SPECIAL ARTICLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1922, Page 3

SPECIAL ARTICLE.

Scenic Glories. THE LAKES OF BEAUTIFUL WESTLAND. (By D. J. Evans).

(Written for the “Lyttelton Times.”)

The lakes of beautiful Westland rank among its choicest scenic wonders. All the lakes have wooded shores, and the dark waters give back faithful reflections of the verdant growth fringing the waterside. The lakes, too, are so situated that they givo back reflections of the snow-clad peaks towering up in the Southern Alps. In this way they have wonderful scenic glories, revealing fresh pictures with every phase of the passing clouds across the blue vault of heaven. Dr Bell in his geological report said the lakes of Westland were of great interest, not only for their wonderful scenic beauty, but because of their varied origin. They consist ol four classes: (l) The mountain tarns excavated by powerful ice streams; (2), the lowland lakes formed by glacial excavation ; (3) lakes in the morainic' drifts; (4) lagoons close to the sea-j shore formed by the damming hack of; the sandy beach. j Lake Browning, situated oil the; Browning’s Pass route to and from) Canterbury-Westland, is said to he oiioj of the best examples of a mountain! tarn. It is situated at an altitude ofj about 4500 ft, and its area is abouti thirty-eight acres. It is approached from the Westland side hy the Styx River, and from the Canterbury side it is approached hy the Wilberforce. Mount Harman dominates the scene of this lake, which is frozen in winter.

Lake Kanieri is a true type oi the lowland lakes formed by glacial ex- j cava tion. It is five miles long and an . average width of about a mile and . three-quarters. Its surface area is , about 3000 acres. This lake is 422 ft j. above sea-level, and is surrounded by j high hills. The most notable of these, I Mount Tuliua, 3088 ft, affords ail in- j teresting climb, there being a tourist track to the summit. There are some pretty bays about the lake. Sunn.v .Right provides a pebbly beach which catches the early morniiig suli, and is an ideal bathing ground. Canoe Cover or Board Harbour, is a very pleasant nook where Nature makes a lavish display in scenic effects. Hans Bay, he- | hind an island of the same name, forms i a retreat where campers frequently en- j joy themselves. The Rout Landing at j the approach to Dorothy Waterfall is visited by most patrons to the lake, for from its shore leads a lovely sylvan : track across a rustic bridge to the very 1 pretty waterfall less than hall a mile away. Slip Ray is at the head of the . lake, where, also, is Lawyer’s Delight i beach, an ideal camping ground. , Lake Mahinapua is a shining example : of the third typo of lake in Westland, j. It is to the south of Hokitika, within a, : mile of the seabeach. It is a saallow | lake, the greatest depth being about 33 j . feet, and the average about 12 fo-'C ( : The sui face of the lake is only about , six feet above sea level. The area ol the water is 940 acres, and a beautiful ‘ forest surrounds it, while there are , splendid views of the Southern Alps in 1 the distance. Lake Mahinapua is; notable for its reflections, the dark j waters lending themselves to perfect reproductions of the scenery around and above. The creek of the same name ns the lake is the chief drainage, and the < stream flows into the Hokitika River, thus affording a channel for boating parties to visit the lake. When Air 11. F. Wigram, of Christchurch, offered prizes in respect to aerial defence for the Dominion, the winner of the third prize selected Hokitika as the site for a defensive aerodrome. There arc some plateaux just overlooking Hokitika which will lend themselves specially ns landing places for aviators. Wliqn postal and com- j morcial aviation is developed between .Australia and New Zealand, no doubt hydro machines wil Ibc used for crossing the Tasman Sea. Hokitika is the most adjacent landing place for Australian aviation, and as Mount Cook is an impassable signpost to the approaching aviator, there will he no difficulty in picking up the landing station. Lake Mahinapua, with its shallow waters, will lorm an ideal landing place for hydro machines. The situation is adjacent to the railway, and Hokitika, where a wireless plant will doubtless, be established on the lull overlooking the town, so that Lake Mahinapua will in the times to be come into greater prominence than ever. The fourth type of lake in Westland is represented by the Totara Lagoon, a long, shallow body of water, damned back by the seabeacli. In the early days when all traffic went by tlie ocean beach, the Totara Lagoon was used as a water way, and very servicoble it was. It lias a length of about five miles. South AVestland has some remarkably beautiful lakes. lantlie has an area of about 3,500 acres and is beautifully wooded. It is a bird sanctuary. The iako is so situated that it reflects a long stretch of the Southern Alps, including Moun Cook. Lake Rotokino is the next beyond and near by is AVhite Heron Lagoon. ! B-oth have a good deal of bird life about thenij Tbely drain some particularly I fine swamp lands. 1 The Saltwater Lagoon by the sea I short is near by, just north of the Wataroa. River. It is a shallow water besin relieving the swamp country of the overflow. The early pioneers forging their way into tlie south country bad to negotiate the lagoon on float punts, improvised after tltfr Native fashion. Sir Julius von Haast, in the account of liis remarkable trip into South AVestland gives some particulars of the trials and tribulations the early travellers bad to undergo when forging their way south to the luring gold “lushes.’ 7 Just south of the Wataroa River there is another large lagoon—the Okarito lagoon, also abutting the sea coast Crossing the Waitangi Bluff the traveller gets his first view of the j lagoon and the panorama spreads beI fore him. Sir Julius yon Haast in his ! records describes the view as the finest ; outlook he had seen in the whole of ! bis wtorkl travels. This writer can I testify to its arresting splendour when ! seen for the first time. Viewed from | the bluff track nt an eleypfion of a

hundred feet or so, the lagoon waters spread out covering a very considerable area. For, miles, stretch great tracts of forest country, mounting to the high hills, with all the various colours of green. There above the bush, nestles the AVaiho Glacier, said to be the most accessible glacier in the world. Higher still are the snow capped mountains, all standing out in their glory, with Mount Cook, 12,349 feet, commanding the situation. It is a scene of great interest, of wonderful variety in colouring and displaying a length of panorama which impresses one as to tlie extent and vastness of beautiful AVestland, and tlie remarkable character of its physical features. Inland from the Okarito lagoon are the dark waters of Lake Wahapo, set in the midst of a forest of giant trees Then there is the largo lake—Mapou--I'tkft, whence ris*s the Okarito river. This is a lake of special charm, its bush scenery being beyond compare. In suitable weather its waiters give back magnificent reflections. An elevated' lpko—well-named Alpine—is adjacent to Okarito, its waters have ibeen utilised flor mjining purposes. AVhen Okarito has a port, aild Hi'wmilling becomes the vogue fir that quarter, the lake waters could be harnessed for power purposes. Below the Waiho river is a group of three small lakes—Muller, Gibbs and Gault,

and not far away is Lake Maffieson, which feeds the Clearwater, a tributary of the Cooks river. A very petty photograph is extent of the little known Lake Matheson, showing both Mount Tasman and Mount Cook, with the Fox Glacier, nestling below. AVeheka Flat on which the lake is situated is famous for its pastoral lands and Hereford herds. Lake Paringa is the next lake a note, proceeding south. It is horse shoe shape of considerable area, and tlie traveller gets a view of the waters from the clearing made for the purpose at the roadside. It is another very fine example of the beautiful bosh dad lake to be found in AVestland, and from a scenic point of view leaves nothing to be desired. Then there is Lake Moeraki through which the Blue River flows, ft is some distance from the main road, but it is very beautiful. Finally, there is Lake Ellery in tlie Jackson Bay region, well out of the beaten track of the tourist or average traveller.