Lake Tekapo Regional Park

Last updated
Lake Tekapo Regional Park
Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook.jpg
Banks of Lake Tekapo
NZ-SI plain map.png
Disc Plain red.svg
Location New Zealand
Coordinates 44°00′30″S170°30′00″E / 44.00833°S 170.50000°E / -44.00833; 170.50000 Coordinates: 44°00′30″S170°30′00″E / 44.00833°S 170.50000°E / -44.00833; 170.50000
Area165 hectares (410 acres)

Lake Tekapo Regional Park is a regional park in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island. It covers 165 hectares (410 acres) at the eastern side of the southern end of Lake Tekapo, east of the Lake Tekapo township. It is the newest of the four Canterbury regional parks managed by Environment Canterbury. [1] [2]

Contents

History

Pre-European history

Local Māori call the lake "Takapo" meaning "leave by night". According to oral history, the lake has a taniwha (monster), and the tohunga (spiritual leader) Hipa Te Maiharoa is the only person to have swum the lake and escaped it.

Ngāi Tahu used the lake as a source for a source of waterfowl and a species of eel they call tuna. [1]

European settlement

Europeans settled the Mackenzie Basin in the mid-1850s, establishing part of Tekapo Station at the site of the current regional park. In 1884, ethnologist Frederick Chapman reported the site had moa bones, but was otherwise ugly, uninviting and sandy. The station was divided between Mt Hay Station and Sawdwon Stations in 1948. [1]

In 1951, the completion of Lake Tekapo Dam submerged a homestead on the site. In 1957, fencing and tree planting of the area began to control soil erosion and drifting sands; [1] the plantings were mostly Corsican, Lodgepole and Ponderosa pine with some European larch. [2] In 1963, the area was vested as a Soil Conservation Reserve. [1]

Regional park

Environment Canterbury took stewardship of the site in 1989. [1]

The Lake Tekapo Recreational Park Society was established in August 2008. [3] It provides support the council in developing the park and coordinate volunteer activities, with funding from local businesses and organisations. [1] [2]

In 2011, the society proposed the development of an area in the park for a caravan park. [4]

In 2019, the society called for a reduction to the main access road to the park due to a "rapid rise" in the number of people using the park. [5]

Recreation

The park has 24 kilometres of mountain biking, cycling, walking and running tracks, graded for difficulty. There are extensive conifers, views of the lake and Two Thumb Range. There is an orienteering course, and cross-country skiing is also possible in winter. [1]

The park also features a 2 hectares (4.9 acres) fully fenced dog park, shallow swimming beaches, picnic tables and picnic spots, disc golf facilities, and a public toilet. There are no on-site barbecues and fires are banned, but people can bring their own enclosed barbecue and gas to use near the beach. [1] [2]

Boats are allowed in the lake, [1] but there is a 5 knot speed limit for paddle, sail and power craft in a designated area near the park. [2]

Stuff listed the park as one of the best dog-friendly destinations in New Zealand, [6] while the New Zealand Herald listed it as one of the best autumn destinations. [7] The Vancouver Sun recommended a hike of the regional park as part of a New Zealand holiday. [8]

The park can be accessed via Lilybank Road, or on tracks from the Lake Tekapo township and Cowans Hill. [1]

Related Research Articles

South Island One of the two main New Zealand islands

The South Island, also officially named Te Waipounamu, is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, and to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean. The South Island covers 150,437 square kilometres (58,084 sq mi), making it the world's 12th-largest island. At low altitude, it has an oceanic climate.

Mackenzie Basin An area of land in the South Island of New Zealand

The Mackenzie Basin, popularly and traditionally known as the Mackenzie Country, is an elliptical intermontane basin located in the Mackenzie and Waitaki Districts, near the centre of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest such basin in New Zealand. Historically famous mainly for sheep farming, the sparsely populated area is now also a popular tourism destination.

Twizel Town in the South Island of New Zealand

Twizel is the largest town in the Mackenzie District, in the Canterbury Region of the South Island of New Zealand. The town was founded in 1968 to house construction workers on the Upper Waitaki Hydroelectric Scheme. Twizel has a resident population of 1,660 ; during the summer, holidaymakers nearly triple the town's population. Twizel is 37 km east of Lake Ōhau, 30 km north of Omarama and 60 km south of Lake Tekapo.

Lake Ōhau Lake in the South Island of New Zealand

Lake Ōhau is a lake in the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand. The Hopkins and Dobson rivers fed into the northern end of Lake Ōhau. These rivers have their headwaters in the Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana. The lake's outflow is the Ōhau River, which travels from the southeast corner of Lake Ōhau and feeds into the Waitaki River hydroelectric project. The Barrier range dominate the western side of Lake Ōhau, while the Ben Ohau range dominates the eastern side of Lake Ōhau. At the northern end of the lake, in between the Hopkins and Dobson rivers, lies the Naumann Range of mountains.

