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Lake Te Anau
Lake Te Anau
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Lake Te Anau is in the southwestern corner of the South Island of
New Zealand. The lake covers an area of 344 km2 (133 sq mi), making
it the second-largest lake by surface area in New Zealand (after
Lake Taupo) and the largest in the
South Island. It is the largest lake in Australasia by fresh water
volume.
The main body of the lake runs north-south, and is 65 km in length.
Three large fiords form arms to the lake on its western flank: North
Fiord, Middle Fiord and South Fiord. These are the only inland
fiords that New Zealand has, the other 14 are out on the coast.
Several small islands lie in the entrance to Middle Fiord, which
forks partway along its length into northwest and southwest arms.
The surface of the lake is at an altitude of 210 m. It has a maximum
depth of 417 m, so much of its bed lies below sea level, with the
deepest part of the lake being 226 metres below sea level. |
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Several rivers feed the lake, of which the most important is the
Eglinton River, which joins the lake from the east, opposite the
entrance to North Fiord. The outflow is the Waiau River, which flows
south for several kilometres into Lake
Manapouri. The town of Te Anau lies at the south-eastern corner
of the lake, close to the outflow.
Most of the lake is within
Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage
site, the latter of which was officially recognized internationally
in 1990. Other than the Te Anau township, the only human habitation
close to the lake is the farming settlement of Te Anau Downs, close
to the mouth of the Eglinton River. Between these two settlements
the land is rolling hill country, but elsewhere the land is
mountainous, especially along its western shore, where the Kepler
and Murchison Mountains rise 1,400 m above the surface of the lake.
Lake Te Anau was important for the Ngai Tahu iwi[a] in pre-European
times as the area was a traditional stopping point on their trails
between the east and west coasts of the South Island of New Zealand,
where they obtained food and resources. The lake was first
discovered by European explorers Charles Naim and William Stephen in
1852.
Two New Zealand Great Walks start at the lake. The
Milford Track starts at the northern
tip of the lake and the Kepler Track starts and ends at the south
tip of the lake at the Waiau River.
Throughout summer the lake is used for boating, fishing, kayaking,
swimming and access to
Fiordland National Park. The lake is home to both the Marakura
Yacht Club and the Te Anau Boating Club. Every year on the weekend
of Labour Day a fishing competition is held.
Getting
There
This tourist attraction
is well serviced by public transport including taxis, buses and
shuttle.
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