Manapōuri or Motu-rau (Lake Manapōuri) Natural Heritage - History & Photos
Manapōuri or Motu-rau (Lake Manapōuri) Natural Heritage - History & Photos:
Photos of the lake previously known to the Māori as Motu-rau, now known as Lake Manapōuri, within the Fiordland or Te Rua-o-Te-Moko National Park. One of many thousands of natural heritage sites within that, these beautiful vistas of the lake and the mountains surrounding it, one a reflection with fog lifting showing an ethereal 'Lord of the Rings' type view and two more, one morning and one evening, were taken by local Manapōuri resident Shirley Mouat during 2025. If anyone has more photos to add, please get in touch with us.
EARLY DISTRICT HISTORY:
This area is featured in Māori legend, with the name Manapōuri said to mean "lake of the sorrowing heart", which comes from the legend about two sisters whose tears formed the lake. Despite this sad tale, the lake is beautiful, the surrounding scenery stunning, but with changeable weather.
It is believed that Charles Nairn & WH Stephen, who were traveling with Commissioner Mantell when he looked over the district for the ensuing 'Murihiku Purchase', were the first Europeans to ever see Motu-rau or Lake Manapōuri, and Lake Te Anau. They certainly have proof that they saw it. In John Hall-Jones, 'Fiordland Explored', he explains how the party records their adventures, thus: "[We] struck across a large stony plain which reaches down to Lake Moturau in the west... to arrive at a very high bank", which was on the Wairoa (Waiau) River. Nairn described it as, "A broad stream flowing south from Lake Te Anau to Lake Moturau". Lake Te Anau is the true source of the Waiau River and this stretch is long and winding.
We know that Nairn viewed the lake, as in 1852 he made a sketch of what he called the Wairoa River (Waiau) from Horseshoe Bend, and in this, you can see Lake Moturau in the distance. Also recognizable are Leaning Peak and the Beehive. This sketch is in the Alexander Turnbull library and a copy can be seen in the book quoted. Interestingly, it is recorded that at the foot of the very high bank explained above, was a number of eel spears found in a cache there, which the men described as their first sign on any human habitation. It was believed by J H-J that the Māori were probably very well aware of this equipment, as Horseshoe bend had a reputation as a great eeling spot. In fact, the native guides accompanying the party, insisted on staying there and going eeling, which delayed the survey party in their quest to reach Te Anau, something that Nairn writes in frustration about.
EARLY RUNHOLDERS
In 1854 prospective runholders arrived in the area, these being Donald Hankinson and Freeman Jackson. Jackson decided to take up land near the recently famed Motu-rau or Lake Manapōuri, first creating a home at what he aptly called 'Home Creek' which is situated below where the Waiau exits Motu-rau or Lake Manapōuri, but later relocated to a homestead at Balloon Loop, situated on the upper Waiau River, around the halfway mark between the two lakes, and he settled here permanently, until leaving the district in 1867. The homestead eventually grew over with bluegums and disappeared, with the brick chimney's being the last to crumble. A painting by CD Barraud records a good size homestead up on the terrace at the Balloon Loop site and also a cottage alongside the river. While Hankinson was to settle at Te Anau Station in 1858, this history is in another entry.
The so-called 'Manapōuri Run' which is linked to McKay/MacKay brothers John and Donald, is a bit of a misnomer, as it is actually some distance from Lake Manapōuri and situated at the base of the adjacent Takitimu Mountain Range. So this too, will be left for yet another different entry.
EARLY SURVEYS
Chief Surveyor of Otago, JT Thomson was the first surveyor to see the above lakes, including Motu-rau or Lake Manapōuri. In writing about this, his grandson John Hall-Jones, comments that in JT Thomson's sketches from his 1857 journey up the Waiau Valley into the Takitimu's and further, he had marked on a map as North and South Te Anau. Wondering how he could have made such a mistake, Hall-Johns trekked to the same spot and indeed, both Lake Te Anau and Motu-rau or Lake Manapōuri could actually be seen from the place of his grandfathers sketch, and the South Te Anau Lake is actually Motu-rau or Lake Manapōuri.
Some five years later, JTT sent assistant James McKerrow to finish off a more detailed survey of his earlier work, and he ran into a few issues with heavy rain and drownings. Eventually, with his own assistants, McKerrow was to finally get his first look at Lake Te Anau and Motu-rau ...
Central and Western Murihiku Southland Archive via DigitalNZ
http://api.digitalnz.org/records/59280398/source
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