Lake Waikaremoana, Natural lake in Te Urewera, New Zealand

Lake Waikaremoana is a large natural lake in Te Urewera, spanning about 54 square kilometers with depths reaching around 256 meters at its deepest point. Steep forested shores frame the water, and small islands and bays create varied shorelines throughout the lake.

The lake formed around 2,200 years ago when a massive landslide created a natural dam in the Waikaretaheke River valley. This geological event reshaped the landscape and established the body of water that defines the area today.

Waikaremoana translates from Māori as 'sea of rippling waters'. The lake lies within the tribal boundaries of Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Ruapani and Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa. The Panekire Bluffs on the southern shore gave their name to Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo, the Māori language institute that ran from 2004 to 2019 and trained fluent speakers in whaikōrero, karanga and karakia; its graduates include Scotty Morrison and Rangi Mātāmua.

The lake is accessible via State Highway 38, with several Department of Conservation huts positioned along the lakeside walking track. Visitors should prepare for changing weather and wear sturdy footwear, as the terrain and paths can be challenging.

The Waikaremoana scheme is one of only two hydroelectric stations built on a natural landslide dam, the other being Tortum Dam in Turkey. The 250 m slip that formed the lake was sealed against leaks around 1950 with 40,000 cubic metres of crushed rock and pumice, cutting natural outflow by about 80%.