Lakes

Lake Wakatipu is the one the town sits on, and it dominates everything — 80 km long, very deep, very cold, and prone to going from mirror to whitecaps in an afternoon. But it is not the only water here, and the smaller lakes are where locals actually go to camp and swim.

The lakes

• Lake Wakatipu — walks, viewpoints, cruises, swimming and parking around the big lake.
• Moke Lake — twenty minutes on gravel, a six-kilometre loop track and the campsite that now has to be booked in advance. The best of the small ones.
• Lake Hayes — the eight-kilometre loop between town and Arrowtown, and the willows that make April worth it.
• Lake Dispute — twenty-five minutes' walk off the Glenorchy road, and quiet.
• Lake Johnson — a small lake near Frankton, better for a look than a swim.
• Diamond Lake — up the Paradise road past Glenorchy. Not the Diamond Lake near Wanaka.

A few things that apply to all of them

Swimming. Only one site in this district is monitored for water quality — Mill Creek Shallows at Lake Hayes. For everywhere else there is simply no data, and cyanobacteria in the warmer months is a real risk in the shallower, nutrient-rich lakes. Check the regional council's toxic algae warnings, and stay out for 48 hours after heavy rain.

Fishing. The season runs 1 November to 31 May for fly and spin. Boat fishing is not allowed on most of the small lakes. Brown trout dominate, with rainbows in some.

Camping. Moke Lake and Diamond Lake both have Department of Conservation campsites that must be booked. Twelve Mile Delta, on the Glenorchy road, does not. Freedom camping is restricted across the district and enforced.

Cold. These are glacial and alpine lakes. Even in February the water is colder than it looks, and Lake Wakatipu is cold enough year-round to matter if you get into trouble.