Virtual tour panorama taken from a hill on the western side of Lake Hawea in Otago, New Zealand. Panorama taken in the summer of 2008.

Mountains Around Lake Hawea - Wanaka visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Mountains Around Lake Hawea' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Otago.

Lake Hawea occupies a glacial valley between two mountain ranges. The water is held back by a 10,000 terminal moraine at the southern end. Up the western side of the lake are Mount Burke with Mount Brewster to the north. The lake lies within the Hāwea Conservation Park, a popular holiday destination in the summer for those interested in climbing, walking, cycling or water sports and fishing. It is also considered to be part of the Queenstown-Lakes District.

The lake is 35km long, fed by the Hunter River which originates in the valleys of Mount Huxley and Mount Brewster at the northern end. The southern end drains into the Hawea River which joins the Clutha River a little further south at Albert town. The only settlements on the lake is Hawea and Gladstone, located at the southern end on Hawea Flat, the only flat area around the lake. As well as providing a base for exploring the mountains, climbing and cycling in the summer, Hawea is also within access of the surrounding ski areas in the winter.

Part way up Lake Hawea is The Neck, a very narrow, 100m wide, strip of land that separates it from neighbouring Lake Wanaka. The rest of the time the lakes are separated by an 8km wide mountain range. Highway 6 crosses over the lake on the way to the West Coast.

Lake Hawea - Walks and Tracks

• Boundary Creek Track - 6km long old musterers' track up a gorge taking about 3 hours to do.
• Dingle Burn Track - 41km long track which starts at the confluence of the Dingle Burn and Lake Hawea with several huts along the route.
• Hunter Valley Track - starting at the Turihuka Conservation Area this 6 hour walk provides excellent lake and mountain views finishing at the head of the Hunter Valley.
• Kidds Bush Nature Walk - easy to walk 1km (30 min) loop through a mountain beech forest at the Kidds Bush Recreation Reserve campsite near The Neck.
• Timaru River Track - 38km tramping route along the Timaru River and over the 1,680-metre Mount Martha Saddle before descending into the Ahuriri Valley and Conservation Park.

Road: Hawea at the southern end of Lake Hawea is about 15km north of Wanaka on Highway 6.
Flight: Wanaka Airport