Lake Pukaki Lake in Canterbury Region, New Zealand

Lake Pukaki is the largest of three roughly parallel alpine lakes running north–south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin on New Zealand's South Island. The others are Lakes Tekapo and Ohau. All three lakes were formed when the terminal moraines of receding glaciers blocked their respective valleys, forming moraine-dammed lakes. The Alps2Ocean mountain bike trail follows the edge of Lake Pukaki for part of its length.

Lake Tekapo Lake in the South Island of New Zealand

Lake Tekapo (Takapō) is the second-largest of three roughly parallel lakes running north–south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand. It covers an area of 83 square kilometres (32 sq mi), and is at an altitude of 710 metres (2,330 ft) above sea level.

Lake Tekapo (town) Town in Canterbury, New Zealand

Lake Tekapo is a small township located at the southern end of the lake of the same name in the inland South Island of New Zealand. It had 558 residents according to the 2018 census, being one of five settlements in the sparsely populated Mackenzie Basin.

Mackenzie District Territorial authority in South Island, New Zealand

Mackenzie District is a local government district in New Zealand's South Island administered by the Mackenzie District Council. It is part of the larger Canterbury region.

Regional parks of New Zealand

Regional parks of New Zealand are protected areas administered by regional councils, the top tier of local government.

Environment Canterbury, frequently abbreviated to ECan. is the promotional name for the Canterbury Regional Council. It is the regional council for Canterbury, the largest region in the South Island of New Zealand. It is part of New Zealand's structure of local government.

Wilding conifer Invasive trees in New Zealand

Wilding conifers, also known as wilding pines, are invasive trees in the high country of New Zealand. Millions of dollars are spent on controlling their spread.

Queen Elizabeth Park, New Zealand

Queen Elizabeth Park is a Wellington Regional Park located on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand. The park contains the last area of natural dunes on the Kapiti Coast.

East Harbour Regional Park

East Harbour Regional Park is a regional park stretching from Baring Head along the east side of the Wellington Harbour along the east side of Eastbourne. It is located in Lower Hutt City, in the Wellington Region of New Zealand's North Island.

Kaitoke Regional Park

Kaitoke Regional Park is regional park located at Kaitoke, northeast of Upper Hutt, in the Wellington Region of New Zealand's southern North Island. It is administered by Wellington Regional Council, alongside the adjacent regional park of Hutt Water Collection Area.

Wairarapa Moana Wetlands

The Wairarapa Moana Wetlands are a major wetland, located in the South Wairarapa District in the Wellington Region at the southern end of New Zealand's North Island.

Whitireia Park

Whitireia Park is a headland north of Titahi Bay and Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour in Porirua, in the Wellington Region at the southern end of New Zealand's North Island. It is a regional park administered by Wellington Regional Council.

Ambury Regional Park

Ambury Regional Park is a regional park situated on the coast of Manukau Harbour, in Auckland in New Zealand's North Island. It is situated in the suburb of Māngere Bridge and in the local board area of Māngere-Ōtāhuhu, to the west of Māngere Mountain.

Ashley Rakahuri Regional Park

Ashley Rakahuri Regional Park is a regional park in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island. It covers 417 hectares on the banks of Ashley River / Rakahuri and Okuku River, and is operated by Environment Canterbury. The park is used for fishing, walking, swimming, cycling and family picnics.

Waimakariri River Regional Park

Waimakariri River Regional Park is a regional park in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island. It covers 15,000 hectares on the banks of the Waimakariri River, and is operated by Environment Canterbury.

Northern Pegasus Bay

Northern Pegasus Bay is a regional park in the norther part of Canterbury's Pegasus Bay in New Zealand's South Island. It is operated by Environment Canterbury.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Lake Tekapo Regional Park". ecan.govt.nz. Environment Canterbury.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Lake Tekapo Regional Park Brochure". ecan.govt.nz. Environment Canterbury.
  3. ↑ "Lake Tekapo Regional Park Management Plan". ecan.govt.nz. Environment Canterbury.
  4. ↑ Williams, Al (26 August 2011). "Lake Tekapo plan for caravan camp". stuff.co.nz. Stuff Travel.
  5. ↑ Williams, Al (15 April 2019). "Calls for speed limit changes in Lake Tekapo Regional Park". stuff.co.nz. Timaru Herald.
  6. ↑ Downes, Siobhan (9 November 2021). "Five of the best dog-friendly destinations for summer". stuff.co.nz. Stuff Travel.
  7. ↑ Ford, Kate (6 April 2021). "GO NZ: New Zealand's best autumn escapes". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. New Zealand Herald.
  8. ↑ O'Connor, Elaine (3 December 2019). "In search of the sublime on New Zealand's South Island". Postmedia. Vancouver Sun.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.