Lake Ōhau, Alpine lake in Mackenzie District, New Zealand
This glacial water body covers 60 square kilometers (23 square miles) between the Barrier Range and Ben Ohau Range, with depths reaching 129 meters (423 feet) along its eastern shore.
Benmore Station was established in 1857, launching commercial sheep operations around this water body, while hydroelectric development occurred downstream during the twentieth century throughout the wider Mackenzie region.
Ngāi Tahu oral history identifies Rākaihautū as the creator of this body of water, formed with his ko (digging stick) as part of a wider journey that shaped multiple waterways across Te Waipounamu.
Access via Omarama-Omarama Road leads to fishing opportunities for brown trout, rainbow trout, and landlocked salmon using methods from shore casting to trolling, with best conditions occurring during warmer months.
A wildfire swept through Lake Ōhau Alpine Village during October 2020, burning approximately 5000 hectares (12,000 acres) and destroying 48 homes before firefighters contained the blaze after several days.
Location: Mackenzie District
GPS coordinates: -44.23150,169.84908
Latest update: December 1, 2025 13:42
New Zealand provides photographic subjects ranging from the Southern Alps to sand beaches on both coastlines. The landscape includes thermal springs in Rotorua, glaciers like Franz Josef and Tasman, and fjords in Fiordland. Mount Cook dominates the alpine region while the Coromandel Peninsula holds...
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