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Lake Tekapo
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The northernmost and highest of
the high country lakes, Lake Tekapo, is popular for its power boating and
water skiing, with regular waterski competitions held in the summer. Fishing
is good where streams enter, but the best fishing is in the crystal clear
adjacent lakes of Alexandrina and McGregor. |
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Sightseeing highlights abound in
the Tekapo Area. A drive or walk up Mt John offers great views of the
surrounding countryside or, at night, the clearest skies in the country as
shown by the proximity of the University of Canterbury Observatory. Another
'must see' is the picturesque lakeside Church of the Good Shepherd and
nearby statue of the Collie Dog. |
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Tekapo and Dobson Skifields are
about half an hour's drive from the township. Cross-country skiing, tramping
and climbing guides operate out of Tekapo and scenic flights are run from
its airfield. Tekapo has accommodation, a motor camp, a variety of services
and an ice skating rink in the Domain.
The eight power stations of the Waitaki Valley produce nearly 8000 GWh. |
Upper Waitaki Power Scheme
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The Upper Waitaki Power Scheme
had its origin in the 1904 Hay Report on hydro-electric power, which
pinpointed the huge resource in the Mackenzie Country. The first stage
commenced in 1938 with the digging of an outlet tunnel from the south end of
Lake Tekapo. Interruption by war delayed the 25 MW station until 1950. By
the 1980's the scheme had expanded to five power stations and a system of
connecting canals to produce a massive 848 MW.
The three big natural lakes were gouged out by the glaciers of four
successive Ice Ages, beginning about 200,000 years ago and ending roughly
12,000 years ago. The glaciers have now receded well back into the alpine
valleys, leaving massive moraines and a wash of gravel extending to the
Pacific Ocean. Huge scars, terraces and smooth areas on many mountainsides
mark the former extent of the glaciers. Clearly visible from many roads or
flight-seeing plane, they indicate that only the tops of the highest
mountains protruded above the glaciers.
The normal vegetation cycle of pioneer plants to tussock grasslands to
scrubland to forests that followed each Ice Age was interrupted by the fires
of both Maori and European, and subsequent farming. |
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