Lake Tekapo Regional Park
| Lake Tekapo Regional Park | |
|---|---|
| Takapō Regional Park | |
 View across Lake Tekapo | |
  | |
| Location | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 44°00′30″S 170°30′00″E / 44.00833°S 170.50000°E |
| Area | 165 hectares (410 acres) |
| Created | 1989 |
| Operated by | Environment Canterbury |
Lake Tekapo Regional Park (also known as Takapō 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]
History[edit]
Pre-European history[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
Environment Canterbury took over 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]
Naming[edit]
"Tekapo" is a misspelling of Takapō, the name of the lake in the Māori language. Takapō means "to leave in haste at night".[6][7] In 2021, the Mackenzie District Council announced that it will start using the dual names of Tekapo and Takapō when referring to Lake Tekapo.[8] Environment Canterbury refers to the park as Takapō Regional Park.[9]
Recreation[edit]
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,[10] while the New Zealand Herald listed it as one of the best autumn destinations.[11] The Vancouver Sun recommended a hike of the regional park as part of a New Zealand holiday.[12]
The park can be accessed via Lilybank Road, or on tracks from the Lake Tekapo township and Cowans Hill.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Lake Tekapo Regional Park". ecan.govt.nz. Environment Canterbury.
- ^ a b c d e "Lake Tekapo Regional Park Brochure". ecan.govt.nz. Environment Canterbury.
- ^ "Lake Tekapo Regional Park Management Plan". ecan.govt.nz. Environment Canterbury.
- ^ Williams, Al (26 August 2011). "Lake Tekapo plan for caravan camp". stuff.co.nz. Stuff Travel.
- ^ Williams, Al (15 April 2019). "Calls for speed limit changes in Lake Tekapo Regional Park". stuff.co.nz. Timaru Herald.
- ^ "Tekapo or Takapō? One of NZ's world-famous lakes could be in for a name change". Stuff. 2019-07-13. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
- ^ Nov '20, Matthew Cattin 17 November 202017 (2020-11-17). "Spelling may change for Wakatipu and Tekapo". Wilderness Magazine. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Mackenzie District council to start using the dual name of Takapō/Tekapo". RNZ. 2021-02-27. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
- ^ "Takapō Regional Park". Environment Canterbury. 2024-05-08. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ Downes, Siobhan (9 November 2021). "Five of the best dog-friendly destinations for summer". stuff.co.nz. Stuff Travel.
- ^ Ford, Kate (6 April 2021). "GO NZ: New Zealand's best autumn escapes". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. New Zealand Herald.
- ^ O'Connor, Elaine (3 December 2019). "In search of the sublime on New Zealand's South Island". Postmedia. Vancouver Sun.