magazine=The New Yorker |date=23 January 2017 |issue=30 January 2017

|url= https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/01/30/doomsday-prep-for-the-super-rich |accessdate=18 April 2020

}}

One such high net worth individual is Peter Thiel, who purchased {{convert|193|hectare|acre}} of lakeside land in 2015.

{{cite news

|title=Facebook billionaire Peter Thiel a Kiwi citizen, owns Wanaka estate

|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11787741

|accessdate=18 April 2020 |publisher=New Zealand Herald }}

While he had not yet developed it {{As of|2020|lc=yes}},

{{cite news

|title=Thiel's Wanaka estate reportedly left 'neglected'

|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/wanaka/thiels-wanaka-estate-reportedly-left-neglected

|accessdate=17 May 2020 |publisher=Otago Daily Times

|date=16 May 2020}}

plans have been announced to develop it as a luxury resort.{{cite news

|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/exclusive-us-billionaire-peter-thiel-proposes-luxury-lodge-near-wanaka/W3S35ON5FRKTMLQKEBYFCS3Z5U/

|title=Exclusive: US billionaire Peter Thiel proposes luxury lodge near Wanaka

|work=The New Zealand Herald

|date=1 September 2021

}}

• Lakes of New Zealand
• List of lakes in New Zealand
• Otago Geography
• Roys Peak
• Sentinel Peak (New Zealand)

{{reflist|group=Note}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/11271/te-huruhurus-map First published map of Lake Wānaka – Te Huruhuru's map]
• {{commons category-inline}}

{{Queenstown-Lakes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wānaka, Lake}}

Category:Lakes of Otago

Category:Wānaka

Category:Clutha River