Lake Wakatipu

Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables
Lake Wakatipu Lake Wakatipu is in the Otago Region of the South Island.
Location	Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, South Island
Coordinates	45°3′S 168°30′E / 45.050°S 168.500°E / -45.050; 168.500Coordinates: 45°3′S 168°30′E / 45.050°S 168.500°E / -45.050; 168.500
Lake type	Glacial lake
Primary inflows	Dart River, Rees River
Primary outflows	Kawarau River
Catchment area	2,674 km2 (1,032 sq mi)
Basin countries	New Zealand
Max. length	75.2 km (46.7 mi)
Max. width	5 km (3.1 mi)
Surface area	289 km2 (112 sq mi)
Average depth	230 metres (750 ft)
Max. depth	380 metres (1,250 ft)
Residence time	c. 12 years
Surface elevation	310 m (1,020 ft)
Islands	Pig Island, Pigeon Island, Tree Island & Hidden Island.
Settlements	Kingston, Queenstown, Glenorchy

Lake Wakatipu is an inland lake (finger lake) in the South Island of New Zealand. It is in the southwest corner of the Otago region, near its boundary with Southland. Lake Wakatipu comes from the original Māori word Whakatipu wai-māori.

With a length of 80 kilometres (50 mi), it is New Zealand's longest lake, and, at 291 km² (112 sq mi), its third largest. The lake is also very deep, its floor being below sea level, with a maximum depth of 380 metres (1,250 ft). It is at an altitude of 310 metres (1,020 ft), towards the southern end of the Southern Alps. The general topography is a reversed "N" shape or "dog leg". The Dart River flows into the northern end, the lake then runs south for 30 kilometres before turning abruptly to the east. Twenty kilometres (12.4 mi) further along, it turns sharply to the south, reaching its southern end 30 kilometres (19 mi) further south, near Kingston.

The lake is drained by the Kawarau River, which flows out from the lake's Frankton Arm, 8 km (5.0 mi) east of Queenstown. Until about 18,000 years ago the Mataura River drained Lake Wakatipu. The Kingston Flyer follows part of the former river bed now blocked by glacial moraine . Queenstown is on the northern shore of the lake close to eastern end of its middle section. It has a seiche of period 26.7 minutes which, in Queenstown Bay, causes the water level to rise and fall some 200 millimetres (7.9 in).

Lake Wakatipu is renowned for its scenic beauty, being surrounded by mountains. The Remarkables mountain range lies along its southeastern edge. It is a popular venue for adventure tourism, with skifields, paragliding, bungy jumping and tramping tracks within easy reach. A vintage steamboat, the TSS Earnslaw regularly plies its waters. Several vineyards are nearby in the Gibbston Valley.