Lake Kawaupaka
Lake in New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lake Kawaupaka, also known as Lake Kawaupaku, is a small lake near Te Henga (Bethells Beach) in the Auckland Region of New Zealand.[1] The lake is on private land,[2] and is one of the few dune lakes in the region to be surrounded by native forest.[3][4] It is located south-west of Lake Wainamu.
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| Lake Kawaupaka | |
|---|---|
Lake Kawaupaka in 1904 | |
  Lake Kawaupaka Location within New Zealand Auckland | |
| Location | Auckland Region, North Island |
| Coordinates | 36°53′40″S 174°27′30″E |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Max. length | 0.5 km (0.31 mi) |
| Max. width | 0.25 km (0.16 mi) |
Geology
The lake was originally a river valley. 7,200 years ago at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum, when sea-levels began to rise, Te Henga / Bethells Beach began to form, as sand dunes migrated into the river valley. When sand dunes formed a barrier, Lake Kawaupaka began to form as a freshwater lake.[5]
History
The lake is within the traditional rohe of Te Kawerau ā Maki, and was known as Roto Kawaupaku.[6] The name refers to the Little black cormorant (kawaupaka), who were seen as the guardians of the lake.[7] The lake was part of the greater Te Henga / Bethells Beach and Waitākere River area of settlements, with the localities of Tūrapa located on the north shore and, Pākōwhatu to the east of the lake.[6] Pākōwhatu was a pā that used Ngāti Awa fortification techniques, learnt from the Ngāti Awa people as they travelled south past the Waitākere Ranges area towards Kawhia Harbour and Taranaki.[6]
The lake remained mostly undisturbed during European colonisation. During the 19th century, flax was harvested from the lake, and pioneer John Neale Bethell planted an orchard on the lakeside.[8] The lake was purchase din 1979 by the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust, after which it was administered by the Auckland Regional Council as a nature reserve.[5]